Are there different ways to score the ACT?

Question

I was looking through the "official" ACT prep book and its practice tests. I noticed that the score charts for practice test 1 and 3 are different. For example, the score chart practice test 1 says 27/40 on the science section gives you a score of "23" while the score chart for practice test 3 gives you a score of "24".

Answer 1

I suppose it depends on the difficulty on the question.... as if they are curving the test before anyone has taken it.

Answer 2

hmm,thats weird.

Answer 3

There are many factors that cause this...if a test is considered "harder" then the score will be higher or if it's considered "easier" the score will be lower. But when you take the actual test, the test date and bell curve play a huge roll. If a lot of people thought the test was hard, the curve will be more lenient but the opposite if the test was easy. It all depends on how all test takers do for that one test. If you're just taking practice tests, I'd just take the lower score, so you constantly feel like improving that score, which will help on the real test (especially if everyone except you felt the test was hard).