One college registration requirement may be taking the ACT test. Depending on the college(s) you're applying to, they may accept both ACT and SAT scores, or they will have a preference for one over the other. In prior years, standardized tests were a matter of geography; coastal students took the SAT while inland and mid-west students took the ACT. However, more students are taking both tests in order to gain a competitive advantage when applying for college.
Depending on the college to which you're applying, your ACT score could have a heavy bearing on whether or not you are accepted. Since high school grades may not completely reflect a student's ability, ACT scores help give colleges an idea of the applicant's skills and understanding in a variety of subjects. Graded from 1 to 36, your score will determine where you are able to apply to college. For instance, the average ACT score for an admitted freshman at Massachusetts Institute of Technology is 31 - 34, while at the University of California, Berkeley it is 23 - 30.
People of all ages can take the ACT, however, if you have a certain college in mind, you may want to check with their admissions department to determine how recent your test scores need to be when applying. There is no standardized requirement as to the recentness of your ACT score, but individual colleges have their own regulations. Currently, students as young as those in the 6th grade can take the test, as well as those who have already graduated high school. You will want to start test prepping early, and you are welcome to take the ACT more than once.
Applying to college could require more than just being admitted into the university. For instance, most universities have programs or majors that require their own application for entrance. In this case, the individual subject scores on your ACT will come into play. When you are awarded an ACT score, it is a composite, or average score of all sections. However, some schools or programs may be more interested in how you scored in the math or English section rather than the test as a whole. For instance, the application office may look for different subject scores at Juilliard (school of music, drama and dance) than they would at MIT.