I applied to those UC’s and CSU’s which are competitive, as well as SCU and USC. I have a 4.1-2ish GPA, a lot of extra-curriculers, solid personal statements, but low test scores. I got a 26 on my ACT and 1700 on my SAT. DO test scores really have that big of an impact on your acceptance?
No, test scores are not everything. Yes, they have a big impact. I think you already know that.
The UC’s place a lot of emphasis on test scores, perhaps more than private schools. A 26 on the ACT is extremely low and will kill your chances at competitive schools like USC, UCLA, and UCB. A 30-32 is low, a 33 is good, and a 34+ is competitive. A score of 26 isn’t even on elite schools’ radar.
Gearsstudio, I don’t know many schools where a 30-32 is low. A 26 is about 83rd percentile. Many college and high school students on this site seem to try to discourage their peers unnecessarily. What’s with that? But anyway, at USC, about 24% of the students have ACT scores that are in the range 24 - 29. Many of the most competitive schools use holistic admissions and look at the overall application. Positives in other areas can offset a poor or mediocre score.
For UCLA, for example “The average ACT score composite at UCLA is a 28. The 25th percentile ACT score is 25, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 33.” So, no a 30-32 is not low!
@lostaccount: The applicants accepted at the 25th percentile for test scores and /or GPA is the exception and not the rule. These applicants are usually recruited athletes or hooked applicants. Yes, it is possible to get an acceptance but OP on another thread posted they applied to the majority of the UC’s as a CS major. Super competitive where low test scores will hurt.
No I don’t think they are the most important factor in admissions. Of course they are important, but I think GPA is probably the most important if you want a accurate analysis of a student, but everything from your Extracurriculars, essay, and grades are all powerful in determining if a college wants a student.
From my experience, standardized testing is incredibly important. Colleges get thousands of applicants from thousands of places. In most cases they struggle to compare the academics between two distinct schools. Standardized testing helps colleges validate your grades at school. Thus, it is very important but not the only factor admissions looks at.
Once your grades and test scores meet certain cutoffs, then the rest of your application is carefully considered. They likely have already found that once your stats exceed certain standards, numbers would no longer predict ability to succeed at the institution.