How to get old ACT scores

Start in MyACT. Scores from roughly 2011 forward are usually online once you attach the right ACT ID. Older sittings may need an archived request and extra time. Finding the report is separate from whether a college will still accept it.

If you already have a MyACT login

Log in, open scores, and look at every test date. Writing scores only exist if you sat Writing. You can send an official report from here the same way you send a recent sitting: how to send ACT scores.

If you cannot log in

Create or recover the account with the name and birth date you used as a student. The eight-digit ACT ID on an old admission ticket or paper score report is the fastest match. If the names no longer match—marriage, hyphenation—ACT support has to link the records.

If you tested before online accounts

Sittings from many years ago can still exist on microfiche-style archives. Expect a longer wait and a higher fee than a current extra report. You will usually need the approximate test year, high school, and the name you used then.

What to do once you have the number

• Compare it to each college's current middle 50% before you send: what ACT score you need.
• If the sitting is outside the school's window, plan a new test: taking the ACT after high school.
• Do not invent a converted enhanced Composite from a four-section legacy score. Legacy vs enhanced.

The bottom line

MyACT first, ACT ID second, archived request last. Pay for a send only after you know the college still wants that date.

This article offers general ACT prep guidance. The ACT can change from year to year, including its format, scoring, policies, test dates, and fees, so always confirm the latest details on the official ACT website at act.org before you make decisions. ACT® is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. thirty-six is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by ACT.