ACT Test Dates
Do you know when the next ACT test is?
When Will the Next ACT Test Days Be?
Several times over the school year, the ACT is given in testing facilities around the country. This is the conventional and most popular method of taking the test.
A calendar of upcoming ACT dates and associated registration deadlines can be seen below. To avoid late fines, you should register for the ACT at least three weeks prior to the test day. Although you can officially sign up for the ACT up to three days before the test, depending on how late you sign up, you'll have to pay an additional fee.
What to Expect on the Day of the ACT
There is additional work to be done after you determine the date of your ACT test. Be sure to read below so that you can be ready for your test day. All the information you require to be ready for the exam is below.
Where Usually Are ACT Exams Conducted?
Private schools and occasionally designated test centers host the ACT tests on a regular basis. The test center that is closest to you will be listed when you register for the ACT, with the most distant center at the top of the list.
What Takes Place on ACT Exam Day?
You should double-check your entry ticket to make sure that the exam you registered for actually starts at 9:00 am. Make sure to get there at least 30 minutes before the test.
Nervous about an upcoming ACT test? Talk to one of our private tutors today about preparing for the ACT! We have comprehensive study guides, master test takers, and an entire program ready to help you ace the exam! Start preparing today!
For the ACT, what should you bring?
Remember to bring the following items on exam day:
Your ACT admission ticket
Sharpened #2 pencils
An eraser
That's all you'll need during the test!
When is the best time to take the ACT?
The admission deadline of the schools you are applying is almost irrelevant. We encourage you to take the test when you have prepped well and have in practice two high-enough scores to show you are ready to do that or even better on the real test. All other things being equal, testing EARLY is best. More on the advantages of early-to-study-and-early-to-test is at www.ivybound.net.
| Test Date | Registration Deadline | Late Registration Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| October 26, 2024 | September 20, 2024 | October 4, 2024 |
| December 7, 2024 | November 1, 2024 | November 15, 2024 |
| February 7, 2025 | January 3, 2025 | January 17, 2025 |
| April 11, 2025 | March 7, 2025 | March 21, 2025 |
| June 7, 2025 | May 2, 2025 | May 16, 2025 |
| July 12, 2025 | June 6, 2025 | June 20, 2025 |
Ivy Bound ACT Classes and Private tutoring
Ivy Bound offers ACT classes on weekends in the spring, summer and fall. Students can enlist in Private Tutoring in ANY season, and at almost any time of the week. An Ivy Bound Tutor Coordinator will make a pairing based on you desired times, the “type” of tutor you see, your budget, and your preference for online, in-person, or a mix.
Ivy Bound provides answers to commonly asked test-scheduling questions here. For more detailed answers that fits your child's situation, Ivy Bound's $250/year Ascent program lets a counselor tailor the study and the scheduling of SAT tests, ACT tests, AP tests, and TOEFL (for international applicants)
When is the ACT offered?
The ACT is offered nationally seven times a year. Registration deadlines are typically four to five weeks in advance of the test date. However, we strongly urge students to register 8 to 10 weeks in advance so that you can be seated at your desired test center and not sent to a distant and unfamiliar test center.
In a few states, the ACT is offered on one, two, or three additional dates. These are "School Day ACT" dates that are typically given statewide in March and/or April. These administrations have a second and third purpose: for districts to evaluate student progress and to modify teachers' teaching of skills. But the first purpose, to show college admissions offices and college financial aid offices a student's merit, are in play even on these extra School Day ACT dates.
Once registered, can I change my ACT dates?
Yes, after registration, you can change your test date, but unless it is for an event that is taking you out of town, it is best to stay with the original date and ADD ANOTHER ACT date. Even if you have not studied thoroughly or are not feeling well, taking the test for practice has merit. Plus, you might do well enough on ONE SECTION of the ACT, (the English, Math, Reading, or Science) to post a high quarter-score that will get "Super-scored" with a high scores on the other three sections on later dates.
Are there any ACT test dates in the summer?
Yes, there are summer ACT dates. Mid July and early September (technically that's still summer) are routinely offered. The June date is very good for students who have studied in the winter and spring and are done with school or at least done with daunting final school exams. The July date is best for those who want to study hard in a short burst for 4 – 6 weeks after school ends in June. The September date is good for almost everyone. The September ACT becomes a second test for those who took the June or July ACT but did not trounce all sections. The September ACT becomes the TARGET ACT date for those who studied in the summer.
What are the ACT test dates for international students?
ACT dates for International students in 2023 are the same test dates as those in the United States. International students typically have fewer opportunities at a given location. Test centers in the US typically offer the ACT three, four, or five times a year, while ACT test centers abroad typically offer the test just once or twice a year.
International students often find it beneficial to come to the United States to take the ACT in the summer. Many will take the SAT in the U.S. as well. They come to the United States in June and study for the ACT/SAT while taking other courses on university campuses. They can then test for the ACT in July and for the SAT in late August in the USA, and then return home.
Are some test dates easier than others?
Many students and parents cogitate and try to plan to take the ACT on an "easy" test date. They plan based on the rumor that certain dates are "easier" than other test dates.
These families are half right. The ACT is easier on some test dates than others. Even after scaling, some tests are markedly easier and yield higher scores for well-prepared students than other ACT tests. Whether the ACT test-makers know this likely result or are themselves surprised by this is conjecture. The big deal is that YOU can't know.
And thus, the other half: you can't plan for an easy test date. Our suggestion is to prep well and be prepared to take the ACT on multiple dates. Your improved skills will eventually come through on one date and you will earn a high ACT score.
There is no test date that rewards testing among less-prepared students or punishes testing among well-prepared students. There ARE dates when the average tester is not well prepared. December typically has more students who are poorly prepped than any other date. February and April typically have the best prepped students. But students are not competing against other students on a given date. They are competing against a pre-set "curve". So, if you are destined to score 31, you don't get any more points for scoring 31 in December when the national SAT average is 19 than for scoring 31 in April when the national ACT average is 23.
Our advice: take the ACT when you are most prepared to take the ACT. All things being equal, take the ACT early and often.
Does it hurt my admission chances to take the ACT many times?
No student is hurt by testing many times. Admissions offices are guided in their admit/deny decision by the BEST score a student submits. With only one known exception, Georgetown, they do not care how many times a student tests.
Indeed, a student who tests multiple times has the advantage of SUPER-SCORING. All northeast colleges, and almost all colleges nationwide, choose to super-score. This advantages students who submit multiple scores because the colleges then are locking in your best ACT Math score and combining it with your best ACT English, Reading, and Science scores from different dates.