<p>The curves for each subsection are different than the curve for the sections. So, an 18 on each subsection might correspond to getting zero, one or two wrong on the subsection. When the subsection scores are combined though, a 36 might be zero, one or two wrong on the whole section. If she got two wrong on each subsection, she may get 18 on each subsection, but a 34 or 35 on the whole section. The subsection scores aren’t additive. </p>
<p>It works like this: (I’m not an expert but this is my understanding)</p>
<p>Raw Scores: You will never see a raw score on your official score report. All raw scores are based on the number of questions you answered correctly. For each correct answer, you receive one point. Your raw score is the total number of points you receive. There are no point deductions for wrong answers.</p>
<p>Raw Subscores: Each subject test contains component subsections, each of which is assigned a raw subscore. For example, the English Subject Test breaks down into Usage/Mechanics and Rhetorical Skills. Let’s say you correctly answered 32 Usage/Mechanics questions and 21 Rhetorical Skills questions. Your raw scores for those two subsections would be 32 and 21, respectively.</p>
<p>Scaled Scores: Scaled scores account for disparities among different versions of the ACT. Without scaled scores, you wouldn’t be able to compare your score on a particular test with the score that someone else received on a different test taken on a different date. One version of the test might be more difficult than another, affecting the overall raw scores received. If you receive scaled subscores of 14 on Usage/Mechanics and 15 on Rhetorical Skills, your English scaled score will not necessarily be 29. More likely, it will be either 27 or 28.</p>
<p>Composite Score: It is the score parents will tell their friends and the one curious peers will want to know. It is the average of your scaled scores for the four Subject Tests. ie: S got a 32, or D got a 28 etc.</p>
<p>Thanks @annwank . (I guess I kind of don’t see the point, then, of reporting them because what they actually mean is so unclear! Is there any way it helps to know those subscores? It sounds like you can’t even compare them to each other!)</p>
<p>The subscores give you an idea of how well you did on the different parts. This chart <a href=“ACT Test Scores | ACT Scoring | ACT”>ACT Test Scores | ACT Scoring | ACT; shows the percentiles for the subscores. I can see, for instance, that dd did really well on Rhetoric, and really crummy on plane geometry. So, that tells her where she needs to study for next time. We don’t live in the States, and both the ACT and SAT math tests bear little resemblance to the high school math curriculum here, so she needs to learn a lot of the material. </p>
<p>@bouders is right, when the student receives his/her score report, the student will see his/her subscore in each section so he/she can hone in on the areas that need more improvement if a re-take is planned. The college, however, will not see the subscores, only the overall score, and the score for each section of the ACT.</p>
<p>this is interesting. here’s my question:
DD in april '14 got a total of 32 on english; with subscores of 17 & 15.
In December, her english dropped to 29 with subscores of 17 & 14.</p>
<p>why such a big drop in the total number? is that because of the scaling?</p>
<p>Partly, yes. However, it’s fairly common knowledge that on different test dates, one particular section of the ACT acts as the “limiter”, meaning the hardest section of the test. So for the example above, in the December test, the english section may have been the limiter. Other test dates have the limiter as math or science. </p>