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What is the ACT?

Many colleges require scores from the ACT or SAT tests as a part of the admissions process.  Your ACT score is a key component of your college applications.

ACT Basics

About the act.

The ACT is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. It is a multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper test administered by ACT, Inc. The purpose of the ACT test is to measure a high school student's readiness for college, and provide colleges with one common data point that can be used to compare all applicants. College admissions officers will review standardized test scores alongside your high school GPA, the classes you took in high school, letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors, extracurricular activities, admissions interviews, and personal essays. How important ACT scores are in the college application process varies from school to school. Overall, the higher you score on the ACT and/or SAT, the more options for attending and paying for college will be available to you.

When should I take the ACT?

Most high school students take the ACT, SAT, or both during the spring of their junior year or fall of their senior year. It's important to leave time to re-take the test if you need to raise your score before you apply to college. The ACT exam is offered nationally every year in September, October, December, February*, April, June, and July*.  View all upcoming  ACT test dates. *No test centers are scheduled in New York for the February or July test dates. No test centers are scheduled in California for the July test date.

What is on the ACT?

There are four ACT sections:  

The ACT also includes an optional 40-minute Writing Test. Some colleges may require that you complete the ACT Writing Test. You can confirm each college's admissions policies on the school website or on our  school profiles.

How long is the ACT?

The ACT is 2 hours and 55 minutes long . If you choose to take the ACT with Essay, the test will be 3 hours and 35 minutes long.

How is the ACT scored?

Each section of the ACT is scored on a 1 to 36 point scale. Your composite ACT score is the average of your four section scores, also on a scale from 1 to 36. If you take the ACT with Writing Test, you will receive a separate score on the Writing Test.

Should I take the ACT or the SAT?

Most colleges and universities will accept scores from either the SAT or ACT, and do not favor one test over the other. That said, college-bound students are increasingly taking  both the SAT and ACT.  Changes made to the SAT in 2016 have made it easier than ever to prep for both tests concurrently—and earn competitive scores on both! The best way to decide if taking the SAT, ACT, or both tests is right for you is to take a timed  full-length practice test  of each type. Since the content and style of the SAT and ACT are very similar, factors like how you handle time pressure and what types of questions you find most challenging can help you determine which test is a better fit. Try our  QUIZ: SAT, ACT, or Both?  to learn more

How do I register for the ACT?

Registration deadlines fall approximately five weeks before each ACT test date. You can get registration materials from your school counselor, or you can register online on the  ACT website.

How can I prep for the ACT?

We can help. We have  ACT prep solutions  for every student and every budget. Take a Free ACT Practice Test

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The ACT Essay - An Introduction

So, the big question is this: should you even care about your ACT essay? If it’s optional, and it doesn’t really affect your score, then why would any sane person take this thing at all?

Three answers to this question:

• It depends on the colleges . Many competitive universities recommend the “ACT with Essay” when submitting standardized test scores. Because most of you will be applying to the top 100 universities in the United States, I expect every student taking an AP Guru course to take the ACT Essay. It’s up to you to research your colleges of choice and figure out what their policy on this will be.
• It can be used as an indicator to “verify” your actual application essay. Unfortunately, there’s a growing trend of students getting “help” on their essays. Getting guidance and editing is fine, but a lot of essays now are basically written by a professional and submitted as student work. Many colleges will use this essay to see if your writing style is consistent. If you write like Hemingway in your application essay and like a 3-year-old child on your ACT essay, they’ll know something is up.
• It’s so easy to ace that you might as well take it. The ACT Essay is easy to prep for. Although the essay may seem intimidating right now, after you learn our AP Guru essay strategies, you will find that the ACT Essay is perhaps your favorite and easiest part of the ACT.

So honestly, why not just do it? It takes 40 minutes to write - that’s time you’d probably spend watching Netflix on the Saturday of your test. And because it’s at the end of the test, it’s not going to eat into your mental energy.

Overall, my answer would be: just learn to write this essay well because it’s easy, it can’t really do any harm, and it COULD do some good.

Getting a good ACT essay score is so easy that there is no reason for you to avoid it. The ACT essay has nothing to do with your level of writing talent, and everything to do with strategy and knowledge of the grading system. I don’t care if you’re “a math person, not a writer.” It doesn’t matter. In fact, some of the best ACT essay writers I’ve ever worked with were great at math and terrible at English.

So, now since you have decided to give the essay, it’s important to understand what it actually is about.

Basics of the ACT Essay

The ACT will present an issue with context and accompany it with 3 perspectives . The prompt will ask you to

• “Evaluate and Analyze” the three perspectives presented
• “State and Develop” your own perspective
• “Explain the Relationship” between your perspective and the given perspectives

You need to do this in the four lined pages provided to you.

How is the Essay Graded

Once you have sent the essay in, two readers each will give it a score from 1-6 in the following categories:.

• ideas and analysis
• development and support
• organization
• language use
• Ideas and Analysis You’ll need to make sure you address and thoughtfully discuss multiple perspectives on the issue. Furthermore, a top-scoring essay should make sure to address an issue in its full complexity. Rather than trying to simplify the issue, make sweeping generalizations, or rely on assumptions, a top scoring essay acknowledges the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed position.
• Development and Support Make sure that you support your point with lots of compelling evidence, evidence that fits well together into a unified whole and includes things like exceptions, edge cases, and limits to show that you know specifically where that evidence or logic does and doesn’t apply.
• Organization This is an easy one. Harnessing the writing skills you’ve learned throughout school, you just need to lay out your overall essay in a logical way. By following our template, you should be able to receive top scores in this category with ease.
• Language Use Use rich, interesting vocabulary to show your mastery of the English language. Use sentences that have different lengths and structure, with a professional tone, and make sure to proofread so that there are few to no errors present.

In the chapters to follow, we’ll dissect the above into concrete “checkboxes” that you can cross off one-by-one as you write your essay. Now, you need to understand how the essay graders assign points for these different categories.

The Grading Procedure

For every ACT session, the organization administering the ACT receives hundreds of thousands of essays from students across the world. How does it manage to grade every single one of them in 2-3 weeks?

First, it hires a bunch of teachers who presumably know something about grading papers. But that still does not solve the problem. Next, it has to standardize the grading process so that scores remain consistent across the board and the teachers can get through the sheer number of essays quickly.

The organization standardizes the process by asking graders to put their own opinions aside and solely correct using set guidelines. Any flashes of your literary brilliance will be glossed over in a ruthless grading procedure that only cares about whether your work matches the standard model.

Your job, then, is not to write a masterpiece. This isn’t your IB English class. The teacher won’t be looking at every word and dissecting all your punctuation marks. Instead, your job is simply to write something that fits the guidelines. That’s it. It doesn’t have to be innovative and it doesn’t have to be in your voice and style. Just give them what they want.

Length of your Essay

One question that all my students ask me: Does the length of my ACT essay affect my score? The short answer is: YES. Longer essays usually get better grades.

If you aren’t filling all four pages of your booklet, it’s not the end of the world. But if you’re barely filling up two pages, that’s going to be a problem.

However, there’s a risk here: the longer your essay is, the more chances there are for you to go off-topic, break up your structure, or put in random sentences that kill the flow of your essay. You especially don’t want to go off topic that’s the ultimate essay score destroyer. By planning your essay in advance and sticking to the template you’re about to learn, you will ensure you do not go off-topic.

Step by step process

How can you crank out an essay in 40 minutes here’s my step by step process when i first open the writing section screen:.

• Read the informational paragraph at the beginning of the prompt. It only takes 30 seconds and it gives you context for what you’ll be writing. It might also help you think of the examples you’ll use in your essay.
• Read the three perspectives.
• Choose one of the three perspectives to be your own stance.
• Come up with an example for the perspective you support and one each against the perspectives you disprove of.
• Don’t read the essay task - it’s always the same. You should know from practice what the assignment is.
• At this point, it’s time to start your essay . You should start typing the essay within 5 minutes of the starting time.
• It’s pretty smooth sailing once the essay starts coming together in your mind. Just follow the template for the body paragraphs and the conclusion.
• Always have a conclusion . The graders will punish you if you don’t have one. I’d rather cut one of my body paragraphs short than run out of time before the conclusion.

The topics you will write about will be different, but the overall structure and the way you write will be identical every time.

Flaws to Avoid

As I keep repeating to my AP Guru students, its often more important to know what not to do then what to do . So, the following are list of points that are ACT Writing point killers and should be avoided at all cost.

• Not writing about the topic presented . If you write about a subject other than the one presented by the ACT, you’ll automatically get a 0. Write your essay about the prompt provided, please
• Not developing a clear thesis. Selecting a point of view and then supporting it with evidence is the entire point of writing this essay - if you don’t have a clear thesis, you’re never going to get a good score.
• Lack of a coherent “thread” throughout your essay. Put simply, if your essay is all over the place, you’re going to get a terrible score. If you randomly skip to certain points, or omit evidence, or keep switching from A to B to D to A again, you’re in trouble. You need an intro, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion, and you need them in that order.
• Avoid Circular Reasoning. “Circular reasoning” is any form of argument in which you try to prove a point by simply repeating it with different wording. Your using different words, but I’m still saying the exact same thing.
• Providing irrelevant examples or evidence . Irrelevance will kill your ACT essay score, and this is where most “good writers” get in huge trouble - they try to be creative, but they end up being incoherent. Your evidence and examples can stink, but they need to be related to the point you’re trying to prove.
• Bad grammar. Remember: the essay is grouped in with the English section. If you make tons of grammatical errors, you’re going to lose points. A single mistake here or there won’t affect your score, but once you hit a critical mass of mistakes, you’re cooked.
• Lack of transition between paragraphs . Each paragraph you write will be dedicated to a certain idea. There’s nothing worse than toggling between ideas with no transition whatsoever.
• Errors in spelling and vocabulary. If you constantly misspell words or use them incorrectly, you’ll lose points. Once again - a couple tiny mistakes won’t matter, but there’s a critical mass you can’t afford to hit.
• Illegible handwriting. If I can’t read it, I can’t understand it. If I can’t understand it, it makes no sense.

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• March 2, 2018

How Long is the ACT?

For those with the question “how long is the ACT,” you are already thinking ahead to one of the biggest constraints of the ACT : time. With a minute per question, being able to answer questions efficiently and effectively is key!

Many choose to think of the ACT as more of a marathon than a sprint. It’s important to know how to pace yourself on the test as well as take advantage of breaks to recover before jumping back into the race. Knowing exactly what you are getting yourself into and being prepared for the test is a great way to avoid any unnecessary stress or concern on test day.

So read on and see how long the ACT takes and what exactly to expect.

How Long Does the ACT Take?

• The ACT is 2 hours and 55 minutes in length of actual sit-down testing. Including breaks, the ACT is 3 hours and 35 minutes long .
• If you take ACT with optional essay, the testing time is 3 hours and 35 minutes . Including breaks, the ACT with optional essay is 3 hours and 50 minutes long.

ACT Test Length By Section:

• Section 1 – English – 45 minutes
• Section 2 – Math – 60 minutes
• Section 3 – Reading – 35 minutes
• Section 4 – Science – 35 minutes
• Optional Writing – 40 minutes

The testing usually begins between 8:30AM and 9:30AM, although all students are required to arrive at the test-taking center at 8AM for check-in. Let’s have a look at the schedule broken out by section for an 8:30AM exact start time:

[table id=10 /]

Generally speaking, this is the schedule you will experience across all testing centers. Sometimes there are differences in this schedule based on the strictness of the proctor on break time or if there is any kind of problem or disruption during the test that needs to be taken care of.

After the Math section of the MCAT, all test takers receive a 10-minute break. If your proctor attempts to skip this break, please let them know that you would like this time for a rest, as you are entitled to this 10-minute break to regroup.

What Else You Need to Know About Testing Day

Students must be checked in by 8AM Saturday morning of your test date, so it’s recommended to show up at the testing center at least 15 minutes beforehand. It’s important to keep ahold of your admissions ticket even after check-in, as you will need some of the information when filling out personal details on the test (check out our ACT checklist here! ).

The variation occurs in how long it takes to check everyone in, which is why the start time can vary between 8:30 and 9:30 AM. Once the proctor has checked everyone in and read the directions, you will then need to fill out all the personal details as directed. Assuming all goes well, you then will take the test and expect to be finished between 11:30AM and 1PM.

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How Long Is the ACT?

The ACT without Writing is 2 hours and 55 minutes (175 minutes) long, while the ACT with Writing is 3 hours and 35 minutes (215 minutes) long. For students needing extended time, the ACT without Writing is 4 hours and 30 minutes (270 minutes) long, while the ACT with Writing is 5 hours and 30 minutes (330 minutes) long. This does not include mandatory breaks.

Some students also receive accommodations for multi-day testing; if this is true for you, you will instead take the test at your school during a designated three-week testing window under the supervision of your guidance counselor.

How Long Is the ACT by Section?

ACT sections (“tests”) vary in length. The length of individual ACT sections follows a standardized format:

*The Writing test is optional.

How Long Does the ACT Take?

Of course, you are going to be spending longer in the testing room than that. You’ll spend time checking in, filling out initial information, listening to instructions, and taking breaks. All in all, you’ll likely spend a little over 4 hours in the testing center if you are taking the test without Writing and up to around 5 hours if you are taking the Writing test. So, yeah, that’s why we tell you to pack a snack.

The ACT requires you to report to the testing center by 8 AM. Likely you’ll want to get there earlier, though, so you aren’t freaking out if you hit unexpected traffic and so that you have time to mentally prepare yourself, find your testing room, use the bathroom, and so on.  

Schedule for the ACT

Below you’ll see what your ACT Saturday morning is likely to look like. You may take more or less time to primp in the morning, but I highly recommend you do not take the “roll out of bed and show up in your PJs approach” to the ACT. First priority is getting enough sleep, but you should also build time into your morning for these three essentials: 1. breakfast 2. getting the blood flowing with some brief exercise 3. getting the brain warmed up with some reading (or a math problem or two).

Depending on your test-taking needs, below are two schedules that will give you an idea about of what the ideal test day should look like. However, it is much more likely that you’ll get out 10-40 minutes later than what’s projected in these schedules.

Note: You’ll notice that we mention “reviewing your list of reminders”—if you need help with knowing what to put on your list, check out our advice on making an ACT Cheat Sheet .

Ideal Schedule for ACT Test Day for Test-Takers Without Extended Time

Ideal schedule for act test day for test-takers with extended time.

So how long is the ACT? The moral of the story here is that the ACT is long . This is why it is so important to take practice tests so you can practice your stamina and make sure you have breakfast and snacks for energy on test day–your brain has 4 to 5 hours of hard work to do!

Dr. Kristin Fracchia has over fifteen years of expertise in college and graduate school admissions and with a variety of standardized tests, including the ACT, SAT, GRE, GMAT, and LSAT, with several 99% scores. She had a PhD from the University of California, Irvine , an MA degree from The Catholic University, and BA degrees in Secondary Education and English Literature from the University of Maryland, College Park. She was the recipient of the 2013 Excellence in Teaching Award and the Chancellor’s Club Fellowship from the University of California, Irvine. She’s worked as a high school teacher and university professor, as an independent college and graduate school admissions counselor, and as an expert tutor for standardized tests, helping hundreds of students gain acceptance into premier national and international institutions. She now develops accessible and effective edtech products for Magoosh. Her free online content and YouTube videos providing test prep and college admissions advice have received over 6 million views in over 125 countries. Kristin is an advocate for improving access to education: you can check out her TEDx talk on the topic . Follow Kristin on LinkedIn !

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4 responses to “How Long Is the ACT?”

I was looking for the ACT test schedule and came across your webpage. the information is very useful, thanks!

Can you please make a correction, the last dismissal time has been incorrectly marked as 12:15 instead of 12:50.

Hi Revathi,

You’re absolutely right! Thanks for pointing out our mistake. I corrected the table 🙂

Can you create a table for extended time also? The standard time table has been so helpful to me and an extended time table would help as well. Thanks!

That’s a great idea! I will definitely propose that we add that for the benefits of our students. Thanks for the suggestion, and I wish you success on your exam!

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How Long is the ACT®?

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

The ACT® is meant to measure the knowledge you gained in high school to determine your “academic readiness” for a university. While overall the ACT® experience is between 4 and 5 hours, the actual test itself is 2 hours and 55 minutes or 3 hours and 35 minutes with the writing position. So, the 4-5 hour time frame incorporates all the accounted breaks throughout this long exam. The ACT® is a long and tedious test, so you want to make sure that you understand the structure and content beforehand to do the best you can.

To help you plan, we have broken down the ACT® into its different sections with some practical guidance for each area. Time management is a major factor during any portion of the test, so we will help you organize your time for success.

Here is what a typical ACT® schedule would look like.

Standard ACT® Schedule

This is a typical schedule that most students across the country, and even the world, experience during the ACT®. It is possible that there could be variations due to break times, proctor strictness, or a disruption, but for the most part, this is a standard set of time. In some cases, proctors have skipped the break, which can disrupt your pacing and also prevent you from resting. If this happens, make sure you notify your representative, since you are permitted 10 minutes of break time after the math portion.

The only exception for this timetable is for those students who receive extended time or other accommodations. Otherwise, circumstances are the same for every student.

ACT® Procedures

In addition to breaks, other events will take up time on your ACT® exam day. You should have your ACT® exam day planned out to ensure your success and organization. You should enter the testing center early and, according to the ACT® guidelines, check in by 8:00. If you are late, then you won’t be allowed to take the test.

Plan to be early. Your test center size can vary, but by arriving early, you can avoid being late due to a long check-in line. Try to get there around 7:30 to stay on the safe side. Keep your admission ticket after you check in because you will need it to enter your information on the ACT®.

After everyone is checked in, the exam proctor will read you the instructions and hand out the test. This procedure will take some time as will filling out the required personal information. In total, this will take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, meaning you won’t start the actual ACT® until at least 8:30 or 9:00.

A majority of students will finish and leave the testing room between 12:15 or 1:15 depending whether they did the essay portion. Students with extended time will most likely stay until 2:30 or 3:00 or might also take the ACT® exam over different days.

How Long is Each Section in the ACT®?

The ACT® is comprised of four different sections — English, math, reading, and science — or five sections if you include the writing portion. To get a better sense of how long the ACT® will take, we will guide you through each segment of the exam.

The English section of the test will most likely feel very fast. Since it is the first part of the test, you will feel fresh and eager to get the answers, which is good. You will need your strength to get through all 75 questions in just 45 minutes.

To prepare, you should focus on pacing during practice exams, so that you can execute this timely fashion in your actual ACT®. You want to improve your overall speed, so start by seeing how long it takes you to complete without a timer. Take this time and then try to narrow it down until you reach 60 minutes. After you feel comfortable doing this subject area in 60 minutes, decrease the time to 45 minutes. This method will increase your speed and precision and get you familiar with the overall format.

The math subject area features 60 questions that you must answer in 60 minutes, which is nice because then you can pace yourself to respond a question per minute. If you find this speed to be difficult, then start practicing with more time until you can narrow it down to 60 minutes. Your goal should be an increase in your pace without a decrease in accuracy.

CollegeBoard expects that you will have a high reading score, so that you will be able to succeed in freshman humanities courses and all other classes that require strong reading skills. Some students struggle with strategies for dealing with these long passages, while others don’t read quickly enough. Whatever your case may be, you will benefit tremendously from learning how to tackle these reading questions.

Start by making sure you understand what the question is asking. Once you have a solid understanding of the question, break down the passage, so it’s not as overwhelming. When you are studying for the ACT® Reading section, develop a method that works best for you. Decide whether you will skim the passage first and then look at the questions, or if you will reverse that and read the questions then the passage. Either way works, so find out what is the most helpful for you. After you choose your method, practice so that you can apply your method to the actual test. Your goal should be to simplify the information and passages without making mistakes. You want to be quick and efficient during this section, but not reckless.

The science portion of the ACT® is almost the same as the reading section. Whereas in math there are problems to solve, in the science section, you will be reading a passage and then answering a sequence of questions related to it.

The science section has seven different passages that could contain experiment summaries, charts, graphs, and other infographics expressing different scientific viewpoints. Following the passage are related questions. To succeed in science, you must be able to quickly but correctly read and analyze the scientific data.

Now this will only apply to those who opt for the writing section, as it is optional. Check the schools and programs you are applying to and decide if taking the writing section is the best option for you.

To succeed in this subject area, you should organize your ideas. You only get 40 minutes for this section, so I would sketch a quick outline of your thesis and how it connects to the rest of your essay. Make it very where you stand in your argument and perspective. Your stance is important because it helps you avoid having an ambiguous view on the issue. Make sure that you support your ideas with specific details that reinforce your argument. Another tip is to create clear, sharp sentences as opposed to fancy ones with large words. This will strengthen your writing and make it easy for the graders to understand.

Breaks During the ACT®

Since the ACT® exam is a concentrated and lengthy test, you should get there early and take advantage of the break times.

Make sure that you bring a bottle of water with you and some snacks. There is nothing worse than taking a test when you are hungry or thirsty. Hunger distracts your mind, so you won’t be able to give the test your all with your stomach rumbling.

The most efficient way to prepare for the ACT®’s concentrated and quick pacing is to take full, timed practice tests. Practice taking them in the morning to replicate the actual test scenario itself.

Doing practice tests will help you become more familiar and, in turn, more comfortable with the ACT®’s set up and the pace of the questions.

If you are taking the ACT® with writing, practice planning and writing your essays after the multiple-choice exam. This can be difficult after three hours of questions, but it is exactly what you will have to do on the actual test day. This practice will provide you with you the best chance of battling fatigue and concentrating on the day of the ACT®.

Begin by taking a full practice exam before your actual test, so you can see how well you know the material. It will focus you in on your weak areas that you struggle with, allowing you to better prepare for the exam. Create a study guide or find a pre-made one that covers all the material on the test. Use this study guide daily.

Practice timing yourself while you do practice questions so you can get a feel for what the test will be like. This will help you with your time management and give you an opportunity to practice. Pacing is key to doing well on the ACT®. You may be knowledgeable in the different subject areas, but unless you manage your time properly, you won’t be able to show your skills.

For each subject area, start with a large chunk of time, such as 60 minutes, and then work your way down to the required section time. This method will give you a realistic feeling of the pressure and speed of the ACT®, so you don’t feel overwhelmed when it comes to your test day. Keep practicing your pacing until you hit the time allotments for each section.

Along with pacing, you should also familiarize yourself with the exam’s instructions. Review the requirements for each section, so that you understand exactly what is being asked of you on the test. Don’t waste your time during the actual exam reading the directions — study them beforehand.

With any significant task, when you want to succeed, training is essential. Since you already have an outline of how the test is structured, you should practice getting comfortable with the question types. Use the process of elimination and other multiple-choice tactics to aid your success. Complete practice questions from past tests, study guides, or even in the material from the ACT® review book.

Identify your strengths and weaknesses to best prepare. If you are confident in your English skills, but lacking power in math, then tailor your studying to your strengths and weaknesses. Attack your shortcomings and focus on studying for them first. You will need more study time for areas that you are weak in, so don’t avoid these subjects.

Also make sure that you are studying consistently. You should opt to review the material every day (or at least four times a week). Avoid limiting your study time to one intense day a week. Be realistic with how much time you can commit to studying and dedicate that time period to the ACT®.

Stay relaxed! By reviewing this article, you should have a more in-depth look at the ACT® exam content and test taking experience. Don’t stress yourself studying for or during the test. Organize your material and schedule, so that you can focus on the test without feeling rushed or pressured.

When it comes time for the test, get plenty of sleep the night before and have a healthy breakfast. Organize your morning so that you can arrive to the ACT® testing center early and avoid any hassles. Make sure to bring all the materials you’ll need with you. By this point, your effective studying methods and knowledge of the test structure will guide you to success. Focus on applying your pacing tactics, remaining relaxed, and being confident. With this mindset, you are sure to do well on the ACT®.

Hopefully, these tips and information will help you succeed in taking the ACT®. Good luck!

For other helps preparing for the ACT®, visit Albert.io .

Tell us! What tip do you find most helpful as you move forward preparing for the ACT®?

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How to Write an ACT Exam?

Your high school GPA may play an important role in your college admission, but the ACT exam may have the final say. What is an ACT exam? The ACT is an entrance exam that most colleges utilize to decide on a candidate's admission. The main purpose of the writing test is to disclose and measure the applicants' readiness for college studies. 

The admission officers review the test score along with your high school GPA to make their final decision. Of course, the classes that you took, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation from your teachers, and your application, where you discuss the high school experience from your own perspective, will be reviewed as well. While the importance of the ACT scores may vary from college to college, the higher the score, the more options for the college enrollment you have. 

The ACT exam consists of four sections that include English, Reading, Math, and Science. Aside from that, the prospective candidates are given forty minutes to do the writing test. Writing an essay can be quite difficult; that's why you need to prepare for it. The good news is that ACT essay examples are available online, and you can view sample in this article as well. So, basically, that's what the ACT exam is about. But let's dive into the details with our dissertation help services team. 

What is the ACT Exam?

The ACT exam 2022 consists of several sections that reveal your knowledge of various school subjects. The ACT exam stands for “American College Test”. It's a multiple-choice test where you have a number of questions and several options of answers. And you need to be ready to give it almost four hours. 

How long is the ACT exam exactly? You have two hours and fifty-five minutes for the multiple-choice test and forty minutes for the writing section. The ACT exam 2022 length gives you enough time to choose the correct answers and dive into your essay, which is quite complex. Basically, in the writing test, you will have to expand on the provided important topic and three different perspectives on it. 

When writing a coherent essay, make sure that you show your abilities in several core aspects. You need to be capable of generating ideas and analyzing them from various perspectives. It's also crucial that you provide pieces of evidence that support your viewpoint. The essay must be organized logically, so the reader can easily slide through the narrative. Finally, proper written language use and conventions are also extremely important. 

The Structure of the ACT Writing Test

If you are planning to pass the ACT exam 2022, you need to know the structure of the exam. First, let's look at the time you're given for completing each section, as well as the number of questions each ACT section has. What is the ACT exam, if not an exercise on time management? You have to plan basically every minute while you're taking it. Let's divide the ACT exam length for every section:

How to Write an Act Exam

All in all, you have 3 hours and 35 minutes for the ACT exam, meaning that you have just enough time to go through the test once and mark all of the right answers. Aside from it, students have a ten-minute break after the Math section and five minutes rest before they start writing the essay. Try doing an ACT practice exam and actually see when you might need breaks. You've already learned the most important aspects of the written ACT exam scoring. Now, let's take a look at each section of the multiple-choice test. 

English Test

The ACT English test consists of 75 questions, and the 45 minutes given for it means that you'll have between 30 and 40 seconds for each writing. This section can be divided into three parts in terms of content:

Conventions of Standard English 

This is by far the largest part of the test, as more than 50% of the test is devoted to the conventions. The questions focus on grammar, syntax, punctuation, and the correct use of words. Here you may be asked to choose the correct verb or tense. This part focuses on the general rules of English, so you don't have to write essays, sharing your own perspective on world problems or books.

Production of Writing

Around 30% of the test is devoted to the production of writing. Here, students are given passages from the various texts to check how good they are at seeing the big picture. You must choose the correct answer based on the tone or purpose of the passage. Questions in this section also concern the literary style and strategies used by the author. 

You may need to also know what is diversity essay while preparing for the exams.

Knowledge of Language

This is the smallest part of the English test, as its share ranges between 10% and 20%. This segment focuses on style, tone, and precision. 

The Math test may seem to be a bit too easy at the beginning. But that's because it's arranged in order of difficulty. Basically, you can say that out of sixty questions; the first twenty are quite easy. The next twenty questions are of medium difficulty, while the last twenty questions are the most difficult ones. Check an ACT practice exam to see at what point you really start to struggle with the questions so that you have an idea of what to review. Now, let's see the percentages that each math topic has in the test:

• Pre-algebra - accounts for 20%-25% of questions;
• Elementary algebra - ranges between 15% to 20% of questions;
• Intermediate algebra - up to 20% of questions;
• Coordinate geometry - takes 15%-20% of questions;
• Plane geometry - around 25% of questions;
• Trigonometry - ranges between 5% to 10% of questions;

The good thing is that the ACT exam allows using a calculator, so you don't have to waste a lot of time if you are not the brightest in terms of calculation. 

Reading Test

The reading test has a lot in common with the production of writing questions in the English test. In this section, students are given passages from texts and questions about the passages. You may be asked to identify the author's attitude toward the main subject of the passage. The meaning of this or that word in the context of the passage. The main idea of the body paragraphs. The meaning of the phrase or the function this or that sentence serves within the text. The important part is that you don't have to develop your unique perspective of the text - this is the part of the test that measures your ability to analyze given information without adding your own perspective on the issue.

Science Test

The Science section includes topics like biology, chemistry, space and earth sciences, and physics. You may be asked to pick the right conclusion from the options you have for graphs and diagrams. The section includes questions on conflicting viewpoints. Here, students are provided with a description of a certain phenomenon with several hypotheses on its explanation. Then you need to choose which assumption reflects the notion provided in the questions. 

How to Improve Your Writing Skills?

Considering the ACT exam dates 2022, you still have time to practice the ability to discuss ideas and convey arguments with clarity - improve your writing skills for the essay. You don't know the topic you’ll get, so deciding to buy an essay paper won't be that helpful. But there are a few things that you can do to improve your writing for the ACT exam. 

• Read and write - if you do it frequently, you won't have problems with the test;
• Get familiar with current social issues and various opinions on them;
• Taking debate classes will prepare you for the essay;
• Try writing extracurricular activities, like creative writing clubs;
• Share your writing with others;

Basically, improving your writing can be shaped into a simple formula: read-write-repeat. Read how other people write and try writing yourself. That will master the style and improve your ACT exam scoring. You can try blogging to master your skills. As for the organization of your writing, you can always seek advice from your English teachers and generate productive ideas. Asking your classmates and friends what they think of your writing can also help greatly. Just remember that no one is born with perfect writing skills. You can achieve it only through practice. 

Use our free Plagiarism Checker!

How to Write an ACT Essay?

After all, despite the complexity of the ACT exam 2022 multiple-choice tests, the essay task remains the most difficult part of it. You might have checked ACT essay examples, but writing one yourself in a short time of 40 minutes can be quite stressful. You need to have a strategy for writing. So, here are the steps that can help you. 

• Devote around ten minutes to planning your essay. 
• Think of the way you're going to organize it. 
• Read the one writing prompt and the multiple perspectives, and choose the one you're going to work on. If you check an example ACT essay, you know what to do. 
• Brainstorm the ideas and analysis, as well as supporting pieces of evidence you can provide. 
• Picture the structure of your essay, and then devote 30 minutes to writing it so that you will have just enough time on the test day. 

You want to know how to write Common App Essay Prompts 2022-2023? We encourage you to check out the fresh topics in our article.

ACT Essay Sample

Finally, we are getting to something you can build your essay on. So, you are to get a prompt with three different perspectives on it, and you need to choose which one of them you're going to write your essay, just like the example ACT essay. Let's imagine that the writing prompt you get will be on cancel culture, as shown in many of last year's ACT essay examples.

"Cancel or callout culture is a tradition of removing the support for certain individuals or their work based on their actions or opinions that can be considered objectionable. Traditionally, individuals are called out on social media, which leads to the general awareness of their perceived offense. In most cases, canceling takes the form of pressuring organizations to prevent the subject of the canceling from public appearances. When it comes to business, it can include boycotting their products" — that's what the writing prompt may look like. 

So Much Homework That You Don't Have Time to Prepare for the ACT?

Delegate the part of your homework to our paper writers for hire , and spend your time preparing for the ACT exam. Let the professionals do the paperwork while focusing on important things!

Now, let's check the three perspectives that you can be provided to defeat the ACT exam scoring system:

Perspective 1:

Cancel culture allows marginalized people to hold their tormentors accountable via public opinion when the justice system fails them. Movements like #metoo allowed numerous women and men to call out their abusers. The cancel culture leads to a safer world, free from abuse of various forms. 

Perspective 2:

While the cancel culture allows people to call out their abusers, we cannot disregard the fact that certain people can use it for their own benefit. The culture leads to people being canceled based on proofless claims, which turns the anti-abuse campaign into witch-hunting. 

Perspective 3:

Cancel culture may lead to a change in power but is ultimately unproductive when it comes to social change. As soon as it became big, it turned into simply casting stones at each other. While we may think that it leads to social justice, it's just engaging in the social media frenzy that doesn't affect real life. 

So, here you have the complex issue and three perspectives on it. First, you need to analyze and organize ideas of everything you know about the cancel culture. Think about the examples that you are acquainted with well. Then, examine each of the perspectives presented to you. Think which one is closest to your own thoughts about the issue. Alternatively, you can choose the perspective that you can support with more pieces of evidence. 

You start your essay with an analysis of the cancel culture as a whole. Then you should move to one of the perspectives given. There, you can expand and convey arguments on the topic by providing your own viewpoint. Your viewpoint must be supported by pieces of evidence. Regardless of the perspective you've chosen, in the case of cancel culture, the Harvey Weinstein and Depp vs. Heard cases will surely have something to do with it. Then you finish your essay with a logical conclusion. 

Don't forget that there must be a logical transition between the passages of your essay. The next passage must expand on the information provided in the preceding one. Your viewpoint must be followed by the supporting evidence. Here’s a sample of an essay that uses perspective two as the foundation: Here you go the ACT exam sample:

Is the ACT Essay Optional?

If you checked the ACT exam dates 2022, you have several months to prepare yourself. The first exam will occur on September 10, 2022, while the last one in the calendar year will be held on December 10, 2022. The biggest question that bugs students is whether the essay is optional. Yes, it is.  Moreover, not every college requires applicants to write an optional ACT essay.

Another important thing is that the total ACT exam scoring is not affected by your essay score. Some colleges think writing the ACT test gives candidates a more rounded score. So, all in all, the essay score matters only together with your multiple-choice results. So, why bother writing the essay at all? 

If you are highly competitive, you should try your hand in the ACT writing section. To prepare for it, you can follow the instructions given in this article and read through the ACT essay examples. If you are a mid-range student, you can opt for the writing test, but you should stress out about it, considering that many colleges do not require completing this section. Less competitive students should avoid the ACT writing test and stick to the multiple-choice test. The only reason they should take it is if the college board requires the essay for admission. 

How to Pass ACT with Flying Colors?

Now that we have discussed the ACT exam meaning, you can realize that it is not an easy task, but it's not that difficult either. Given all the information provided here, you know what to expect from the multiple-choice test and the writing portion, and you already know the ACT exam scoring system. ACT exam dates 2022 are approaching, but there is nothing to be scared of. Check the ACT essay examples , read through test tips once again, solve a few training tests, think about the logical structure of your essay, and keep the scoring rubric in mind- now you are ready to go and take the test without fearing the final score!

Let the experts do the work while preparing for the ACT!

You just can't get it all, so don't compromise and get the best of your last few months of school! Graduate with a great GPA by delegating some of the tasks to our experts while you'll be spending time getting ready for the big test! If you need essay help , just give us your requirements and we'll give you a hand asap.

Perhaps you need some nursing or psychology essay writing service ? Do not hesitate to contact us! Our team is always ready to help.

Pass Your Exams with Flying Colors!

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Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

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ACT Test Day

Everything you need to know for the day of the test., what to bring on test day.

Prepare for test day by knowing what to bring and what to leave at home! 

Bring This, Not That

Admission Ticket Print a copy of your admission ticket to bring to the test center. Your ticket contains important registration match information or your online launch code.

Once you have uploaded your photo , you can print your admission ticket in MyACT .

Acceptable Photo identification  Acceptable photo identificatio n is required to be admitted to the test center. You will not be admitted to test if your ID does not meet ACT requirements.

Number 2 pencil 

Bring sharpened, No. 2 pencils with good erasers (no mechanical pencils or ink pens). Do not bring any other writing instruments; you will not be allowed to use them. 

Watch or Other Timing Device You may bring a watch, timer, or stopwatch to pace yourself during testing, but it may not have an alarm. Your watch or other timing device must be removed and placed on your desk while in the test room, so that it remains visible to staff during the test. If an alarm sounds, you’ll be dismissed and your test will not be scored.

Calculator  Bring a  permitted calculator  to be used on the mathematics test only. You are not required to use a calculator at all, but if you do, it is your responsibility to know whether your calculator is permitted.

Snacks You may bring a snack to eat outside the testing room during break.

Don't bring any of these; you can't access them:

• Textbooks, foreign language or other dictionaries, scratch paper, notes, or other aids
• Highlighter pens, colored pens or pencils, or correction fluid/tape
• Any electronic device, other than a permitted calculator and acceptable watch or timing device
• Reading material
• Tobacco in any form

Prohibited devices

The prohibited use of devices is in effect from the time you are admitted to your testing room until you are dismissed at the end of the test, including break times. Specifically: 

• You may not handle or access a cell phone or electronic device at any time in the testing room or during break times. This includes smart watches, fitness bands, and any other devices with recording, Wi-Fi, internet, or communication capabilities.
• All devices, including cell phones and wearable devices, must be turned off and placed out of sight.
• If you access your device or it activates or alarms in the testing room or during break times, you will be dismissed, your test will not be scored, and your phone or device may be taken away.

Calculator Policy

The ACT calculator policy is designed to ensure fairness for all examinees, avoid disturbances in the testing room, and protect the security of the test materials.

ACT recommends bringing a permitted calculator you are familiar with to be used on the mathematics test only. If you test online, a calculator is available in the test platform, but you may still bring a calculator to use. It is your responsibility to know whether your calculator is permitted.

CAS Calculator FAQs

Acceptable Forms of ID

Current official photo id.

Must be an original, current (valid) ID issued by a city/state/federal government agency or your school.

ID must be in hard plastic card format. Paper or electronic formats are NOT acceptable.

You must use the name on your ID to register to test and the photo ID must be clearly recognizable as you.

ACT Student Identification Form with photo 

You MUST present this ACT Student Identification Form (PDF) with photo if you do not have a current official photo ID as described above. This document must be fully completed by a school official or notary public; neither may be a relative.

Unacceptable Forms of ID

You will not be admitted to test if you present any forms of ID other than those listed as acceptable. The following are examples of unacceptable identification:

• ACT ticket alone
• Birth certificate
• ChildFind ID card
• Credit, charge, bank or check cashing cards, even with photo
• Family portrait or graduation picture, even if the name is imprinted on the photo
• Fishing or hunting license
• ID issued by an employer
• ID letter that is not an official ACT identification form
• Learner's driving permit (if it doesn't include a photo)
• Temporary/replacement driver's license (if it doesn't include a photo)
• Organization membership card
• Passport or other photo ID so old that the person presenting it cannot be identified
• Personal recognition by anyone, including members of the test center staff, classmates, parents, counselors, and teachers
• Photo ID of parents
• Photo with your name embossed or printed on it by a photographer
• Photocopies or reproductions
• Photos issued by a business for promotional purposes (e.g., amusement parks)
• Police report of a stolen wallet or purse
• Printed, stamped, or photocopied signatures
• Published photo, including yearbook or newspaper
• Report card
• Social Security card
• Telephone calls to counselors, teachers, or school officials
• Traffic ticket, even with a physical description and signature
• Transcript, even with photo
• Web page with photo

How Long Does the ACT Take?

The ACT consists of four multiple-choice tests in English, mathematics, reading, and science. The four multiple-choice sections contain 215 questions and take 2 hours and 55 minutes to complete. After the mathematics test, You will be given a 15-minute break.

If you take the optional writing test you will have 40 minutes to complete the essay and will receive an additional 5-minute break before the writing portion begins. 

How Long is Each Section of the ACT?

Each section of the ACT varies in length and number of questions. The  sections are designed to measure skills that are most important for success in postsecondary education and that are acquired in secondary education. 

Here is a breakdown of each section of the ACT: 

Your scores will be based only on the number of questions that you answer correctly; there is no penalty for guessing. Try to answer every question within the time limit allowed for each section. Keep in mind the optional writing test will not affect your composite score. 

What to Expect on Test Day

What time does the act start.

We know test day can be stressful, so we recommend giving yourself plenty of time. Plan to arrive at the test center no later than 8:00 a.m. As you arrive, testing staff will confirm your registration against your ID, and assign you to your designated seat in a test room. You will NOT be admitted to the test if you are late .

Plan for your Test Morning

• Dress comfortably. Consider dressing in layers, so you'll be comfortable.
• If you're unsure where your test center is located, do a practice run to see how to get there and what time you'll need to leave.
• If possible, travel to the test center on a non-test day to plan your travel time.

Arriving at the Test Center

• Testing staff will check your photo ID during check-in. Be ready to begin testing after all on-time examinees are checked in.
• Please note that ACT may visit test centers to conduct enhanced test security procedures. Testing staff may use an electronic device or paper materials to administer the test. 

During the Test

• Once you break the seal on your test booklet, or use your launch code, you cannot request a Test Date Change, even if you do not complete all your tests.
• A permitted calculator may be used on the mathematics test only. It is your responsibility to know whether your calculator is permitted. Please refer to the ACT Calculator Policy (PDF).
• During your registration process, you will agree to the ACT Terms and Conditions, which contains detailed information about prohibited behavior. On test day, you will once again be asked to agree to the Terms and Conditions.

Taking a Break 

• A short break is scheduled after the second test. Using cell phones or any electronic devices during the break is prohibited . You may eat or drink outside the test room during the break.
• If you take the ACT with writing, you will have a five minute before the writing test to relax and sharpen your pencils.

Finishing Up 

• After the science test you should expect to take a shorter, multiple-choice test covering one of the previous subject areas. The results of the fifth test help develop future test questions and will not be reflected on your scores, so please try your best.
• If you do not want your test to be scored, you must tell a member of the testing staff before you leave the test center. If you do not, your test will be scored. 

What time does the ACT end?

If you take the ACT (no writing) you will finish around 12:35 p.m. If you take the ACT with writing you will typically finish at about 1:35 p.m.

Additional Reminders

• Please note that ACT may visit test centers to conduct enhanced test security procedures including, but not limited to, collecting images of examinees during check-in or other security activities on test day.
• Also remember that cheating hurts everyone. If you see it, report it .

Unexpected Changes

Missed your test date.

Once you have submitted your registration to ACT, by any method, it cannot be canceled. For more information see  Registration Changes .

Occasionally, a test center must cancel a test administration due to bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances. When this occurs, the test will be rescheduled for a future date. Visit  Rescheduled Test Centers  to find out if your test center has been rescheduled and for more information about procedures.

Unexpected Registration Changes

Infrequently, ACT may be notified by the test center of a change that could unexpectedly affect your registration. We do our best to minimize the impact to your test experience, however, we may have to update your testing location or update your test format between paper and online testing to ensure your ability to test.

If a change must be made to your registration, an email will be sent to notify you.

ACT Test Security  

You’ve worked hard to prepare for the ACT, and that’s a big deal. We’re also working hard to ensure everyone has a fair and equal opportunity to demonstrate their academic achievement.  

Prohibited Behavior at the Test Center

To ensure fairness for all examinees, avoid disturbances in the testing room, and protect the security of the test materials, certain behaviors are prohibited at the test center. You will be dismissed and your answer document will not be scored if you are found engaging in any of these behaviors. For more information view the  Prohibited Behavior at the Test Center section of the Terms and Conditions (PDF) .

Report Cheating

Cheating hurts everyone– if you see it, report it through the  Test Security Hotline .

Students who don't do their own work put honest students at a disadvantage. Whether it's using a cheat sheet, copying someone else's work, or sending another person to take the test, we all feel cheated when someone tries to game the system.  

Everyone deserves the chance to show what they have learned. ACT has designed its testing procedures to give everyone an equal opportunity to demonstrate your own academic achievement on a fair and equal playing field.  

If you suspect that someone is trying to take unfair advantages or encounter anything else out of the ordinary, please report it to ACT. You can make an anonymous report about test security concerns by using the Test Security Hotline .

Keep the ACT fair. Report cheating and comply with all testing rules.  

Security Measures

We regularly review preventive measures to ensure every reasonable effort is made to deter and detect potential compromises to test security, while still enabling the greatest possible access for students. Our security measures include:  

• Students upload or otherwise submit (via ACT website, mobile device, or mail) a recognizable head-and-shoulders photo of themselves when registering for the ACT  
• In addition to submitting a photo, students must provide ACT with their gender and identify the name of the high school they attend. ACT will use this information to help match the examinee’s identity throughout the testing process. 
• The student's photo is printed on the examinee roster that testing staff use to check in students on test day.  
• The photo prints on the student's ticket. In addition to their ticket, students bring and present an acceptable photo ID on test day. 
• On test day, test center staff match the name and photo on the student’s ticket, the test center roster, and the student’s photo ID to the student who arrives to take the test before granting the student admission.  
• Both before and after testing, students provide written affirmation that they are the person whose name appears on the test booklet and answer sheet which they have submitted. They also acknowledge that assuming anyone else’s identity to take the test may be a violation of law and be subject to legal penalty.  
• ACT may visit test centers to conduct additional test security measures on test day, such as collecting images of examinees during check-in and/or other security activities.  
• After tests have been scored, the student’s photo will be printed on the score report that is automatically sent to the high school attended by the student. Score integrity can then be reinforced by the people who know the students best—the teachers and counselors at their schools.  
• To deter attempts to circumvent these procedures, students (including those who hope to test on a standby basis) will be required to register their intent to test and will not be allowed to make any test center or test date changes on the day of the test.   

Why We Do This  

Our test security procedures are designed to ensure that examinees have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their academic achievement and skills, that examinees who do their own work are not unfairly disadvantaged by examinees who do not, and that scores reported for each examinee are valid. 

Related Information

Can Scores be Cancelled?

Terms and Conditions - Compromises/Disruptions in the Testing Process (PDF)

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ACT Writing

The ACT is a standardized test that requires endurance. You're asked to answer 215 multiple-choice questions subject area by subject area—a style of testing that causes fatigue for many students. The normal four-section (English, Math, Reading, Science) ACT is already lengthy, but how much longer does it get when you add on the Writing test?

In this article, you'll find out just how long the ACT with Writing is,  along with some actions you can take to deal with its monstrous length.

Feature Image Credit:  Joe Haupt /Flickr

The first thing to think about is how long each section of the test is on the ACT Plus Writing. In the chart below, you can see the order, time, and number of questions for each ACT section, including the optional Writing (essay) section:

*Given to only some test takers.

If you take the ACT with Writing,  the time for each section (English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing) adds up to a total of three hours and 35 minutes of test sections (excluding breaks ).

By contrast, the total time of the ACT without Writing is only two hours and 55 minutes.  The exception to this rule is when there is an additional 20-minute unscored section ("Experimental" in the above chart) added to the ACT without Writing, raising the total test time to three hours and 15 minutes.

How Long Is the ACT Plus Writing Test-Taking Experience?

Just knowing the amount of time each section takes doesn't tell you the whole story. In order to get the full picture of how long the ACT with Writing is, you also have to account for breaks.  Below, I've added in the two breaks that occur during the ACT Plus Writing Test:

*Not scored; only administered to select students  not  taking the ACT Plus Writing.

**Only for students taking the ACT Plus Writing; all other students are free to leave.

When breaks are included, the ACT Plus Writing takes a total of three hours and 50 minutes. With breaks but without Writing, the ACT is only three hours and five minutes long (or three hours and 25 minutes long if you have to take the experimental section).

Some students dislike the breaks in-between sections. While it's true that breaks do make the test longer (which, in turn, requires you to keep your brain in test mode longer), they're also beneficial. During the breaks, you'll not only be able to use the restroom, but you'll also get the chance to briefly relax your mind.  These actions should lead to a higher ACT score (since you won't lose time running to the restroom mid-section, for instance), which will then save you time by making it unnecessary to retake the test .

Be aware that proctors occasionally forget about breaks or accidentally cut the breaks short. That said, the breaks between Math and Reading and between Science and Writing are absolutely your right as a test taker. If it seems as if a break is going to be shorter than the maximum time or get skipped over altogether, be sure to request a break.  Read our guide to learn what to do if your ACT testing center experiences any problems like these .

ACT Plus Writing Test-Taking Experience With Extended Time

If you normally get extended time on tests in school, or if you think you might need extra time on the ACT, there are a few different accommodations that allow you to have more time.

National Extended Time for ACT Plus Writing will give you six   total hours (including breaks) for the ACT Plus Writing.  If you qualify for Special Testing time, you may receive even more time (depending on your diagnosis and the accommodations deemed necessary).  Check out our guide to learn more about  how to request and get ACT accommodations .

How to Deal With the ACT Test Length: 5 Key Tips

Even if you don't get extended time on the test, the ACT with Writing is still pretty long. So what can you do to prepare for such a lengthy test? Here are our top tips.

#1: Build Up to It

Think of the ACT with Writing as a marathon. Some people have naturally higher endurance levels than others, but everyone still needs to train in order to get up to running 26.2 miles in one go.  In the case of the ACT, this means you'll need to  start out by practicing questions on individual sections, move up to taking entire sections at once, and finally work your way up to taking a  full-length, timed ACT practice test (including breaks).

#2: Make Your Practice Tests as Realistic as Possible

It's not enough to simply practice taking a full-length ACT with Writing. If you really want to know how you'll do on test day, you'll need to take practice tests under the exact same (or close to it) conditions that you'll have on test day. This means you should wake up early on a Saturday morning to take your practice test at 8 am, and find a quiet place to take it. It also means following all time restrictions on the test, including breaks.

Be sure to  practice using a non-mechanical pencil, particularly on the Writing test. The more closely you can emulate real testing conditions, the better prepared you'll be for the ACT.

#3: Use the Breaks Well

Breaks are important for your mental and physical well-being. Get up and move around during these times if your energy levels are getting low. Make sure to bring a snack and water so you can replenish yourself quickly (and don't have to go hunting for a vending machine).

Get back to your seat at least two minutes before the test resumes so that you can calm back down and reenter a test-taking mindset.

If your energy or anxiety levels tend to be high during tests and you're worried that getting up and moving might break your concentration, try to at least   do some stretches in your seat. Shaking out and stretching your hands and arms is very important (particularly before the Writing test), as your fingers can get cramped from gripping your pencil too tightly. It might also help to slowly roll around your head and stretch your neck  in order to release any tension that's gathered there.

#4: Get Enough Sleep Multiple Nights Before Test Day

It's not just the night before that matters—making sure you have a solid night's rest two and three nights before the ACT can make a big difference. I know that for me, a bad night's sleep catches up with me a couple of days later rather than the next day! I recommend a iming for about eight or nine hours of sleep a night, or whatever amount you need to feel well rested.

#5: Eat a Balanced Breakfast the Morning of the Test

You don't want to have a sugar crash or an upset stomach halfway through the ACT; you also don't want to faint because you didn't eat anything that morning.

So what should you do? Eat a healthy, balanced breakfast that isn't too greasy or too sugary. Protein and complex carbohydrates (rather than something sweet like cereal) are the way to go.

What’s Next?

Want a quick way to boost your ACT Writing score? Read our 15 tips and strategies for getting a high score on the ACT essay .

Get to know the ACT Plus Writing even better with our article on how to get a perfect score on the ACT essay .

Discover how the length of your ACT essay is related to your ACT Writing score .

Laura graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a BA in Music and Psychology, and earned a Master's degree in Composition from the Longy School of Music of Bard College. She scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and GRE and loves advising students on how to excel in high school.

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