Related Services
The ACT High School Report
The ACT High School Report provides comprehensive information about a student's needs, interests, background, and abilities. Each report includes the following sections:
- Identifying Information
- Scores and Predictive Data
- College Readiness
- Information about Colleges
- College Selection Items
- Educational and Vocational Plans
- Educational Needs and Interests
- Interest Inventory Scores and Map Regions
Additional information can be found in The ACT User Handbook for Educators: 2013–2014 (PDF; 48 pages, 864KB).
Detailed explanations and close-up views of each of these sections are provided below.
Front Side | Back Side
Identifying Information
Student's name, mailing address, gender, birthdate, and Social Security number or ACT ID, provided at the time of registration or testing. The top left section shows the last 4 digits of the student's Social Security number (if the student provided it) or an assigned ACT ID that begins with a dash(-).
Additional Information
High School Code: Code used to identify the high school the student was attending at the time of testing. This high school receives a copy of the ACT High School Report only if the student lists a valid code for that high school and reporting is authorized.
Date Tested: The month and year the student took the ACT.
Year of high school graduation or equivalent, reported by the student.
A photo of the student is printed in the upper-right corner of the paper high school report. Students who test at national test centers as of October 2012 will have a photo. This area will display one of the following:
- A photo of the student
- A silhouette with text reading: ACT Approved Exception Photo Not Required
- No photo with text reading: Intentionally Left Blank
The presence of the student photo provides high schools with an additional piece of information to confirm student identity. As the high school staff know the student best, ACT relies on and urges high schools to ensure that the photo matches the examinee named on the score report and that any ACT-approved exceptions due to seriously held religious convictions are reasonable based on the school's knowledge of the student. Please report any inconsistencies at www.act.org/aap/scores/inquiry.
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Scores and NormsStudent's four multiple-choice test scores (scale 1–36), Composite score (scale 1–36), and seven subscores (scale 1–18). The two right-hand columns show the percentage of students nationally and in the student's state who scored at or below the score earned by that student. If the student took the ACT Plus Writing, a Combined English/Writing score (scale 1–36), a Writing subscore (scale 2–12), and essay Comment Codes are also provided. Writing Test scores have no impact on the subject area scores or the Composite score. |
Test Location/Grade Point Average
Test Location
To help identify different sets of test scores that may be achieved in the same month, ACT reports the location where the test was taken. All test locations must be authorized by ACT. The possible test locations are:
- NATIONAL: Testing at a national test center on a national test date (National test centers are those within the U.S. plus those in U.S. territories, Puerto Rico, and Canada.)
- INTRNATL: Testing at an international test center on an international test date (International test centers are those outside the U.S., U.S. territories, Puerto Rico, and Canada.)
- STATE: In-school testing on a state test date.
- SCHOOL: Testing not through national, international, or state.
Grade Point Average
Calculated on an unweighted 4.0 scale using the grades reported by the student for courses in English, mathematics, natural science, and social studies.
Special Message
An asterisk (*) prints in the box when not enough information is available to provide predictive information to colleges participating in ACT Predictive Services.
Educational and Vocational Plans
A major and first vocational choice, selected by the student from an extensive list of educational majors and vocational choices. For both the major choice and first vocational choice, the student indicates degree of certainty as VERY SURE, FAIRLY SURE, or NOT SURE.
Student's ultimate degree objective, chosen from among the following:
- BUS/TECH CERTIFICATE – vocational/technical or certificate program
- ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE (2 YR) – two-year college degree
- BACHELOR'S DEGREE (4 YR) – bachelor's degree program
- GRAD STUDY/MASTER'S LEVEL – one or two years of graduate study (MA, MBA, etc.)
- DOCTORATE/PROF DEGREE – professional level degree (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)
- OTHER
College Readiness
The College Readiness chart displays the ACT College Readiness Benchmark Score for each of the four ACT multiple-choice tests and whether the student's score is "below" or "at or above" that level. A student scoring at or above one of these benchmark scores will likely be ready for first-year college courses in that corresponding subject area.
On this report, the student scored at or above the benchmark score in English and Reading, but below the benchmark score in Mathematics and Science. This particular student may need additional rigorous coursework in Mathematics and Science prior to entering college. Learn more
Educational Needs and Interests
Expressed need for assistance with educational development and interest in selected programs.
College Selection Items
The student's ranking of seven college choice factors and preferences regarding five of the factors.
Indication of plans to seek financial aid or work while in college.
Interest Inventory
The ACT Interest Inventory measures six major types of interest. The six standard scores and percentile ranks are based on a nationally representative sample of grade 12 students.
On the World-of-Work Map, region indicators help the student relate work activity preferences, as assessed by the ACT Interest Inventory, to groups of occupations. The World-of-Work Map appears on the back of the High School Report.
Educational Opportunity Service
Student's decision (Y = yes, N = no) on authorizing release of data to colleges and scholarship agencies that participate in ACT's Educational Opportunity Service.
Information About Colleges
At the time of registration or testing, students have the option to list up to six colleges to receive reports of their scores from this test date. Information about those colleges is provided here to assist in counseling students. ACT requests annual updates of this information from colleges, but some data may have changed since the data were last reported to ACT.
Enrollment figures include both undergraduate and graduate students during the previous academic year.
Size of the community in which the college is located:
- ST: small town (up to 9,999)
- SC: small city (10,000-49,999)
- MC: medium city (50,000-249,999)
- LC: large city (250,000-499,999)
- VLC: very large city (500,000-999,999)
- MTR: metropolis (more than 1,000,000)
Admissions policy, as described by the college:
- HSEL: highly selective; majority of accepted first-year students in top 10 percent of high school graduating class; typical ACT composite scores of admitted students: 25-30
- SEL: selective; majority of accepted first-year students in top 25 percent of high school graduating class; typical ACT composite scores of admitted students: 21-26
- TRAD: traditional; majority of accepted first-year students in top 50 percent of high school graduating class; typical ACT composite scores of admitted students: 18-24
- LIB: liberal; some of accepted first-year students from lower half of high school graduating class; typical ACT composite scores of admitted students: 17-22
- OPEN: all high school graduates accepted to limit of capacity; typical ACT composite scores of admitted students: 16-21
Tuition and fees for one year (less room, board, books, etc.), rounded to the nearest $100, as reported by the college. If the student's state of residence and the college location are the same, in-state tuition and fees are reported.
Information about Colleges (cont.)
College Calendar
- T-S: Traditional semester—Two approximately equal terms
- E-S: Early semester—Two semesters, first semester completed before Christmas
- QTR: Quarter—Three equal terms of about 12 weeks each, with a summer session
- TRI: Trimester—Calendar year divided into three equal terms, third term replaces summer school
- 4-1-4: Two equal terms of about 16 weeks each, with a 4-week interim term
- OTH: Other—Calendar not defined adequately by any of the above
Student's Major Available
- M: A major is available in the program of study (4-year institutions).
- C: A group of courses (minimum of three semester or four quarter courses) is available in that program of study (2-year institutions) or a group of related courses, but no major, is available (4-year institutions).
- O: Other majors (4-year institutions) or groups of courses (2-year institutions) are available in that area of study, although the specific program requested by the student is not.
- —: Information not available; check catalog.
Special Programs A "Y" indicates that the college offers special programs in that area.
High School Average for First-Year Students GPAs are reported on an unweighted 4.0 scale.
Chances in 10 of "C" or Higher The student's chances in 10 of attaining a first-term GPA of "C" or higher at the college. A dash (–) may indicate that the college did not provide information to ACT or that the student's ACT record does not include enough information to compute the probability.
Average First-Year College GPA GPAs are reported on an unweighted 4.0 scale.
Student's Relative Rank at College Relative ranks of the student's scores at each college as compared to the scores of the previous year's enrolled first-year students, if available. These ranks indicate the percent of students who scored at or below the individual student's scores.
Download an actual-size copy of the sample report (PDF; 2 pages). These two pages show both sides of the report, including information about career options and the World-of-Work Map from Side 2.