<p>Hey, i was wondering if anyone could tell me what the usual ACT curve looks like. Thanks</p>
<p>c'mon i know HarvardDad02 or WorriedSis77 or someone out there has to have some idea</p>
<p>Not quite sure what you mean by the "usual" curve. One percent of those taking the test will end up at each percentile. In other words, the ACT is a normed test (my understanding is that the basic idea is mean around 18 and standard deviation of around 6 -- in practice, it is probably a bit more complicated but this is how a statistics book I have explained it). So they set the scores so as to match certain percentiles of test takers. For instance, someone scoring at the 97th percentile of test takers will get a 30.</p>
<p>Here is one example of what scores correspond to which percentiles:</p>
<p>If you want to know how many questions you can usually miss and get particular scores, then find a real test (like in the book Cracking the ACT) and look. Since my kids are in college now I've tossed our last copy of this so I can't tell you anything specific.</p>
<p>thanks Diane...I dont have any books so about how many can you miss in each section to get a 30 composite (just estimates)..sorry but im just starting this strenuous journey of standardized testing...</p>
<p>Not that many ... I can't really remember. Sorry. I would estimate you drop one point per question at the top scoring level, or maybe two. But my memory is pretty hazy. </p>
<p>You could just go to the bookstore and look at the scoring guide for practice tests. I also think there is a practice test in the ACT guide you can get from your GC.</p>
<p>I didn't express myself too well, there. (More caffeine needed, I think.) For each question or two wrong, the score goes down a point (my hazy recollection again). It isn't that for each question you get wrong, your score goes down one or two points. That wouldn't make sense ... It would make a particular score impossible to get!</p>
<p>Sometimes one question does drop you two score points. On some tests (particular subjects on particular versions), some scores ARE impossible to get.</p>
<p>I stand corrected!</p>