Your post feels premature. My sense is that you’ve dismissed the ACT 26 score too quickly. It may very likely reflect your sister’s best score. Either work with that score or hold off on your post until after she has a score that you can use as a basis for a college list.
Do you really think she won’t improve on the ACT? She took it towards the end of her sophomore year, cold. She has over a year to study. I don’t mean to sound accusatory, I’m generally curious; most people I know had at least a 2-3 point jump from their first to their second try, with minimal to moderate studying. Didn’t know if I was missing something.
Improvement is always possible and I’m sure she can definitely go up a bit but from my standpoint, I can’t see how a 26 can jump to 30-32 or somewhere where she can get good merit aid in a year. A 4+ point composite jump in one year even with intense studying is improbable. Between April and November, with heavy studying and focused prioritizing, I went up 2 points.
Your sister has a strong GPA and ACT basically to be determined. Merit aid will vary wildly from one college to another. If she gets 32 plus on her ACT it would position her much better, I’m sure you know this already. Some of the honors colleges are really incredible. I’ve heard good things about Arizona State, U of Arizona, Babson (weather not warm), Emory
I’d disagree. Standardized tests are relatively easy to prep for and I suspect your sister could reach 33+ if she does study hardcore (and cares). However, it’s all on her. Any higher wouldn’t really matter tho. Note: I know many people who went from sub 2000 to 2200+.
I would definitely get the act up for automatic rides and greater chances of merit aid. If she can get >30 it would be very good
One data point here. D went from 27 October of junior year to 31 June of junior year, so a 4 point jump is definitely feasible. D started taking practice section tests end of February. I think she took the entire test in a single practice sitting once - the baseline test. I gave her at most one section a day. We started with untimed section tests; once the scores went up (over 30) I timed the practice tests.
I made D study the math section again two weeks before the exam. Her score went down from her practice tests. I suspect if I just let things alone, she would have done better.
@novafan1225’s sister has higher grades than D, so I think the potential is there.