Cancelling ACT Scores

ACT Score Deletion

ACT lets students delete their scores from certain administrations by sending a written request to ACT. If the request is approved, ACT permanently removes every record tied to that test date and notifies any colleges or other recipients that already received it. ACT will send the student the appropriate form to complete and return. This option generally applies to tests taken voluntarily; scores used to confirm participation in state-mandated ACT testing cannot be deleted.

ACT Score Report Cancellation

Students can also choose not to send their scores to colleges at all—ACT calls this cancelling college reports. The request has to reach ACT by roughly noon central time on the Thursday after the test date (confirm the exact cutoff on act.org). Because that deadline falls several days before scores are first released, a student has to decide whether to cancel before seeing any results.

Involuntary Cancellation of ACT Scores

Score cancellation without the student's consent is a common penalty for violations of ACT policies on test security and academic honesty. ACT has the right to involuntarily cancel the scores of any test-taker who misrepresents his or her identity, uses prohibited materials while taking the test, or fails to adhere to all test center and registration rules. Repeated violations may be punished by temporary or permanent bans on future testing.

ACT Procedures for Investigating Testing Irregularities

When ACT suspects that an individual test-taker's scores are compromised, the organization conducts what is called an "Individual Score Review." A preliminary review examines the evidence, and if warranted, the process moves to a formal review. There are four possible outcomes to a formal review: voluntary score cancellation by the student, retesting, involuntary score cancellation by ACT, or score reinstatement due to insufficient evidence. Students whose scores are involuntarily cancelled have the option to appeal this decision to an arbitrator, but his or her decision is binding and final.

Cancellation of Registration

Registered students who change their minds and decide not to take the ACT are ineligible for refunds of registration fees, but they may request refunds for any optional services purchased if they do so in a "timely" fashion (typically by the end of the current testing year in late August). Registered test-takers are allowed to make registration changes via their online ACT account or by phone. The indicated late registration deadline is the last day on which students can change their test date or test location, both of which have fees attached. Students who simply do not show up for their test will receive neither scores nor refunds.

Cancelled Test Administrations

If an ACT test administration has to be cancelled by the organization for reasons such as inclement weather or power outages, the test will be rescheduled. Registered students will be contacted by email and given a new test date, and for that date and location only they will not be charged any additional fees. The ACT website maintains a current list of test centers in need of rescheduling.

Should I Cancel My ACT Scores or Score Reports?

Several questions are worth weighing before you cancel scores or reports. Is there enough time to test again before your application deadlines? ACT sets no waiting period between test dates, so you can generally register for the next available sitting—but make sure another date actually fits your calendar before giving up a set of scores. Were you feeling all right, mentally and physically, on test day? If not, cancelling the college report may be worth considering. Do your target schools superscore? If they do, you gain nothing by cancelling. If a college requires every test attempt, the choice isn't yours to make. But if your school lets you send only your best scores from a single date, cancelling may make sense when you're sure you didn't perform your best. Think it through carefully, since reversing course later costs both time and money.