Seniors encouraged to take advantage of the ACT Senior Retake Opportunity

Stock image of high school student (Photo by ACT Student)

The Tennessee Department of Education is encouraging high school seniors to take advantage of the state’s free ACT retake opportunities this fall.

Tennessee was the first state in the nation to offer public high school seniors the opportunity to take the ACT two times for free during normal school hours. Students typically take the test once in the spring of their junior year, and then under the program have an opportunity to retake the ACT in the fall of their senior year.

The ACT Senior Retake Opportunity gives seniors another chance to increase their ACT college entrance exam score.

“The free fall ACT senior retake opportunity helps Tennessee students improve their scores, potentially qualifying them for additional scholarship funds and increasing their chances to pursue postsecondary education,” said Tennessee Department of Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds. “We hope to see all seniors participate in the retake to advance their educational aspirations and set themselves up for success in college and career.”  

Last fall more than 51,000 students participated in the retake opportunity and 77% of those students increased their superscore, the average of the highest sub scores from each subject of all test attempts, according to a department news release.  

Districts across the state will be able to offer the free fall ACT retake opportunities during one of the following windows:  

• October 7-11, 2024 

• October 15-18, 2024 

• October 21-25, 2024 

• October 29-November 1, 2024 

• November 4-8, 2024 

The Tennessee General Assembly has provided funding for the ACT Senior Retake Opportunity in every budget since 2018. The state says this retake opportunity has enabled more than 88,000 students to earn the necessary score to qualify for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship. 

In 2022, the program helped earned Tennessee the inaugural ACT State Equity and Access Champion Award, which celebrates and honors the state’s commitment to postsecondary access.