Hong Life CalculatorsHow ACT calculates the Composite
- Take your section scores (each 1–36).
- Enhanced ACT (online from April 2025, paper from September 2025): add English + math + reading and divide by 3. Legacy ACT: add English + math + reading + science and divide by 4.
- Round to the nearest whole number. Fractions of one-half or more round up; less than one-half round down.
How the superscore works
The superscore is the average of your best score in each section across all your test dates, rounded the same way. Example: English 33 (date 2), math 29 (date 2), reading 31 (date 1) → (33 + 29 + 31) ÷ 3 = 31.0 → superscore 31, while the single-date Composites were 29 and 30.
| Average | Rounded Composite |
|---|---|
| 29.33 | 29 |
| 29.50 | 30 |
| 29.67 | 30 |
| 30.25 (legacy, 4 sections) | 30 |
| 30.75 (legacy, 4 sections) | 31 |
Science still gets its own score and feeds the STEM score, but it is not part of the enhanced Composite.
FAQ
How is the ACT superscore calculated?
Take your highest English, math and reading scores from any test dates, add them, divide by 3 and round to the nearest whole number (one-half or more rounds up).
Is science part of the ACT Composite?
Not on the enhanced ACT (from April 2025 online and September 2025 on paper). Science is optional and reported separately. On the legacy ACT the Composite averaged all four sections.
Do all colleges accept ACT superscores?
No. Each college sets its own policy; check the admissions website of every school on your list.
Sources (Checked Nov 10, 2026): ACT, “How to Calculate Your ACT Superscore” (enhanced: English + math + reading ÷ 3; legacy: four sections ÷ 4); ACT FAQ (fractions of one-half or more are rounded up); ACT, “ACT Test Enhancements”. Estimate only, not an official result.