Registering for the ACT

We are looking forward to supporting you through this process! Don't hesitate to contact us with any questions regarding your prep and timeline for your official exam dates.

1ST OFFICIAL EXAM

We recommend an 8-10 week program of preparation and then at least four full mocks completed prior to the official exam. Spots can fill up quickly, we recommend that you register for the exam early at act.org. If the first official exam date needs to be pushed back due to delays in your prep schedule, you can always cancel or reschedule the official exam on your web account for a fee.

• NO WRITING‍

We recommend all students register for the full ACT without the optional writing section. The writing section is an optional part of the ACT, is scored separately and is not included in your composite score. Since colleges have been placing less and less weight on the optional timed essay and more weight on your application essays, the SAT decided to do away with the optional writing section entirely, and it's possible that the ACT will follow soon. We'd rather students focus on the four main sections (English, math, reading and science) instead of on the optional essay.

• ORDER TIR

We also recommend students order the optional TIR if it is available for your testing date. The TIR provides students with a copy of the testing booklet and is a report showing which questions were answered correctly and incorrectly. The TIR is available for examinees testing at a National Testing Center in December, April, or June. It is also available for examinees testing through Special Testing in April. You can order the TIR in your web account during registration for a $30 fee.

2ND OFFICIAL EXAM

Most students take the official exam at least twice since many colleges superscore; colleges will take the highest combined section scores over multiple exam sittings and average them to make a new composite score.

WHEN do students typically take their second official exam?

• Students typically take their second official exam at the next available testing date following their first official exam as long as they are able to commit to at least four full mock exams leading up to the test date. Below are the currently scheduled testing dates for 2023 (more testing dates will be released in the summer of 2023 for exams in September, October, and December).

                 February 11th, April 15th, June 10th, July 15th      

• If students have restrictions in their schedules that do not allow for four full mocks prior to the next available testing date, then they should wait to test until they are able to get those full exams in.

HOW do students typically prepare for their second official exam?

• Preparation for the second exam varies based on students' progress at that point in their program and their goals for their second official exam score. Leading up to the second official exam, most students will take at least four full mocks and meet with a tutor once a week to review those mock exams and identify the areas for improvement. The homework assigned at this point will be differentiated based on those areas for improvement. Some students choose not to meet for sessions at this point and will review the mock exams on their own. Others who need more preparation to reach their goals and might continue with two sessions per week to review both homework and mock exams.

SHOULD I register now for the second official exam?

• While some students choose to wait to register for the second official exam until they have their first official exam scores back, you can register now for the second official exam to save your seat. Even if the testing date needs to be pushed back due to delays in your prep schedule, you can always cancel or reschedule the official exam on the ACT portal for a fee.

‍