<p>Hi guys,
I am a rising senior and I need some advice. I received my ACT scores today and I was happy yet shocked about my score.
English 35
Math 35
Reading 34
Science 25 (EPIC FAILURE)
Composite 32</p>
<p>I feel that I should retake the ACT to raise my science score so that after superscoring my score would be super awesome. However, if I study like there was no tomorrow for the science for the upcoming ACT, the scores for other portions would probably suck. I'm still thinking that I got lucky this time since the questions for English, Math and Reading were fairly easy. I'm afraid that I won't be as lucky next time and therefore do poorly on E, M and R. (I heard September is always the hardest)</p>
<p>The schools I'm looking at superscore, and so they supposedly look at only the best scores for each section. But, would they still look down at my retake with lower English, Math, and Reading despite a higher science score? </p>
<p>I'm a recruited athlete for each school that I'm applying to and so I don't know whether retaking is worth the time and effort. The schools I'm looking at are top 20 and D3.</p>
<p>What do you think? Do you think that I should just start all over again and study for every single section? Is it ok for me to ace science next time and pretty much disregard other sections since I already have a solid score on all of them?</p>
<p>Last question: My counselor told me to always retake the ACT to prove that you didn't cheat the first time if you did well on it. I was like WHAT?! I have never heard of this. Is this true? If so, that answers my question of whether I should retake and thus, I'll have to study all over again!!!!</p>
<p>Sorry that this is so long and somewhat repetitive.
Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>“Last question: My counselor told me to always retake the ACT to prove that you didn’t cheat the first time if you did well on it’”</p>
<p>huh? ACT gives you a choice of which date to send; how would colleges know that you took it more than once if you only send your highest composite? most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard…so, according to your counselor you should send more than one sitting even if your score is the same?</p>
<p>That’s really dumb. The reason they have all the strict “testing security” policies and have people sit in the room and stare at students is so that they CAN’T cheat, and everyone has the same fair opportunity. If they think you cheated the first time then your second test could be inferred to mean that you merely found a way to cheat a second time. So don’t listen to that nonsense.</p>
<p>When you fall in E,M,andR, how much do you think it’ll fall? If you get your science score up and your E, M, and R fall below 30 I’d say that it would hurt you. Keep them above 30 and you should be fine.</p>
<p>@Ralec: On my practice tests, I have never gone above a 32 for English and a 33 for reading. It seems that I do way better on the actual tests than on my practice tests. This is why I’m a little worried, my scores are sporadic…well, according to the practice scores.</p>
<p>Well if you still want to go with this plan, I would suggest “touching up” on E M and R so you don’t lose touch. Scoring 2-3 points lower won’t look that suspicious… but anything more is probably questionable.</p>
<p>Well, do you think that it’s necessary to retake, considering the effort and time put into it?
Ahh, oh well, I think I’ll retake anyway though…thanks for advice</p>
<p>My daughter’s scores on her first ACT were amazingly close to yours. She took it again, preparing for it for one week at the most, and raised her science score to 36 (the other three remained the same, except one dropped one point). </p>
<p>The ACT is offered again in September. Good luck!</p>