Updated December 10, 2025

ACT Superscoring Explained (With Examples)

Bonus Material: ACT Score Ranges for 750+ Schools

Say you’re taking the ACT a couple of times to try and get closer to your goal score.

The first time, you get a great score on Math, but the English section is harder than expected. The second time, you get your goal score for English, but now Math and Science are the sections dragging your overall score down.

This is when ACT superscoring can make a big difference – and even boost you into the score range you need to be a competitive applicant at top colleges.

Below, we’ll go through:

  • How ACT superscoring works
  • How to factor superscoring into your ACT prep strategy, including for a perfect score
  • How to send your ACT superscores to colleges

First, what ACT score should you be aiming for in the first place? Take a look at our free download of the average ACT scores for students who got into more than 500 colleges to see what you need to be a competitive applicant.

Jump to section:
How is the ACT Scored?
What is Superscoring?
How Should You Include Superscoring in Your ACT Strategy?
Can you get a perfect score by superscoring?
How do you send your ACT superscore to colleges?
Next Steps

How is the ACT Scored?

Before we get into superscoring, let’s quickly recap how your ACT score is calculated. ACT scoring is complicated, so we have a whole post breaking it down over here.

Here’s the short version, though:

  • Every time you take the ACT, you’ll get a composite or overall ACT score on a scale from 1-36.
  • You’ll also get a score from each section. For the English, Math, Reading, and Science sections, your section will be on a 1-36 scale.
  • Those 4 section scores are averaged out to find your overall ACT score.
  • The optional Essay section is scored on a 2-12 scale. It’s not included in calculating your overall ACT score.

If you take the test twice (without the essay), your scores might look like this:

Test English scoreMath scoreReading scoreScience scoreComposite score
Attempt #13035343132
Attempt #23432313533

What is Superscoring?

Superscoring means combining your best ACT section scores from different test days to get a higher ACT composite score.

That means that if you take the ACT more than once, you can use superscoring to end up with a higher overall ACT score than you ever got on a single test day.

Here’s what that would look like using the example scores from above:

Test English scoreMath scoreReading scoreScience scoreComposite score
Attempt #13035343132
Attempt #23432313533
Superscore3435343535

A college that accepts superscoring will consider your ACT score a 35 – even though you never actually achieved that score within one ACT test attempt.

And if you’re eligible for an ACT fee waiver, you’ll get two free test attempts – so if you’re eligible, you can take the test twice and take advantage of superscoring without having to pay the registration fee multiple times.

If you’re still having trouble getting up to your goal ACT score, you might consider test-prep tutoring. An experienced tutor can help you make your test prep plan and master tricky ACT content, as well as learn valuable test-taking strategies.

How Should You Include Superscoring in Your ACT Strategy?

  • Take your first ACT early enough to allow for at least one retake. If you get your goal score on your first try, great! But if not, you’ve given yourself time to try again – and you can use your best section scores from your first ACT for superscoring later on.
  • Don’t panic if some of your section scores are below your goals. Remember that you can use superscoring to make up for any sections that fell short of your goal score.
  • When retaking the ACT, focus on specific sections, not the overall score. If you already have your goal scores in English and Reading, you can focus on Math and Science when you’re studying for your second ACT attempt, or vice versa. It might be tempting to aim for a top composite score all at once — but it’s a better, more strategic use of your time to focus on the sections you don’t already have ready-to-submit scores for.

Can You Get a Perfect Score by Superscoring?

Yes! If you’re aiming for a perfect 36 on the ACT, you don’t actually need to achieve that on a single test day (for colleges that accept superscoring). 

But try not to obsess about getting the perfect 36. Even if you’re applying to top colleges, you can get in without a flawless ACT score. Standardized testing is just one part of your application.

To see what score you should be aiming for to have a good chance at the colleges on your list, take a look at our list of average ACT score ranges for admitted students at more than 500 schools. You’ll notice that even the most competitive schools regularly admit students with scores under 36!

How Do You Send Your ACT Superscore to Colleges?

When it’s time to send your ACT score reports to the colleges on your list, you’ll do so through your MyACT portal. Select the test dates you want to send reports for. 

If you’re superscoring, you’ll send the reports for at least two test dates. For each section of the test, select the attempt where you got the highest score and make sure you send it to colleges.

And double-check on the websites of the schools you’re applying to to make sure they accept ACT superscores. Many do! If some schools on your list don’t do superscoring, then send your single best ACT attempt to those colleges and use superscoring for the others.

Next Steps

Superscoring on the ACT can help you get closer to your goal score. But, of course, the best ACT prep strategy is the same whether you’re superscoring or not: practice!

Below, we have a collection of posts covering a broad range of key strategies to help you prepare for the ACT.

These are a great starting point. And if you’re looking for support to take your score to the next level, individual tutoring can make a big difference. Learn more about our programs here, and get in touch with our team for a free consultation on the right option for you.

And if you’re wondering what ACT score you really need to stand out in the college application process, check out our free resource below. It shows the median ACT scores for more than 750 schools, so you can find the colleges on your list and set your goal score to match.   

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Ro

Rosamond graduated summa cum laude from Princeton. During college, she worked as a peer tutor for Italian, French, Greek, and academic writing. Since graduation, she’s continued to tutor students of all ages in French, Italian, Latin, English, and math, some of them for several years. She’s currently a graduate student studying the relationship between religion and secular law, and she works as a freelance journalist and translator.

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