<p>Is a 34 a competitive score for Yale? 4.0 GPA, etc. </p>
<p>All opinions, especially from previous applicants, are welcome.</p>
<p>A 34 is definitely a competitive score. It will definitely not work against you, although it probably isn’t going to be what tips you into the “admit” pile.</p>
<p>Hopefully the rest of my application falls together well. :)</p>
<p>It’s hard to answer this question without knowing more about you and the opportunities you’ve had. A 34 is a competitive score, but not even a perfect score automatically puts an application in the “admit” pile. Depending on your profile, it may be worthwhile to retake. Did you earn this score on your first try? Do you think that with some additional targeted preparation you might improve your score? Do you have a hook (e.g., URM, recruited athlete, perhaps national recognition in some academic or extracurricular area)? And above all, what kinds of academic opportunities have you had in high school? If your high school uses Naviance, check the Scattergrams to see how prior applicants have fared at Yale. In my area, one with excellent schools and affluent families, unhooked candidates typically do not get into Yale without a 35 or 36 ACT. That is not the case everywhere, though. Yale will evaluate your application and your scores in the context of the opportunities you’ve had.</p>
<p>According to ACT, Inc., any score of 34, 35, or 36 automatically places you in the top 1% of ACT test takers in that category: [ACT</a> Score Information: National Ranks for Test Scores and Composite Score](<a href=“ACT Test Scores | ACT Scoring | ACT”>ACT Test Scores | ACT Scoring | ACT)</p>
<p>And, according to Yale’s website, a composite score of 34 on the ACT places you in the 75th percentile of enrolled freshmen: [Yale</a> Facts | Visit Yale | Office of Undergraduate Admissions](<a href=“Home | Yale College Undergraduate Admissions”>Home | Yale College Undergraduate Admissions)</p>
<p>So congratulations! You have every reason to feel proud of your result. Having said that, I agree with wjb. If you earned a 34 on your first try, you may want to do some targeted preparation and retake the test in a couple of months. Without falling into the excesses of compulsive test-taking, another shot at a 35 or 36 may be worth your while. It would be nice to be solidly ensconced in that top quartile, wouldn’t it?</p>
<p>On the other hand, do keep in mind that, should you score lower the next time around, Yale requires you to report all of your ACT scores if you opt to submit ACTs… or all of your SATs, if you decide to submit those. In sum, this decision isn’t a no-brainer, but, if I were you, I’d give it another shot. You’re obviously a good test taker, so you probably don’t have much to lose.</p>