Take the ACT? 6 Important Reasons Why You Should

Wondering if you should take the ACT? What's the purpose of the ACT? What are the benefits? In this blog post, we'll explore six key reasons to take the ACT, even if you're applying to test-optional schools. From college admissions to merit-based scholarships and career exploration, the ACT offers a range of benefits that can help you succeed in college and beyond. Read on to learn more about the purpose of the ACT and why you should consider taking it!

Why Take the ACT?

Some students wonder, Should I take the ACT? What’s the purpose? What are the benefits?

A top reason students take the ACT is for college admissions. According to ACT.org, test scores reflect what students have learned throughout high school and provide colleges and universities with excellent information for recruiting, advising, placement, and retention...

But did you know that over a million students take the ACT each year? That’s a lot, and college applications aren't the only purpose of all of these test takers. Of course ACT scores are often important for college admissions, but you may not realize how many other potential benefits taking the ACT offers.

Finally, in some cases the decision to take the ACT might not be up to you — some high schools require all students to take the test, or take a similar test, such as the SAT or the PSAT.

Once you’ve taken the ACT, however, it’s still important to make informed decisions about retaking the ACT, including whether you should, and how many times.

With these points in mind let's delve into the top 6 reasons you may want to take the ACT. College Admissions is top reason #1 of course, but there are many others to explore, so keep reading!

Reason #1 to Take the ACT: College Admissions

One of the most important reasons to take the ACT is to make sure you give yourself the best odds possible when applying to college, especially if you’re applying to any highly competitive or moderately competitive schools.

1. Avoiding missed opportunities.

According to FairTest, a public interest group that reports on the use of standardized tests, some 90% of US colleges and universities are now test-optional, test-free, or test-blind. This can lead many students to think there’s no need to take the ACT, period.

That said, I'm quick to tell students they should consider which schools still do require testing — since these include schools like MIT, Georgetown, and Purdue.

And, with a shift back to test requirements gaining momentum, there are now several Ivy League schools, plus Stanford, Johns Hopkins, and other impressive institutions reinstating testing in the very near future.

This trend means taking the ACT will increase the odds you’re ready to meet all application requirements on time — wherever you decide to apply and regardless of shifting test policies at individual schools.

2. Benefits to think about even when applying to test-optional schools.

A good number of test-optional schools rank among the best and most selective universities in the US — schools such as Columbia, UPenn, University of Chicago, Tufts, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, and others...

However, many of these top schools still recommend students submit test scores.

So it's probably best not to leave anything to chance. Taking the ACT can help your applications stand out across a range of top schools, be they test-required or test-optional!

3. Other ways taking the ACT can benefit your college admissions goals:

• Use your ACT score range to help you pick your target, reach, and safety schools. Whether you work through this process on your own, assisted by a school guidance counselor, or with help from a Crimson strategist, knowing your ACT score can help you gauge which schools are good target schools vs. reach schools. To jumpstart the process, try using our free online US College Admissions Calculator.
• Aim for a top score and boost your college applications. If you’re able to achieve a very high score, taking the ACT can elevate the academic component of your college admissions resume, increasing your chances for admissions at more selective schools, whether test-required or test-optional.
• Take advantage of a strong sub-score. You may already know that a “perfect” score on the ACT is equal to 36. But that composite score is calculated using individual scores from each section of the ACT: English, mathematics, reading, and science (plus there’s an optional writing test). Achieving an exceptional score in relevant subsections can boost your chances for admissions to competitive schools, programs, and majors. For example, I remind students that earning high scores in the ACT Math and ACT Science can easily outweigh other scores, including the composite score, when applying to top STEM programs. Likewise, really high scores in reading and English may elevate your application profile for prestigious liberal arts colleges or for a top pre-law program.
• Use your success on the ACT to offset a lower GPA. Today, most students submitting applications to good schools, even moderately selective ones, have outstanding GPAs. If you have some grades bringing down your overall GPA, putting in place a strong test prep plan, with time and space for one or two ACT retakes, could be a good strategy. A strong ACT score can go a long way in balancing the impact of a lackluster GPA.

As you can see, there are many benefits to taking the ACT, for college admissions alone, not to mention other ways taking the ACT test can benefit high school students.

Check out these posts from Crimson Strategists for more about how to assess your ACT score and score rank, and tips for improving your score:

How Many Times Can You Take the ACT?

What Is a Good ACT Score?

How to Study for the ACT

Whether you’re already taking the ACT or still deciding whether to take it, it’s worth remembering there are many ways to benefit from ACT test results, even beyond vying for college admission at top-ranked schools.

Keep reading to discover more reasons you should consider taking the ACT for your college journey…

Reason #2 to Take the ACT: Financial Aid & Scholarships

In addition to boosting college applications, an ACT score report can help students qualify for and win merit-based financial aid, which could take the form of programmatic scholarships or full-ride institutional grants.

In fact, according to the BBC, a survey from The Princeton Review found that 36% of respondents said financial aid was their main reason for taking standardized exams.

Crimson admissions strategists point out, however, that many merit-based scholarships are likely to assess academic merit without requiring an ACT score, and merit-based scholarships are also less prevalent at the most competitive schools, so each individual needs to evaluate the potential benefits of taking the ACT for securing financial aid.

Weighing the Benefits of ACT Testing for Scholarships

Here are some key insights to think about when weighing the potential benefits of taking the ACT for merit-based scholarships, based on recent reporting by FairTest and by Forbes:

Over the last forty years, says educator Peter Greene writing for Forbes, “states have been shifting scholarship money away from needs-based and towards merit-based programs." This trend highlights why taking the ACT could help you qualify for some scholarships.

However, researchers with FairTest present a slightly different perspective, pointing out that only about half of state merit-based scholarship programs relied on test scores — which also means of course that about half don't require scores.

Moreover, among merit scholarship programs at “flagship” public universities, only about a third required test scores.

Clearly, earning a solid ACT score may open doors to some important scholarship opportunities, but organizations such as FairTest are more skeptical, arguing that marketing campaigns by test publishers and test prep vendors may overly influence families’ concerns about standardized testing and merit-based scholarships.

According to FairTest, “only a quarter of all current ‘merit’ aid scholarships have test-score requirements.” Therefore, they argue, students should think twice before allocating lots of effort and resources to test taking and test preparation.

Reason #3 to Take the ACT: Academic Guidance

Another potential benefit of taking the ACT is that the detailed score reporting can provide additional academic guidance as you chart a path through high school course selections.

If you’re planning to apply to a selective college or university, admissions officers will most likely be looking to see if you challenged yourself by selecting courses that increase in academic rigor from one year to the next. One purpose of the ACT test is to help students assess their readiness for more challenging academic curriculum.

And, even if you’re not planning on applying to a top-ranking university, you’ll want to finish high school with as strong an academic foundation as possible, as a stepping stone to the best possible opportunities after high school.

Here are four specific ways to think about the benefits of the ACT test for academic guidance:

• You can use your ACT score report to uncover nuanced insights into your academic strengths and academic gaps, within each of the test’s five subject clusters: Reading, Math, English, Science, and optional Writing.
• ACT test results can help you and your school guidance counselor identify the best courses to select when you enroll for each subsequent grade in high school, and anticipate what academic support you might need to thrive in a more challenging course.
• Use ACT test results to help you identify areas for academic remediation as early as possible so you can work with teachers and counselors to address them constructively and not let temporary challenges hold you back.
• ACT testing can unlock insights into your core academic aptitudes, in different domains, such as verbal analysis skills or quantitative reasoning — insights that may illuminate past academic challenges or help you anticipate subjects where you're more likely to excel.

Reason #4 to Take the ACT: Vocational Exploration

Using ACT scores to assess and track your academic progress could also provide some practical insights for vocational exploration.

• Explore how your academic aptitudes align with different vocational pathways.
• Use results from selected international subject area tests, such as assessments of mastery in physics, chemistry, or US history, to stimulate further vocational exploration.
• Use your ACT results alongside feedback from other diagnostic tools and from guidance counselors for help picking a major or homing in on the best career pathways for your personality, interests, skills, and aptitudes.

Reason #5 to Take the ACT: Assessing English Language Proficiency

Across all sections of the ACT, but especially the Reading and English sections, your test performance will reveal a lot about your English language proficiency.

If English is your second language and/or you’re an international student applying to top schools in the US or UK, ACT testing could further prepare you to perform better on English proficiency tests, often required for international applicants, such as the TOEFL, IELTS, or DET…

Likewise, ACT offers subject matter tests that may be of interest to English learners or international students making plans to study in the US. These include the following subjects: English 1, English 2, and US History.

And did you know that students who earn a certain ACT score on relevant tests may qualify to waive language testing requirements for admission, at some US colleges and universities?

Columbia University in New York, for example, allows international students who achieve a certain ACT score to qualify as English proficient, as per Columbia's official policy:

To be considered for admission to Columbia, you must be comfortable with rapid and idiomatic spoken English. There are several different ways to demonstrate that you are proficient in English on your application:

• Your home language is English.
• Your primary language of instruction at school has been English for the duration of your secondary school career.
• You earned 29 or higher on the English or Reading sections of the ACT.
• You earned 700 or higher on the Evidence Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT.

If you meet one or more of the above criteria, you have fulfilled Columbia’s English language proficiency requirement.

Policies and required score levels vary, so be sure to review all admissions policies and requirements carefully wherever you plan to apply.

Reason #6 to Take the ACT: Qualifying for Honors Programs and Extracurriculars

Many students and families are understandably hyper-focused on college applications and admissions, as the outcome can be so transformative. This makes it easy to forget that many motivated high school students will be applying to more than colleges...

In addition to potentially applying for scholarships, you may decide to apply to competitive, merit-based honors or enrichment programs — while still in high school or after enrolling in college. These could include:

• Selective pre-college academic programs, usually with an academic or research focus and during summer recess
• Undergraduate research fellowships or similar research assistant opportunities or academic honors programs
• Selective or competitive study abroad programs, pre-college or in college
• Selective, high-caliber internships for high school students or for undergraduates

A strong ACT score record offers you one more way to demonstrate your qualifications and readiness for these kinds of exceptional programs, one more reason it may make sense to to take the ACT.

Crimson Insights: Answers to Your ACT Questions

Here are some common questions I get from students about the ACT, reasons to take it, and when to take it along with some tips and suggestions to guide your own decision making and next steps.

1. Are There Reasons to Take the ACT over the SAT?

Some strategists and students don’t see too many compelling reasons to pick the ACT over the SAT, or vice versa. But certain features of the ACT make it a favorable choice for some of our students.

• ACT gives you less time per question, but the test items tend to have less complexity compared to the SAT.
• You may still find testing centers offering the pen and paper version of the ACT, but there is no longer any pen and paper option for the SAT.
• While the new digital SAT introduces adaptive features which change the difficulty level over the course of the test based on how you perform in the earlier sections, the ACT remains fully linear. Even the online version of the ACT does not have any adaptive features, so how you perform at the beginning has no impact on subsequent test items.
• The ACT has a section dedicated to scientific reasoning and data analysis which may align favorably with some students’ aptitudes but not others’.
• Some experts assert that, statistically speaking, the odds of achieving the maximum score possible on the ACT are a bit higher than for the SAT, as even some minor missteps on the SAT will prevent you from getting the very top score possible.

For more insights, check out: ACT vs. SAT: What’s the Difference and Which Test Should You Take?

2. Should You Take the ACT Even If You Don’t Have to for Admissions?

Some education advocates in the anti-testing camp argue that test scores are not very relevant indicators of success in college and aren’t worth your time and resources, especially now that a significant majority of colleges are test-optional or test-free.

As admissions strategists with insights from the Crimson FAOs (Former Admissions Officers) in our network, however, we encourage students to consider which schools they plan to apply to and to stay attuned to the changing testing landscape.

Remember, many top schools either require test scores or recommend submitting them, making ACT testing (or taking the rival SAT) an almost essential step for most highly motivated students.

Let’s recap some of the important points students and families should keep in mind when making final decisions about whether to take the ACT or not…

• Some top-ranking test-optional schools are in the process of reinstating testing requirements.
• Many of the more selective test-optional schools still recommend that students submit ACT or SAT test scores.
• An ACT score in the top range can help you compete at more selective schools.
• Consider all the potential benefits you can get from taking the ACT, in addition to score reporting for college admissions.

To find out which US colleges and universities currently require ACT/SAT testing or are reverting to test requirements in the near future, check out: Top Colleges that Require SAT/ACT Scores in 2024/2025.

For a list of test-optional schools check out: Top 100 Colleges that Are Test Optional in 2024/25.

3. When Should You Take the ACT?

To perform well, many students will find it helpful to get some practice by taking and then retaking the ACT, leaving time between test cycles to get and review score reports and doing additional test prep accordingly.

Remember, in many cases you'll typically get more benefit from the ACT by scoring above the 75th percentile nationally overall, or even better, in the  top 5–to–10% nationally when targeting very selective schools.

To allow time for multiple attempts and interim study, review, and practice, Crimson strategists typically recommend students start taking the ACT in the spring of their sophomore year or the summer or fall as (rising) juniors.

That said, knowing the best time to take the ACT really depends on each individual’s circumstances, interests, and goals, which is why we take a very personalized approach to helping students navigate admissions planning and decision making.

Some steps to consider for deciding when it makes sense to take the ACT based on your own circumstances and priorities include:

• Reviewing potential benefits for taking the ACT, and deciding which ones apply to your circumstances (or not)
• Weighing the upsides of taking the ACT vs. potential downsides in the form of time commitments, fees, opportunity costs, and so forth, especially if you’re attempting the test two or three times, or more…
• Anticipating if you need to leave time for potential retakes, and how many, as retaking the ACT is often often a key step to scoring in a higher range
• Obtaining outside admissions advising feedback + ACT tutoring support for better results

Final Thoughts

You now know that the ACT offers students a multitude of benefits beyond boosting outcomes for college admissions.

ACT test taking provides a comprehensive assessment of academic skills, facilitates vocational exploration, and opens doors to merit-based scholarships and financial aid. Even for students applying to test-optional schools, the ACT can enhance their applications and provide valuable insights.

Remember, the decision to take the ACT is not always a choice, but when it is a choice, consider the potential benefits for your larger college journey: assessing your personal areas for academic growth or acceleration, or for reflecting on which college major or future career path to pursue.

For further guidance and support, we encourage you to request a free feedback session with our Crimson Education Strategists. They can answer any questions you have about ACT testing, provide personalized feedback on your scores, and help you navigate the college admissions process with confidence. Schedule your personal feedback session today!

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