<p>"scores are processed and added each week, usually each Wednesday and Friday. Normally, all scores are reported by 8 weeks after the test date."
that means that ACT scores and sends out scores before all tests are even looked at. If most people did lousy or great on a test, it makes no difference. That is why they can score some tests before the others have been scored. If you get a hard or easy test, the curve does not change for a test even if everyone scores a 35 or a 15 or a 5. The curve is based on old tests, not the test you took. If the curve had anything to do with the test that you took, ACT would have to wait until all tests were graded and then curve. PSAT / SAT does that. Not ACT.
anyone disagree? Then please tell us here at cc how do they send out some results before other tests from the same date are even graded???</p>
<p>Yes. What you are saying is mostly true. The curves are predetermined (yes including the SAT and PSAT) so the test taking population doesn’t impact the scores. However, if the test items were difficult, the curve will still compensate for it.</p>
<p>i have also heard thats true, so i guess we just have to hope that the last time this test was taken everyone got decimated during the science section…</p>
<p>mabs, ok, but I think only ACT sends out scores and sets curve before all the tests are graded. whatever the curve is, it is set before they grade the test. but sat sends out all scores at one time - so they can tell how everyone did before scoring, which means they can still curve a test more (up or down) based on the results of just that test.
ACT can’t do that the way they score tests.</p>
<p>At what time the SAT sends out the scores is irrelevant. Some SAT scores can be delayed for a long time too (i.e. if someone misbubbles info on the sheet). SAT curves are predetermined. The test-taking population has no impact. If CB were to allowed the test taking population to set the curve, tests from different dates would not be comparable.</p>
<p>yes, good point, but SAT basically issues all scores on the same date.
ACT scores some, sends them out, and then scores some more.
whatever, I don’t think the ACT curve really changes much from test to test.
if you get a hard test, you are unlucky, get an easy one and you are
my opinion</p>
<p>the sat is predetermined because it is tested before in the experimental setions first
whereas act doesnt thus curves can be based on test day performance</p>
<p>rawkfist,
no, act is not based on test day performance
that is impossible because they score some tests, post results for some students, and then go and score other tests. if they are posting scores before seeing how everyone did, it is NOT curved based on test day performance. so if everyone bombs a section, it’s just bad luck that you got stuck with that test.</p>
<p>@BronxSci, How do you know ACT doesn’t grade all multiple-choice sections before sending out scores? I always thought those extra few weeks in-between scores were just from Writing sections.</p>
<p>Concrete percentile ranks wouldn’t be available on the ACT website if there wasn’t some sort of accurate prediction as to how the test takers are going to do/did. Whether they use the questions somewhere first, or curve based on the first tests to arrive, the same percentage of people still get the same score every test.</p>
<p>Perhaps they have a sample they use after each test date (maybe, “all states that start with A” or something logical like that) and they run the results through a computer program. It would not be a long process to get an statistical average result from a sample.</p>
MANY people bombed the Science section in the April 2015 test. It was ridiculously hard. I think they simply ought to decide the curve AFTER seeing what kind of scores people got on test day.