How many times can you take the ACT?
There is no limit. ACT dropped its old cap of 12 attempts, so you can take the test as many times as you like, one test per test date. ACT offers only about seven national dates a year, so the calendar sets the pace, and most students sit it two or three times. Many colleges superscore, so a later attempt can raise your best mix of section scores without erasing an earlier one.
In more detail
ACT no longer sets a lifetime limit. The old cap of 12 attempts is gone, so the real limit is the calendar: the national test dates fall in September, October, December, February, April, June and July. Work backward from your earliest application deadline and leave six to eight weeks of practice between attempts. The SAT has no cap either, so for both tests the question is how many attempts are worth your time, not how many are allowed.
A superscore is the average of your highest English, Math and Reading scores across all your test dates, rounded to the nearest whole number. Science is left out. Example: on one date you score 28 English, 25 Math and 27 Reading, on another 26 English, 29 Math and 27 Reading. Both Composites round to 27, but the superscore is (28 + 29 + 27) / 3 = 28. Whether a college uses it is the college's call, so check each policy.
You choose which test dates to send to each college, and a date goes as a whole, not section by section. Some colleges still ask for every score you have. Two or three attempts is what most students plan, and a retake pays off when you change how you prepare, usually by drilling your lowest section.
ACT retake rules at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Limit on attempts | None |
| Per test date | One test |
| National dates per year | About seven (Sept, Oct, Dec, Feb, Apr, Jun, Jul) |
| Which scores colleges see | The test dates you choose to send |
| Superscore | Best English, Math and Reading across dates, averaged |
| Typical number of attempts | Two or three |
Step by step
- 1
Take the ACT once early, ideally in the spring of junior year, to get a real baseline.
- 2
Compare your section scores and find the lowest one.
- 3
Check which colleges on your list superscore and whether any want every score.
- 4
Plan a second date six to eight weeks later and drill the lowest section most days.
- 5
After the retake, work out your superscore from your best English, Math and Reading.
- 6
Stop at two or three attempts, unless a scholarship cutoff is within a point or two.
How StudyPDF helps
A retake works best when the prep changes. Upload your ACT prep book, class notes or a practice test you already took, and StudyPDF builds quizzes and timed practice exams from them, with results per section. It tracks which concepts you keep missing, so the next set drills those. The questions are not official ACT questions, so keep the official practice tests for your real score check.
See also
Do it on your own course
Upload your lectures and ask Bo. Cited answers, plus flashcards, exams, and more built from your material.
More questions
Does taking the ACT many times look bad?
At most colleges, no. You choose which test dates to send, and ACT reports scores by test date. A few colleges ask for all scores, so check each policy, but two or three attempts is normal.
What is an ACT superscore?
The average of your highest English, Math and Reading scores from any test dates, rounded to the nearest whole number. Science is not part of it. Each college decides whether to use the superscore or your best single date.