ACT is often asked whether student scores on the ACT[R] test can be used to make "norm-referenced" or "standards-referenced" comparisons. Norm-referenced interpretations compare students to one another, while standards-referenced interpretations measure student performance against predefined content standards. This brief shows that, while the ACT provides data that permit norm-referenced interpretations of student scores, the ACT is fundamentally designed and developed as a standards-referenced assessment whose scores represent performance at meeting the requirements for college readiness. By offering each type of interpretation, students, high schools, and colleges can evaluate student progress toward becoming ready for college in multiple ways.