For applying to colleges, is there a big difference between a "low" 33 and a "high" 33?

Test Preparation
1

The ACT rounds up for its composite. But is there a big difference between applicants if one gets a 32.5 and another gets a 33.25, for example?

I got a 33.25 and want to know if there is a major difference between that and a 34. It’s literally 1 question.

2

I’m in the exact same situation.

I don’t think there’s a major difference…Of course it’s not the same as a 34, but I mean 33 already is a score that your application gets thoroughly read

3

@nadinem123 we were so close though.It’s a bit upsetting.

4

@Yomo710 yeah I know, but we can’t change anything so we just have to accept it…

5

No

6

Does anyone know if there’s a major difference between a 33 and a 34, admissions wise?

7

@Yomo710 Between a 32 and 34, yes, there probably will be. However, I find it highly unlikely that there’s a significant difference between acceptance of a 33 and 34, especially a 33.25 and a 34. Can you imagine an admission officer saying “Well, he had a 33.25. Such a shame. Had he answered one more question right we would have considered him a viable applicant for our college…” Yeah, me neither.

The only way I could see there being a major difference is depending on which sections were highest. Example:

C 33
E 31
M 31
R 32
S 36
W 20

C 34
E 35
M 35
R 35
S 32
W 33

That is, unless your 33 depends on a really high science (35-36) and has a really low writing (>20), then I wouldn’t worry about it.

Best of luck, hope this helps!

8

Most of the Ivy League caliber schools have 25%-75% ACT ranges of around 30-34 or 31-34, so the difference between a 33 and 34 is often the difference between the median student and the top 25% student - not so insignificant when it comes to admissions especially at schools with 5-10% acceptance rates.

9

Feel you haha… I got a 34.25 composite and I am trying to get a scholarship that requires a 35. I don’t think 33 vs. 34 is a huge difference for admissions though. Yes, a 34 would raise your statistical odds, but adcoms won’t be saying “if only they had a 34!” Especially if 33 is already the median score for the school in question.

10

@Studious99 are there really scholarships with test score cutoffs like that? I’ve never seen them. Are they school specific scholarships?

11

Yeah, they are school specific. Some schools have scholarship matrices where you have to have a certain combination of gpa and act for a guaranteed scholarship. @Archlion

12

Thanks for the advice guys.

13

Here is an example. At this school you would get full tuition, but the one point would cost you housing.

University of Alabama-Huntsville
Application Deadline: June 1st
Award: Full Tuition + Housing
Requirements: 4.0 GPA, 34 ACT or 1490 SAT (CR+M)
Award: Full Tuition
Requirements: 3.5 GPA, 30 ACT or 1330 SAT (CR+M)

14

hi everyone! i also have the same dilemma
my score came out like this

english 33
math 34
reading 32
science 30

dammmnnn i’m so close to a 33… i’m really upset because i usually get 32 or 33 in science. if only even if i’ve gotten a 31 like i did last time, things would have been fine. I’m also an applicant from Canada so I really at a disadvantage right now.

My question is…for the schools that do not superscore, will they recognize that I’m in a higher range of 32.25 instead of someone with a 31.5, because those two scores make a huge difference even though the composite is the same
i know that they also look at subscores, but does it make a difference between 32 and 33 as much as @Studious99 mentioned about 33 vs 34?

Thanks guys!

15

@nw2this I applied there with a 34 and got both.