The lowest possible score on the ACT is 1, not 0. This applies to each of the four sections (English, Math, Reading, and Science) as well as the composite score, which is the average of all four. The scoring scale runs from 1 to 36, making 1 the absolute floor and 36 a perfect score.
Why the Lowest Score Is 1, Not 0
The ACT converts your raw score (the number of questions you answered correctly) into a scaled score between 1 and 36. Even if you answer every single question wrong or leave the entire test blank, giving you a raw score of 0, the conversion tables still assign you a scaled score of 1. This is true for all four sections. Since the composite score is the average of your four section scores, the lowest possible composite is also 1.
There is no penalty for wrong answers on the ACT, so guessing can only help you. A student who randomly fills in bubbles will almost certainly score higher than 1 on every section simply by getting some answers right by chance.
How Rare a Score of 1 Actually Is
Scoring a 1 is extraordinarily uncommon. According to the 2025 ACT National Profile Report, a composite score of 1 falls at the 1st percentile, meaning virtually no test-takers end up there. To put the bottom of the distribution in perspective, only about 4% of students scored at or below an 8, and roughly 7% scored at or below a 9. The 5th percentile lands somewhere around a composite score of 8 or 9.
In practical terms, a student who sits for the test and makes a genuine effort, even with minimal preparation, will almost always score well above 1. Scores at the very bottom of the scale typically reflect a test that was left mostly blank or abandoned.
What Low ACT Scores Mean for College Admissions
Most four-year colleges report middle 50% ACT ranges (the scores between the 25th and 75th percentiles of admitted students) that start no lower than the mid-teens. Among widely tracked institutions, some of the lowest reported ranges dip to around 14 on the 25th percentile side. Scoring in the single digits would put you below the admitted range at nearly every four-year school in the country.
That said, a growing number of colleges have adopted test-optional or test-free admissions policies. If your ACT score is well below a school’s typical range, you may be better off not submitting it and letting the rest of your application, including your GPA, coursework, and extracurriculars, carry the weight. Community colleges and many open-admission institutions do not use ACT scores as a gatekeeping factor at all, though they may use them for course placement.
ACT Score Ranges at a Glance
- Composite score range: 1 to 36
- Section score range (English, Math, Reading, Science): 1 to 36 each
- Raw score of 0 converts to: a scaled score of 1 on every section
- 5th percentile composite: approximately 8 or 9
- National average composite (2025 report): around 19 to 20
If you scored lower than you expected, the ACT allows retesting, and most colleges will consider your highest score from any sitting. Targeted prep in your weakest section often produces the biggest composite score gains, since one improved section score pulls the average up.