At PrepScholar, we are committed to keeping you informed about future test dates. Knowing the registration and test dates well in advance can help you create your ACT study plan and keep you organized so that you can minimize your stress and reach your target score.
In this article, I’ll give you the ACT test dates for 2017-2018 and explain the factors to think about when selecting your test date.
ACT Test Dates for 2017-2018
These are the official test dates and registration deadlines for 2017-2018, as well as our estimated score release dates.
| Test Date | Deadline | Late Deadline | Score Release* |
| Sept 9, 2017 | Aug 4, 2017 | Aug 18, 2017 | Sept 10; Oct 3, 2017 |
| Oct 28, 2017 | Sept 22, 2017 | Oct 6, 2017 | Nov 7; Nov 21, 2017 |
| Dec 9, 2017 | Nov 3, 2017 | Nov 17, 2017 | Dec 19; Jan 2, 2018 |
| Feb 10, 2018 | Jan 12, 2018 | Jan 19, 2018 | Feb 2; Mar 6, 2018 |
| Apr 14, 2018 | Mar 9, 2018 | Mar 23, 2018 | Apr 24; May 8, 2018 |
| June 9, 2018 | May 4, 2018 | May 18, 2018 | June 19; July 3, 2018 |
| July 14, 2018 | June 15, 2018 | June 22, 2018 | July 24; Aug 7, 2018 |
*= Refers to online score release. The first date is when multiple-choice scores come out, and the second one is when complete scores are available.
How Accurate Is the Table Above?
The dates above have been confirmed by the ACT, and it's highly unlikely that they'll be changed. The score release dates are estimates, but they should be within a week of the projected dates. Keep in mind that there's some variance when multiple-choice scores come out and not everyone receives them at the same time.
How to Choose Your Test Date
Below are some of the major factors to consider when selecting your ACT test date.
#1: What Deadlines Do You Need to Make?
Remember to take your ACT before any deadlines. If you apply regular decision, the December test in your senior year will be the last test you can take for most colleges. If you apply early, the last test you can take may be in October or November of your senior year.
Also, if you want to obtain any scholarships that consider your ACT score, you’ll need to have your test score before the scholarship deadlines.
#2: How Many Times Do You Want to Take the ACT?
Most students raise their scores when they retake the ACT; give yourself an opportunity to take the test multiple times. Generally, we suggest first taking the ACT in the fall of your junior year. Then you can retake it in the spring of your junior year and the fall of your senior year if necessary.
#3: How Long Do You Plan to Study?
When choosing your test date, give yourself ample time to prepare. Figure out how long you’ll need to study and make sure you’ll be able to adequately prepare before you take the test. If you take both the September and October tests without doing any studying in between, your score probably won’t improve much.
#4: Do You Have Conflicts With Any Test Dates?
Check to see if you have any potential conflicts on or around any of the ACT test dates. Perhaps the December date is on the same day as your science fair. Maybe you want to avoid the April test date because you’ll be in the middle of baseball season.
Even if it's challenging to find a time when you can fully dedicate yourself to the ACT, you should try to pick the best test dates for you.
What's Next?
Check out this article for everything you need to know about ACT prep.
To help you with your ACT studying, find out the best ACT prep books.
Finally, figure out if you should take the ACT with or without Writing.
