composite scores: SAT v ACT

<p>Do colleges care more about the SAT composite than the ACT composite? Coming from a person who's composite was significantly brought down by the scary science section (35 english, 30 math, 34 reading, 25 science... composite = 31), I think it's important for me to know this when I decide whether to submit. Anyway, looking at the ranges for all of my top schools, the SAT is listed by section but the ACT is listed as a composite. Is this because they don't care about your sectional ACT scores, or is it just because that's the way the different testing companies report it? I guess I just want to know if schools will take my sectional ACT scores into consideration instead of just seeing the 31. Please help a poor Californian who doesn't get the ACT!</p>

<p>they use a conversion chart, and change your act conversion score to its sat equivalent. this serves for easier comparison. a 31 composite is equivalent to a 2040 sat score.</p>

<p>Ask potential schools how they view the ACT. There has been discussion on this topic on CC before. Apparently, most schools just look at the composite score. But some places do look at the subscores and are willing to tell potential students this.</p>

<p>My daughter's composite was brought down quite a bit by math and science. But her planned field is different and her current college (Brown) is one of those places that I've been told on CC says it looks at subscores.</p>

<p>There is some discussion in other threads about conversion charts BTW ... about how they might vary from place to place or that admission decisions seem to superscore the ACT. The middle 50th percent for the SAT doesn't jibe with the middle 50 percent for the ACT, in other words. You might check this out with your potential colleges.</p>