After taking the ACT®, if you are unsure about how you performed or something unexpected happens during or after completing your ACT test, you can stop the scores from being sent to colleges. There are three ways to do so: stop your test from being scored, get rid of your college score recipients, or delete your test record. This blog explains the three ways of ACT score cancellation and the scenarios you can go for.
Canceling ACT Scores
Canceling ACT scores will stop your test from being scored. Students generally choose this option either if they get sick during the test or they are unable to complete the test on time.
How do you cancel your ACT scores?
You can cancel your ACT scores only at your test center on the test day. All you need to do is reach out to the exam proctor before leaving the test center. As a result, your test will no longer be scored and you won’t receive a score.
However, if you are thinking of canceling your scores just because you feel that you did not perform well on the test, it is recommended to thoroughly analyze your decision. Sometimes, you may walk out of the test center pretty shaken about your performance, but get a good score. In this case, you may skip canceling your scores for the time being and make a decision later when you receive your score report.
How many times can I cancel my ACT scores?
There is no explicit limit to the number of times you can cancel your ACT scores. If you didn’t take the test as part of a state/district program, you can cancel your scores as often as you like.
Can I choose to cancel only part of my ACT score?
No, you cannot. If you choose to cancel ACT scores, the complete test will not be scored.
Can I still cancel my ACT scores if I took the test with accommodations?
Yes, even if you took your ACT test with accommodations, you can cancel your scores.
What if I missed the deadline to cancel my ACT score?
In case you are not able to cancel your scores on the test day at the test center, you can go for other options of getting rid of your scores, like deleting the college score recipients or deleting the test record.
Will I or the colleges I apply to ever see the ACT scores I’ve canceled?
No, as canceling scores would stop your test from being scored, neither you nor any college would be able to see your scores.
Getting Rid of Your College Score Recipients
If due to some reason, you were not able to cancel your scores on the test day, you might now be wondering how to cancel sending ACT scores to colleges. Here is what you can do – get rid of your college score recipients. This option will ensure that no colleges see your ACT scores while your test is still being scored. All you need to do is log into your MyACT account and delete the college score recipients. This option will guarantee that no college receives your scores unless decided otherwise by you in the future.
Note that you can delete or edit the list of colleges until the Thursday after your ACT test.
Later, when you receive your score report and you feel your scores turned out to be fine, you can always add the college score recipients again and send out your score report. However, you will be charged for every score report that you send out and not receive your six free score reports.
Deleting Test Records
Upon receiving your score report if you are unhappy with your performance, you can choose to delete your test records. This can be done by sending a written request letter with your name, address, and other registration information to
ACT Institutional Services
P.O. Box 168
Iowa City, IA 52243-0168, USA
After receiving your request, the ACT will send you a form that you can use to delete your scores. Note that this will be a permanent deletion of your test record and you won’t be able to see your scores ever again.
How long does it take to delete an ACT score?
ACT score cancellation requests are made on an individual basis, so the timeframe may differ from case to case. The ACT might take some time to process your request and delete your test record. Also, they will send out a notice regarding score cancellation to all of the colleges that received your scores.
