<p>Since the ACTs are curved it does not matter how difficult that the test is. There will always be a certain percent of perfect scorers (roughly 1/4000). Each section is taken on a curve (i.e. one wrong may actually be a 36 on that section). Yes, the test was more difficult than your typical ACT, but it was more difficult for everyone. It will only help the curve. A hard test certainly does not mean that you scored low. Many actually score lower on easy tests that the curve is actually NEGATIVE (i.e one wrong is a 34).</p>
<p>^Actually, the number of test takers who score a perfect 36 is about 1 in 5,500.</p>
<p>something to consider: the curve is set before the test. if that 1/4000 stat isn't met, they aren't going to scale scores more now.</p>
<p>I do like what you are saying though; people panic way too much about this ****.</p>
<p>So was it harder for sure? I cant tell, ive only taken the act once before, and that was last year. I just thought i was stupid haha</p>
<p>it was my third (and last!) time. it was definitely the hardest one I've taken.</p>
<p>If it's curved before being administered to us, then who are the people who actually take the test to determine that curve? ... This just seems odd to me.</p>
<p>It is not 1 in 5,500. I don't know where you got that information from. I will post the actual results released by the ACT. You will clearly see that last year, 1 in about 4,000 scored 36.</p>
<p>as long as i get a 28 on the science and the curve is excellente i am happy (;</p>
<p>Who has some solid info on the curves? Some say it's based on how we tested, others say that it's based on how people who took that same test before did. How come it was your last test? Im retaking in december. Can't hurt IMO</p>
<p>Quote:</p>
<p>"It is not 1 in 5,500. I don't know where you got that information from. I will post the actual results released by the ACT. You will clearly see that last year, 1 in about 4,000 scored 36."</p>
<p>1MX, following is the link for the 2006 ACT National Report: <a href="http://www.act.org/news/data/06/pdf/National2006.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.act.org/news/data/06/pdf/National2006.pdf</a></p>
<p>Please take a look at Section II, Table 2.1. The total number of students who took the test in all 2006 administrations was 1,206,455 (see the upper left of the table). The number of students who scored a 36 composite was 216 (look at the first line of the table, far right). 1,206,455 divided by 216 = 5,585. 1 in 5,585, not 1 in 4,000. If you have contrary data, or my math is wrong, please let me know.</p>
<p>The other day I was reading something and it said 1/4000 get a 36. Maybe it was the ACT prep book.</p>
<p>^As I noted previously, the numbers are published in the ACT's own 2006 national report. I think that's much more likely to be accurate than what's reported in a secondary source. In short, 1/4000 with a 36 appears to be far more generous than is actually the case. 1 in 5500-5600 for perfect scorers would also be approximately consistent with the results for the SAT.</p>
<p>i want to see someone cite the statement that curves are made prior to the test date</p>
<p>i def. do agree the oct. test was much much harder than normal.</p>
<p>English: I breezed through this test, but there was one ambiguous question, and one question question that didn't list a correct answer at all!</p>
<p>Reading: This test was overall pretty easy, but the first fiction passage, which required a reread, was highly difficult.</p>
<p>Math: Decent.</p>
<p>Science: This was are-you-kidding-me! hard. First, it seemed to require at least a moderate understanding of biology, chemistry, and physics. It was also near impossible for me, and most others I've talked to, to ingest all of the information needed to answer all of the questions in the allotted amount of time. This test definitely was a shocker! But at least we can expect a generous curve...I hope! Should be interesting to see what people got.</p>
<p>Composite guess: 30</p>
<p>English: unbelievably easy. Common sense grammar it seemed. Besides "it had went out of style" vs "it had gone out of style", i'll be surprised if i got one wrong. </p>
<p>Reading: boring as hell, maybe got 2 wrong. Then i guessed on one. Got to last passage with 5 minutes left, but luckily the squid one was unbelievably easy to understand, and the questions took no time at all to do. </p>
<p>Math: Much harder than the practice i took (where i got 3 wrong). Overall, maybe 4-5 questions that confused me. I spent alot of time on many problems (the sequence one i added them all up on my calculator) but i finished with time to spare.</p>
<p>Science: I didnt know there were 7 passages in all, so at question 20, i had like 15 minutes. Tough stuff. </p>
<p>My hope? 32.
I have this bad luck of always being dissapointed by these tests though, never getting what i predict. What I can already see myself getting is probably a 29 :/</p>
<p>ACT</a> National and State Scores for 2007: National Profile Report
Here is a link to the 2007 data set
The correct figure s 314/1,300,599 test takers. That works out to about 1/4,100</p>
<p>^Thanks. In your post, you said "last year," which I interpreted to mean 2006, for which the 1 in 5,585 figure is correct. Interesting that there is such a significant change in the odds of scoring a 36 between the 2006 and 2007 administrations.</p>
<p>nvm im probably gonna get flamed for my earlier comment</p>
<p>understandable</p>