About 375,000 fewer students took the ACT in 2021, average score continues to decline

The average composite score fell from 20.6 to 20.3 compared to last year. Average scores dropped in every racial and ethnic groups except Asian and American-Indian/Alaskan Native students. For fall 2022, more than 1,780 institutions have moved to test-optional or test-free admissions. Fewer students who used the Common App submitted admissions scores in the last academic year, of which the lowest reporting rates were from students in the bottom quintile of the median household.