ACT Test Strategy · Lesson 5

Superscoring and when to retake

Your superscore is the average of your best English, Math, and Reading scores across all your test dates, even when those best scores come from different dates. ACT builds it for you automatically from tests taken since September 2016, and from 2025 on it uses English, Math, and Reading. Science left the Composite in 2025, so it is not part of the superscore's Composite either.

The superscore Composite rounds like any Composite: average the three scores, then round to the nearest whole number. A fraction below one-half rounds down, and one-half or more rounds up. Because you are averaging three whole numbers, the fraction is always .00, .33, or .67.

Building a superscore from two test dates
SectionFirst dateSecond dateSuperscore uses
English272427 (first date)
Math232626 (second date)
Reading252828 (second date)
Composite75 ÷ 3 = 2578 ÷ 3 = 2681 ÷ 3 = 27

Sending scores: you choose whether to send the scores from a single test date or your superscore. All the scores from one test date are reported together, so you can't send one section from a date and hold back the rest of that date.

When to retake (advice, not an ACT rule): a retake makes the most sense when one section came in clearly below the level you reach on timed practice. Because the superscore keeps your best score in each section, a retake that lifts that one section can raise your superscore Composite even if the other two sections come in lower that day.

Worked example Easy

Mara took the ACT twice. First date: English 22, Math 27, Reading 24. Second date: English 25, Math 26, Reading 23. Which three section scores go into her superscore?

  1. English 25, Math 27, Reading 24Answer
  2. English 22, Math 27, Reading 24
  3. English 25, Math 26, Reading 23
  4. English 22, Math 26, Reading 23

How to solve it

  1. Compare the two dates one section at a time and keep the higher score.
  2. English: 25 beats 22. Math: 27 beats 26. Reading: 24 beats 23.
  3. Her superscore uses English 25, Math 27, and Reading 24, mixing the two dates.

Why each choice is right or wrong

  • A. Correct. The superscore takes the best score in each section from any date: English 25 (second), Math 27 (first), and Reading 24 (first).
  • B. Incorrect. English 22, Math 27, Reading 24 is her whole first date; her second-date English of 25 is higher, so the superscore uses 25.
  • C. Incorrect. English 25, Math 26, Reading 23 is her whole second date; her first-date Math of 27 and Reading of 24 are higher.
  • D. Incorrect. English 22, Math 26, Reading 23 takes the lower score in every section, the opposite of a superscore.

Worked example Medium

Theo took the ACT three times. Date 1: English 33, Math 30, Reading 34. Date 2: English 31, Math 32, Reading 30. Date 3: English 35, Math 28, Reading 31. A Composite rounds to the nearest whole number, with one-half or more rounding up. What is his superscore Composite?

  1. 32
  2. 33
  3. 34Answer
  4. 35

How to solve it

  1. Best scores: English 35 (date 3), Math 32 (date 2), Reading 34 (date 1).
  2. 35 + 32 + 34 = 101, and 101 ÷ 3 = 33.67 (to two decimal places).
  3. The fraction .67 is one-half or more, so round up: the superscore Composite is 34.

Why each choice is right or wrong

  • A. Incorrect. 32 is his best single-date Composite, date 1's (33 + 30 + 34) ÷ 3 = 32.33 rounded down; a superscore mixes the best sections from all three dates.
  • B. Incorrect. 33 drops the .67 from 101 ÷ 3 = 33.67 instead of rounding it; one-half or more rounds up.
  • C. Correct. His best scores are 35, 32, and 34; 101 ÷ 3 = 33.67, which rounds up to 34.
  • D. Incorrect. 35 is his single highest section score, date 3's English, not the average of his three best sections.