New data from the ACT company shows about 1 in 3 test-takers retook the exam and raised their composite score by an average of 1.1 points. Retakers were 7 percentage points more likely to meet college readiness benchmarks on their latest attempt. In many states, retests are funded — students often don't pay the standard fee.

If you took the ACT once and aren't satisfied with your score, new data released by the ACT company this week answers the big question: for most students, a second attempt is worth it.

About one-third of the 1.46 million graduating seniors who took the ACT between 10th and 12th grade sat for the test at least twice.1 Among those retakers, the average composite score rose 1.1 points from first attempt to most recent sitting.

What 1.1 Points Actually Buys You

On a 36-point scale, 1.1 points can sound modest. But it matters at specific thresholds:

  • A student who scored a 27 moves into 28 territory, which crosses several schools' automatic merit scholarship cutoffs.
  • Some colleges' middle 50% ranges start or end at exact composite scores — moving one point can shift whether your score is "below range" or "in range."
  • The benchmark data tells a sharper story than the composite. Retakers were 7 percentage points more likely to meet the ACT's College and Career Readiness Benchmarks on their latest test — and 7 points less likely to meet zero of the four.1

That last number is the one that matters most. Meeting zero benchmarks signals significant college-readiness gaps. Dropping 7 points in that category represents real students who moved out of the highest-risk group between their first and most recent attempt.

The States That Are Getting This Right

Three states stand out in the data: Mississippi, Tennessee, and Wyoming.

Tennessee and Wyoming have both adopted statewide ACT retesting programs, giving students a funded second shot built into the normal school calendar.2 Mississippi lacked a formal statewide program, yet over three-quarters of its students still tested more than once — and retakers in Mississippi more than doubled the share of students meeting all three ACT benchmarks.

Many states, districts, and individual schools cover the cost of ACT retakes. Before you assume you'll pay the standard $68 registration fee, ask your high school counselor whether your school or district funds retests. The answer is yes more often than most students realize — and it changes the risk calculation entirely.

Retaking Isn't Only for Students Who Struggled

There's a common assumption that a second attempt only pays off if you severely underperformed the first time. The data doesn't support that framing. A student who scored a 28 and wants to push into scholarship range at a specific school has just as much reason to retake as someone who scored an 18.

The key is focusing on the right section. A composite score is the average of four subscores. If your math score is dragging your composite down while your English score is near-perfect, focused prep before the retake can be efficient. Our guide to improving your ACT score fast walks through this section-by-section approach in detail.

If you haven't settled on the ACT yet and are still weighing it against the SAT, see our SAT vs. ACT comparison — the decision matters before you invest time in prep.

What the Timing Looks Like for Fall Applicants

The October 17, 2026 ACT test window opens tomorrow — too late to register if you haven't already. The next major opportunity is the December sitting. For most regular decision deadlines, December still works.

Check the ACT test dates for 2026–2027 to find the session that fits your application timeline, and see what counts as a good ACT score in 2026 to set a realistic retake target.

One more piece of context: the ACT Science section became optional for most schools starting in 2026 — our post on what changed with ACT Science covers whether you still need to take it.

What to Do Now

  1. Ask your school counselor whether your district or state funds ACT retakes — the cost barrier may not exist.
  2. Pull your score report from act.org and identify which section is dragging your composite down.
  3. Pick a test date that falls before your application deadlines — see ACT test dates 2026–2027.
  4. Prep with practice tests before the retake — free ACT practice tests are a better use of time than generic test prep books.
  5. Decide whether to submit based on where your retake score lands against each school's middle 50% range — our guide to test-optional score submission covers exactly when a score helps versus hurts your application.

Footnotes

  1. Higher Ed Dive. (2026, October 14). 1 in 3 ACT test-takers retook the exam — and raised their scores. Higher Ed Dive. https://www.highereddive.com/news/1-in-3-act-test-takers-retook-the-exam-and-raised-their-scores/833005/ ↩ ↩2

  2. K-12 Dive. (2026, October 14). 1 in 3 ACT test-takers retook the exam and raised their scores. K-12 Dive. https://k12dive.com/news/1-in-3-act-test-takers-retook-the-exam-and-raised-their-scores/832887/ ↩