How to Get ACT Scores Online

The ACT is one of the two main college entrance exams in the United States. ACT, Inc. administers the exam throughout the United States and at many international locations. The company provides a score report by traditional snail mail to students taking the exam. Some students like to find out ACT scores early instead of waiting for the ACT score report. Fortunately, ACT releases ACT test scores online for certain exam locations. The company also allows students to send ACT scores online to colleges and universities that they may wish to attend. Students can easily learn how to create an account and check ACT scores and send scores online.

Step 1:

Open the ACT “Viewing Scores” page on the ACT website (see Sources). According to ACT, you need a “student web account” to get your ACT scores online. Click on the link and sign up for a free account. Make sure you save your username and password for later use. You will have to log in to check your ACT scores.

Step 2:

Determine if you can get your scores early. According to ACT, you need to take the exam on a national or international testing date to get scores online early. Most, but not all, students take the ACT on one of these major testing dates. However, keep in mind that you need to schedule on one of these dates to get your scores early. If you have not registered yet, then select a national or international testing date if it is important to you to get scores early.

Step 3:

Check the online score release dates for national and international testing dates. You can see the earliest date possible for getting your ACT scores online on the “Viewing Scores” page. Note that this is simply the earliest date that the company may post the scores online. You will need to check back daily by logging into your ACT account and seeing if the scores have been uploaded.

You can receive your individual scores as well as your composite score online. Expect to wait about eight weeks to get your scores. Note, though, that if you took the writing portion through the ACT Plus Writing exam, you will need to wait about an additional two weeks for your scores.

Step 4:

When you register for the ACT, you can choose to send your scores to colleges, universities and scholarship organizations. If you decide to send more scores after registering, you can create a web account and send ACT scores online. Open the ACT “Send Your Scores to Others” web page (see Sources).

As of 2010, the fee is $9 per report per test date and $13 for a priority report. Generally, you do not need to send a priority report unless you are coming up against a school or scholarship deadline. Regular reports go out about once every two weeks, and priority reports go out to U.S. institutions only and arrive in three to four business days. You must pay extra for test dates occurring before Sept. 1, 2007 ($26 per report and $30 for priority reports).

Log into your ACT account and use a credit card to order reports. Although you can call and order on the phone (priority reports only), you have to pay an additional $12 per report. Use this option if, for some reason, you have no access to an online account to send ACT test scores. In any event, you still must pay by credit card. Use the “Telephone Order Worksheet’ if calling (see Sources).

Warning: The company also conducts testing on different days. Some colleges and schools test on days outside the normal national and international testing dates. DANTES testing is also held at a different time and place. You may still create a ACT account and check your scores online. However, you will only receive them after you get your ACT score report in the mail. In other words, you must test on a national or international testing date to get ACT scores online early.

ACT: Viewing Scores

ACT: Information on How to Send ACT Scores to Others

ACT: Telephone Order Worksheet