5 Things You Don’t Know about the ACT

Need a break from cramming for the ACT? Here’s a few random facts about the test to give you a mental reprieve from your studying.

Harvey Mudd was the last college to begin accepting ACT scores.

Most universities have viewed the ACT as equivalent to the SAT for decades. Harvey Mudd College, however, refused to accept ACT scores from applicants until 2007—over 60 years after the ACT was introduced. Talk about a long wait!

The ACT was originally intended to be an admissions and placement test.

ACT creator E.F. Lindquist believed that since the ACT showed what students knew, the test should be used to both admit students and decide which English and math courses they should be placed in. The idea never really caught on except in some community colleges.

The ACT is now more popular that the SAT.

The ACT has gained popularity over the last several years, and now it surpasses the SAT. A total of 1.85 million students from the graduating class of 2014 took the ACT, compared to 1.67 million who took the SAT.

Cheat on the ACT and you could get arrested.

No joke!

In 2011, several college students were arrested for taking the ACT and SAT on behalf of paying high school students. None of the test-takers went to jail, but the publicity earned them a poor reputation with future employers.

The New York cheating scandal is why ACT admission tickets now include photos.

Colorado and Illinois were the first states to require all juniors to take the ACT.

Currently, 16 states require juniors take the ACT. Back in 2001, it was just two: Colorado and Illinois. Interestingly enough, Illinois no longer requires their juniors to take the ACT. The state instead allows school districts to opt out of testing.

So there you go—some useless information to give you a break from your studying. Time to get back to work!

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