Longtime lurker with first post question. Afraid it is another variation on "Should I retake a 35 ACT...," but not due to concern about writing essay score. D got composite 35 (35E, 33M, 36R., 36S, 9W) on first try Feb. 10th. Before we received scores back, I had already registered her for April 14th to reserve a spot at a preferred testing center. Generally, I know from prior responses that there is no need to retest. So here are the variations on the question that has been asked and answered:
Given that most of the top 10 schools in which she is interested Superscore ACT (Columbia, Mt. Holyoke, Stanford, Rochester, Grinnell, UChicago, Pomona) and are mostly reach or high reach schools, does the marginal increase to a 36 Composite make any possible difference for either admission or awarding merit aid? The goal would be to raise the 33 Math subscore to a 35 subscore, which we think is possible since Math is a strength of hers and has scored in that range on practice tests.
As the flip-side to that question, even if the answer to #1 is “yes” in terms of there being a benefit or marginal benefit to getting a Composite 36 with Superscoring for either admission or merit aid (esp. at the high reach schools), does the detriment of possibly getting a lower Composite outweigh the possible benefit, esp. for those schools that both require all ACT scores and do not Superscore? Not sure which schools require all ACT scores, but a number on her top 20 list do NOT Superscore (USC, Princeton, Rice, BU, Brandeis, Conn College, Skidmore). In other words, would schools that do NOT Superscore and that require all scores be sent hold a lower Composite score on a second try against an applicant?
D is willing to take the ACT again, and it is already paid for. However, I have no problem canceling the April 14th test if the answers to #1 and #2 above warrant it.
Definetly do not retake, not worth risk, there is not a significant enough difference between the 35 and 36. Also you said your daughter is interested in Chemistry or Economics for which I believe her math score of a 33 is fine (Economics is considered a humanities or social science not a math major). She is not to trying to go into engineering or accounting and even then this math score is fine.
There are other ways to signal math expertise like AP math courses or the SAT subject tests, which some of the more competitive schools will require. I’d take her out for ice cream to celebrate her most excellent ACT score and move on. One and done is impressive.
It’s very difficult to get a 36 on the Science subsection, BTW.
Thank you all for your replies. And I think I will take her out for that ice cream! I forget that those small touches are important to recognize a major achievement by an overstressed and overburdened junior. And I did sign her up for the June Subject II in Math 2 already.
So as I read the collective wisdom of this board, no one believes there is enough of a benefit even for MERIT aid to retake a 35 Composite, correct?
I try to pass this on when I can in hopes that others learn from our mistake: the Math 2 SAT covers material that strong math students may not have thought about for several years. Be sure she takes a practice test or two so she knows what to review.
My kid had a 35 composite score and received a $25,000 scholarship to Grinnell and will be attending Pomona. In my opinion, the most important part of her application was the connection between her academic interests and unique extracurriculars. She also demonstrated interest.
Thanks for the replies. D is signed up for SAT II Math II in June already, and she will be prepping for that. Deaston, thanks for the merit award info at Grinnell. Grinnell and Pomona are also on my D’s lists. If I may ask, did your D get merit at Pomona of any significance?
I would not retake, I got a 35 (36,34,36,34) and decided not to retake. I will be majoring in chemistry at Williams in the fall. I took the SAT Chem test (770) to compliment the ACT as well.
Thanks, Glorfindel1 for that info. D took SAT Chem last spring and got 760, and I am concerned that she needs to take that again to major in Chem, since it is only 76th percentile. But at least we are done with ACT!
DD has outstanding merit offers-from nearly full rides to “just” presidential scholarships (worth $20K plus/year) with a single take of the ACT and earning a 34. I dont think there is anywhere that merit value would be gained by the diff between a 35 and a 36 on the ACT. Have her take the Math 2 and if she doesn’t score above a 750, have her take it a second time. Really no reason to not take the SAT also. Best scores usually second time to take. Could also just do timed trial runs.
Agree that she does not need to retake the ACT- and no need to retake the Chem Subject test either. She can major in Chem at any of those schools w/out any subject test or even an AP (though if she has a strong AP chem score it can usually get her out of Chem 101, which is often a ‘weed-out’ class).
@Deaston, thanks for your reply. @dowzerw, thanks for sharing that encouraging info and big congrats to your DD! @collegemom3717, she will be glad to hear your reply about Chem SAT II. She did get a 5 in AP Chem, btw.
From all that you have posted, it sounds as if it is time to move the focus off standardized tests.
Assuming that the grades are there the big things she can still do are:
revisit & if appropriate hone her ECs so that they ‘fit’ with her overall narrative arc (that doesn’t mean they have to ‘match’ her academic interests- just that they ‘fit’ and add to the overall understanding of who she is / why she is suited to the colleges she is applying to;
try to make sure she sees a range of colleges (esp while in session);
lots of questioning and exploring what kind of colleges are likely to suit.
start drafting essays over the summer, but ime putting the drafts aside and re-editing them closer to deadline time seems to yield better essays for a lot of students. For many students, something clicks in Sept-Oct (reality?!) and there is more maturity/focus to the writing.
In the autumn, put together a (short!) ‘highlights’ page for the people writing her recs, including attributes that she is emphasizing about herself in her essays (many schools have a form for the students to do this- if yours doesn’t google it or go to the College Board site for suggestions). (Also make sure that she writes a thank you letter to the teachers afterwards!!)
