How to Use This Calculator
- 1
Enter your Test 1 English score
Input your English score from your first ACT attempt, typically ranging from 1 to 36.
- 2
Enter your Test 1 Math score
Provide your Math score from your first ACT attempt, also on a 1 to 36 scale.
- 3
Enter your Test 1 Reading score
Input your Reading score from your first ACT attempt.
- 4
Enter your Test 1 Science score
Provide your Science score from your first ACT attempt.
- 5
Enter your Test 2 English score
Input your English score from your second ACT attempt.
- 6
Enter your Test 2 Math score
Provide your Math score from your second ACT attempt.
- 7
Enter your Test 2 Reading score
Input your Reading score from your second ACT attempt.
- 8
Enter your Test 2 Science score
Provide your Science score from your second ACT attempt.
- 9
Review your results and insights
The calculator displays your ACT Superscore, Best Single Sitting score, and the best English, Math, Reading, and Science section scores. Review the 'Score Insights' panel for a detailed breakdown of your performance and potential gains.
- 10
Use Recent Calculations History
Click the clock icon to view and recall your previous calculations, allowing you to easily compare different scenarios or track your progress.
Example Calculation
A high school student applying to competitive universities wants to see their best possible ACT composite score after two attempts.
Test 1 English
24
Test 1 Math
22
Test 1 Reading
26
Test 1 Science
23
Test 2 English
26
Test 2 Math
25
Test 2 Reading
24
Test 2 Science
27
Results
ACT Superscore
26.0 (Good — competitive for many colleges)
Best Single Sitting
25.5 (Superscore is 0.5 points higher than best sitting)
English (Best)
26 (Solid English score — improved by 2 pts)
Math (Best)
25 (Solid Math score — improved by 3 pts)
Reading (Best)
26 (Solid Reading score — improved by 2 pts)
Science (Best)
27 (Strong Science result — improved by 4 pts)
Tips
Strategic Retakes
Focus on improving your weakest section in a retake. Even a 1–2 point increase in one section can significantly boost your Superscore, potentially moving you into a higher admissions tier for many institutions.
Understanding College Policies
Always verify a university's specific ACT policy. While many accept Superscores, some still require or prefer scores from a single sitting. A university might consider the Superscore but give preference to applicants with a strong single-sitting score above 30.
Score Range Targets
Aim for a Superscore within the middle 50% range of admitted students for your target universities. For highly selective schools, this often means a Superscore above 32, while broader admissions might see a middle 50% range of 24–28.
Leverage History for Comparison
Use the 'Recent Calculations History' feature to save and compare different score combinations. This helps you visualize the impact of potential score improvements on your overall Superscore.
Calculating Your Best Possible ACT Composite Score
The ACT Superscore Calculator determines your optimal composite by picking the highest score from each section across two test attempts, then averaging those four section bests.
This is the score that an increasing number of colleges use to evaluate your application — allowing you to demonstrate peak performance in every subject area regardless of which test date it occurred on.
For two test attempts with scores of 24/22/26/23 and 26/25/24/27, the superscore is 26.0, compared to a best-single-sitting of 25.5, reflecting a +0.5-point benefit from the superscore method.
Unpacking the ACT Superscore Methodology
The ACT Superscore Calculator identifies the highest score achieved in each section across both test administrations, then averages those four best scores.
Best English = max(Test 1 English, Test 2 English)
Best Math = max(Test 1 Math, Test 2 Math)
Best Reading = max(Test 1 Reading, Test 2 Reading)
Best Science = max(Test 1 Science, Test 2 Science)
ACT Superscore = (Best English + Best Math + Best Reading + Best Science) / 4
Test 1 Composite = (Test 1 English + Test 1 Math + Test 1 Reading + Test 1 Science) / 4
Test 2 Composite = (Test 2 English + Test 2 Math + Test 2 Reading + Test 2 Science) / 4
Best Single Sitting = max(Test 1 Composite, Test 2 Composite)
Superscore Gain = ACT Superscore − Best Single Sitting
Section Gain = Best Section Score − lower of the two scores for that section
Determining the Best ACT Composite for College Applications
A student took the ACT twice with these section scores:
| Section | Test 1 | Test 2 | Best |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 24 | 26 | 26 |
| Math | 22 | 25 | 25 |
| Reading | 26 | 24 | 26 |
| Science | 23 | 27 | 27 |
- Best English: max(24, 26) = 26 — Solid (+2 pts gain from Test 1).
- Best Math: max(22, 25) = 25 — Solid (+3 pts gain from Test 1).
- Best Reading: max(26, 24) = 26 — Solid (+2 pts gain from Test 2 baseline).
- Best Science: max(23, 27) = 27 — Strong (+4 pts gain from Test 1).
- ACT Superscore: (26 + 25 + 26 + 27) / 4 = 104 / 4 = 26.0 — Good.
- Best Single Sitting: Test 1 Composite = (24+22+26+23)/4 = 23.75; Test 2 Composite = (26+25+24+27)/4 = 25.5 → max = 25.5
- Superscore Gain: 26.0 − 25.5 = +0.5 pts from the superscore method.
Full results: Superscore: 26.0 | Best Sitting: 25.5 (+0.5 pts) | English: 26 Solid +2 pts | Math: 25 Solid +3 pts | Reading: 26 Solid +2 pts | Science: 27 Strong +4 pts.
Score Interpretation Context
An ACT Superscore of 26 places a student above the national average composite score, which typically hovers around 20–21.
For many public universities, a score in the mid-to-high 20s (e.g., 25–29) often places an applicant within the middle 50% range of admitted students.
For more selective institutions, an ACT Superscore often needs to be in the low to mid-30s (e.g., 32–34) to align with their admitted student profiles.
Understanding this context helps students gauge their competitiveness and identify target schools where their Superscore aligns well with typical admissions benchmarks.
Regulations and Standards That Reference ACT Superscore
The concept of an ACT Superscore is primarily driven by college admissions policies rather than specific federal or state regulations.
Many universities, particularly highly selective ones, adopt superscoring as a standard practice to attract a broader pool of qualified applicants, recognizing that students may perform better on different sections across multiple sittings.
As of September 2020, ACT, Inc. began officially calculating and reporting Superscores directly to colleges.
Students applying to institutions that superscore should submit all their ACT scores, allowing the college's admissions system to apply its superscoring policy automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ACT Superscore?
An ACT Superscore is the highest possible composite score calculated by taking the best individual section scores (English, Math, Reading, Science) from all of a student's ACT test attempts. For example, if your best English score was 30 on Test 1 and your best Math score was 28 on Test 2, those would be used for your Superscore.
Do all colleges accept ACT Superscores?
No, not all colleges accept ACT Superscores. While a growing number of institutions, including many Ivy League schools, do, some universities still prefer or require scores from a single test administration. It's crucial to check the specific admissions policies of each target university.
How much can a Superscore improve my overall ACT score?
A Superscore can improve your overall ACT score by an average of 1 to 2 points compared to your best single sitting. In some cases, especially if a student has inconsistent performance across multiple tests, the improvement can be 3 points or more.
Is the ACT Superscore officially reported by ACT, Inc.?
As of September 2020, ACT, Inc. began officially calculating and reporting Superscores directly to colleges, making it easier for students to present their best performance. Before this, students had to manually calculate their Superscore.