Have you taken the ACT recently? Do you think you did badly? Or maybe you’re just wondering what the minimum score you need to get into college is. We will explain what a bad ACT score is, both in terms of the national averages and colleges you want to go to. If you look at the ACT percentiles, any composite score below 20 (the 50th percentile) is below average. (For more on how the ACT is scored and how the composite is calculated, see our guide.) In other words, to be above average nationally, you need at least a 21 ACT composite score. Any composite 16 or lower is in the bottom 25%. If you score below 16 or lower on the ACT, your score is definitely in the very low range nationwide. Your percentile rank is important, since it compares you to every other high school student who has taken the ACT. But it’s actually more important to think about what your score means in terms of the colleges you want to attend. After all, you take the ACT to get into college! If you’re above a college’s average ACT score range, even if your score seems low nationally, then your admissions chances aren’t compromised. On the flip side, you could have an ACT score that looks great nationally – say the 90th percentile, a 28 composite – but is far below the ranges of selective colleges like the Ivy Leagues, Stanford, and MIT. So it’s much more important to consider scores in context of your target colleges, rather than just the national percentiles. Let’s explore what a bad ACT score might look like at highly selective, selective, and less selective colleges. If you’re aiming for the most selective schools – like Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Yale, MIT – most scores that aren't considered amazing at the national level will be seen as low. For example, at Stanford, the middle 50% range for the ACT Composite is 31-34, which is between the 97th and 99th percentile nationally. Additionally, since these top tier schools often turn away applicants with scores in range, it’s best to aim for the top 50% of admitted student scores, not just to be within the middle 50% range. In fact, being in the lower end of score ranges can lower your chance of admission by half of the usual admission rate. For example, if the normal admission rate is 10% and you're at the 25th percentile for that college, it can lower your chance of admission to 5% or lower. So you shouldn’t just aim to break a 31 composite if you're set on a top school. Your ACT composite should be 33 or higher – in the 99th percentile nationally – to be very competitive at Stanford or other top colleges. And the closer you can get to 36, the more you will stand out. (Read more abouthow many students get a 36 ACT every year and how their admissions chances are improved.) So to recap, any ACT score below 33 will lower your chances at the most selective schools. And any score below a 30 is decidedly low for top colleges. Once you’re out of the top 15, a “bad” ACT score for a school is anything below their middle 50% ACT range. We say “bad” not because the score is necessarily bad on a national scale, but because it could lower your chances of admission at certain schools. Let’s look at NYU as an example. It’s a top 50 school, with an ACT middle 50% range between 28 and 32. That means a bad ACT score for NYU would be anything below 28. It’s still possible you would get in, but much less likely. Even though 28 is very strong nationally – it’s in the 90th percentile! – you need to get to that score or higher to be competitive at NYU. But the threshold for “bad” will vary by school, so definitely look up the ranges of schools you are interested in using our guide below. When you are applying to large local universities or less-selective colleges (colleges that admit more than half of applicants), the ACT score ranges are often much more forgiving. As an example, let’s take a look at California State Long Beach. Their ACT middle 50% range is between 20 and 25. Fun fact: that giant pyramid is called the Walter Pyramid and is used for athletic events at CSU Long Beach. This score range is between the 50th and 80th percentile nationally. So you could get an average ACT score but still be competitive for admission at CSU Long Beach. In other words, many schools are more forgiving of an average ACT score. If you’re mainly applying to schools in this range, you won’t have to stress quite as much about studying! To see what any college’s ACT score ranges are, you just have to do a quick search online. Here at PrepScholar, we’ve compiled the ACT score ranges – as well as GPA averages and overall admissions rate – for colleges and universities nationwide. To find our data page for any school, search “[Name of College/University] ACT Scores site:prepscholar.com” in any search engine. We should be the first or second result. As an example, this is what a search for Harvard's ACT score ranges would look like. Click on the first link to see Harvard's ACT score ranges, as well as a tool that predicts your admission chances based on your GPA and ACT score. Look up the middle 50% ACT ranges of all colleges you are interested in. This will help you get a better understanding of the ACT score you should aim for – and which scores to avoid. If you want, you can fill out the table below as you look up colleges’ ACT middle 50% score ranges. Name of College/ University ACT 25th Percentile ACT 75th Percentile If you haven’t taken the ACT yet or are planning to retake it, set your target score at the upper bound of the middle 50% range of the most competitive school on your list. For example, if NYU is the most competitive school on your list, set your ACT target score at 32. If you make that score, you’ll be competitive wherever you apply! But if you miss it by a bit and get a 30, you’ll likely be well within range for most colleges on your list, and still be competitive at NYU. So you know what a bad ACT score looks like. What's a good score? An amazing one? See our guide here to find out. Read our guide on getting a perfect ACT score by our 36 full scorer. Even if you’re not going for a perfect score, following these principles will help you reach your score goal. Not sure you can study alone? Consider using our online ACT prep program. We take the hard part out of studying by analyzing your weak spots and giving you targetted practice questions. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically. Nationally, What’s a Bad ACT Score?
What Do Colleges Think Is a Bad Score?
What’s a Bad ACT Score for the Most Selective Schools?
What’s a Bad ACT Score for Selective Schools?
What’s a Bad ACT Score for My Local State School?
How To Find a College’s Score Ranges
Next Steps
What’s Next?
Halle Edwards
About the Author
Halle Edwards graduated from Stanford University with honors. In high school, she earned 99th percentile ACT scores as well as 99th percentile scores on SAT subject tests. She also took nine AP classes, earning a perfect score of 5 on seven AP tests. As a graduate of a large public high school who tackled the college admission process largely on her own, she is passionate about helping high school students from different backgrounds get the knowledge they need to be successful in the college admissions process.
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FAQs
What is the lowest ACT score you can get and still get into college? ›
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What's the Lowest ACT Score You Can Have for College?
Scores below a 15 on the ACT are considered low at just about any four-year college. You can overcome low scores with a great GPA or an outstanding college application. But even if you're accepted, the school may ask you to take some remedial courses before enrolling.
Is a 22 on the ACT good or bad? ›A 22 ACT places you in the 67th percentile. What does that mean exactly? Well, that means you scored higher than 67% of all other test takers. While that sounds like a good result, a 22 ACT and anything below is actually a fairly weak score.
Is a 19 on the ACT good? ›What Is a Good ACT Score Overall? A good ACT score ranks you higher than the majority of test-takers. As such, any composite score above the 50th percentile, or 19-20, can be considered a solid score.
Is 20 ACT score good? ›A 20 ACT score puts you at the 49th percentile, meaning you scored higher than 49% of all test takers — which is certainly something to be proud of! To increase your competitiveness during the college application process, though, you'll want to meet or exceed the national average, which is closer to a score of 21.
Is 27 a good ACT score for a junior? ›Is a 27 ACT Score (85th Percentile) Good? A 27 ACT score puts you a good deal about the national average (20.8) and makes you eligible for acceptance at a vast majority of schools. It also makes you competitive at some selective institutions, as well as eligible for merit aid!
Is 18 an OK score on the ACT? ›What percentile is a 18 ACT score? Earning an 18 on the ACT puts you at the 38th percentile, meaning that you scored higher than 38% of all test takers.
What is a failing ACT score? ›There is no such thing as a failing ACT score. The lowest score you can get on the standardized test is 1, while the highest score you can get on it is 36.
What is the lowest ACT score Harvard accepted? ›The average ACT score of Harvard-accepted students is 33. Although Harvard claims there is no minimum ACT score, if you apply with a 29 or lower, you'll have difficulty getting in. So, to get into Harvard, it is important to note the different Harvard University requirements for test scores.
Can you retake the ACT? ›How Many Times Should You Take the ACT? If you're not satisfied with your scores, you can retake the ACT. ACT Inc., which administers the exam, lets you take the test up to 12 times, though it's best to take it no more than 2-3 times. Beyond that, you're unlikely to boost your scores substantially.
Can you get into Harvard with a 22 ACT? ›
The 25th percentile ACT score is 33, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 35. In other words, a 33 places you below average, while a 35 will move you up to above average. There's no absolute ACT requirement at Harvard, but they really want to see at least a 33 to have a chance at being considered.
How bad is a 25 on the ACT? ›Earning an ACT score of 25 puts you above average, making you eligible at a wide variety of schools and competitive at some selective institutions. To put this accomplishment in another light, a 25 ACT score puts you at the 75th percentile — that means you scored higher than 75% of all test takers.
What ACT score is good for scholarships? ›The Best Possible ACT Score For Scholarships Ranges
Unsurprisingly, the highest potential comes with ACT scores 30+. With ACT scores in the 30-36 range, it's possible to win $10,000 or more in scholarship prizes.
Yes, you should definitely retake the exam if you received a 19 ACT score or lower. This is a relatively weak score that will preclude you from getting into many colleges and universities in the country.
Does your ACT score really matter? ›Plus, higher test results may get you scholarships from your university or academic program. We know a high SAT or ACT score can turn a good college application into a great college application.
Will colleges accept a 20 ACT score? ›What colleges can I get into with a 20 ACT score? While 20 may not be the most competitive ACT score, there are several colleges that fit your Target institutions, including San Francisco State University, Radford University, and Valdosta State University.
How can I improve my ACT score? ›One of the most commonly asked questions of ACT is “how do my students improve their scores?” The simple answer is have them take challenging courses and test prep. Because the ACT tests what students learn in high school, the best way for them to prepare is to take core classes, study, and participate in class.
Is 21 a decent ACT score? ›Is 21 a good ACT score? A 21 ACT score puts you right at the national average, making you eligible to apply to a number of schools. It offers you a slight competitive edge, but won't make you competitive for most selective schools.
How much can you realistically raise your ACT score? ›Many students can improve on average 150 to 200 points on the SAT and three to five points on the ACT with hard work and tutoring."
How do you go from 27 to 30 on the ACT? ›To get a 30, you must score highly on all four sections of the exam (excluding Writing). Specifically, you'll need to get at least a 30 on two sections and a composite score of 29.5 (which rounds to 30) or higher. This means you can only miss a handful of questions on each section.
What is the lowest grade for ACT? ›
Your Composite score and each test score (English, mathematics, reading, science) range from 1 (low) to 36 (high).
Is a 18 on the ACT bad? ›What percentile is a 18 ACT score? Earning an 18 on the ACT puts you at the 38th percentile, meaning that you scored higher than 38% of all test takers.
Can I go to college with a 15 ACT score? ›15 ACT Score Standings
Out of the 1.91 million test-takers, 1589292 scored the same or higher than you. You can apply to 16 colleges and have a good shot at getting admitted. You have a very low chance of getting into 1483 schools with this score.
A 12 ACT places you in the 7th percentile. What does that mean exactly? Well, that means you scored higher than 7% of all other test takers. While that sounds like a good result, a 12 ACT and anything below is actually a fairly weak score.
Is a 14 on the ACT good? ›A 14 ACT places you in the 19th percentile. What does that mean exactly? Well, that means you scored higher than 19% of all other test takers. While that sounds like a good result, a 14 ACT and anything below is actually a fairly weak score.
Do colleges care more about GPA or ACT? ›When it comes to the GPA and the ACT, students often wonder which one is more important. Although college admissions officers often say that they give much more weight to a student's GPA, even they will admit that your ACT score is of considerable importance.
What if I have a high GPA but low ACT scores? ›Work harder on raising your GPA. In most colleges, a high GPA may compensate for low ACT/SAT scores. Put extra time into writing an exceptional admission essay that will impress the judges and sway their decision in your favor, regardless of your test scores.
What is the lowest ACT score to get into Harvard? ›There's no absolute ACT requirement at Harvard, but they really want to see at least a 33 to have a chance at being considered.
What ACT scores do colleges want? ›That said, for the country's most selective colleges and universities, you should be aiming to get an ACT composite score of 30 or higher. The tables below show the middle 50 percent range of ACT scores for different schools. The middle 50 percent of admitted students fell within these numbers.
What is the average national ACT score? ›The ACT test is graded on a scale of 1-36, and according to the 2022 ACT Research Publication, the current national average ACT score is 20.8.
What is a good ACT score for scholarships? ›
The Best Possible ACT Score For Scholarships Ranges
Unsurprisingly, the highest potential comes with ACT scores 30+. With ACT scores in the 30-36 range, it's possible to win $10,000 or more in scholarship prizes.
17 ACT Score Standings
Out of the 1.91 million test-takers, 1359515 scored the same or higher than you. You can apply to 58 colleges and have a good shot at getting admitted. You have a very low chance of getting into 1441 schools with this score.
A 16 or 17 on the ACT for the first time is not good for test-takers who would like to apply to selective schools. However, for those who would like to attend non-selective schools, an ACT score of 16 or 17 is good enough. Also, ACT test score doesn't matter when applying to test-optional schools.
Is a 21 OK on the ACT? ›Is 21 a good ACT score? A 21 ACT score puts you right at the national average, making you eligible to apply to a number of schools. It offers you a slight competitive edge, but won't make you competitive for most selective schools.