I just finished my sophomore year of high school. This is my first time taking a real ACT, although I was required to take the practice 2016 ACT by my school in standardized testing conditions. I prepped very little (about a week) with a few practice tests. I didn’t take the writing. Can anybody tell me if these scores are good or bad?
*Composite: 32
*English: 35
-Usage/Mechanics: 18
-Rhetorical Skills: 17
*Mathematics: 28
-Pre-Algebra/Elementary Algebra:17
-Algebra/Coordinate Geometry: 18
-Plane Geometry/Trigonometry: 18
*Reading: 36
-Social Studies/Sciences:18
-Arts/Literature: 18
*Science: 29
The composite is the biggest thing. It is 98th percentile, which is great for helping your admissions to all but the tippy top schools (on the lower end for maybe 25 schools, very good for the rest).
The scores the schools will see are the composite (32), English (35), Mathematics (28), Reading (36), Science (29).
You did great for your first time, OP! And especially since you still have an entire year, you have plenty of time to retake and raise your score if you want to. If you are thinking of majoring in something STEM (science/tech/engineering/math) related, taking the ACT again and raising those math and science scores is a good idea, but if you’re thinking about a more english or communications type major, that score will be just fine, especially with your really good English and Reading scores.