<p>Thow doess college access the act score? most say they look at the highest composite but do they look more in depth?</p>
<p>Say you got a:</p>
<p>E: 23
M: 28
R: 25
S: 36
C= 28</p>
<p>Would that look bad because the E and M are not as high?</p>
<p>Do they focus on The E and M only????</p>
<p>Of course they don't, but lower subscores indicate weakness in a certain area. I'm not 100 percent sure about this but they might us them for class placement considerations.</p>
<p>Are you some kind of fool excel. I thought this site was composed of intelligent people.</p>
<p>I have the same problem. I did well on the Reading and Math. But not nearly as well on English and Science (which I bombed). </p>
<p>For a school which does not report ACT scores (because many applicants don't submit them) will the admissions officer look at Science?</p>
<p>Ask the schools you are interested in. I've seen it reported here that most say they look at the composite scores. But some places do look at the subscores, probably in conjunction with what you say you want to study.</p>
<p>For instance, someone reported being told by Brown that they do look at subscores. My daughter was admitted with an ACT of 30. OK, but people have been rejected there with higher. But only English and reading are at all relevant to what she is studying there, and for those her average was 33.</p>
<p>If a student is entering a liberal arts program, I doubt that their intended major has much effect on how their scores or other application materials are used, considering that in most cases students can change their majors at any time.</p>
<p>I don't think the point of the ACT is whether you're good at English and reading or math and science or anything that relates to what you intend to study, but how much you've learned in several different subjects in high school, and thereby how successful you might be at completing college coursework. Everyone takes math in high school. If I do great in English and reading but bomb math, maybe I have some natural aptitude in English and reading but haven't applied myself to learning anything challenging.</p>
<p>I'm not suggesting this applies to anyone in particular, just that I think colleges are more interested in what kind of a student you are than whether you have a specific set of subject knowledge. So I do think they look at the subscores, just not for the reasons you might think.</p>
<p>Perhaps my daughter was an exception since it was very clear from her application what it was she was going to be studying (correspondence courses in the subject, a recommendation from a professional, work samples). An admissions officer even wrote a personal note on the form letter mentioning how fascinating she found my daughter's interest in her passion. Not that dd really bombed any subject -- her two low scores were in the 92nd percentile.</p>
<p>To take a reverse example, though, I think that if a student is heading for engineering, say, a school would be more interested in the math and science scores.</p>
<p>At least this is how I would do college admissions if I were making the decisions. :) Yes, kids can change their majors, but they usually change to an area where they do well, not a subject where they've always done poorly. Any particularly low subscore would concern me, though.</p>
<p>
[quote]
An admissions officer even wrote a personal note on the form letter mentioning how fascinating she found my daughter's interest in her passion.
[/quote]
That supports my argument: sounds like your daughter got in with a 30 because she demonstrated passion, not because her subject scores reflected her interests.</p>
<p>Well, my point was that the subject scores that would indicate how well she might do in her chosen field were significantly higher. The math and science scores were high enough not to be disqualifying, but not high enough to be a factor in admitted her. I'm not sure if she would have gotten in if the scores had been reversed. But I guess there is no way of knowing for sure.</p>
<p>Again, check w/the school. Try to go straight to the source - this is a question where one should be able to go beyond hearsay. The internet makes most research a snap and a telephone call can often fill in gaps not covered on a web site.
Virtually all of them will look at the composite, and at some schools specific colleges within the school (e.g., Honors) will look at one or more of the subsections. Sometimes there is a definite minimum for admission/course placement, sometimes only a recommendation. The English and Math secs. appear to be the ones that are usually looked at more closely.</p>
<p>What if I plan to pursue a science related degree but since I am a bad test taker, I've got average science/math scores but an average of 32 on with the reading/english scores. What if I declare my major to be english-related ( to improve my chances for admission ) and then if I get in, switch to a science-related major? is there some complicatoin that I'm missing here?.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>You are a bad test taker, but only in the fields you want to pursue? Do your grades reflect the same disparity? If you have problems with low level math/science, why do you think it will be any better at college? You have to take tests there, too.</p>
<p>I don't know if specified major has a big impact unless you are going for a special program or school, something unusual, etc. If you don't have a demonstrated passion for a particular field (ECs, internships, an essay about it, etc.), I don't know that it has much of an impact on the decision. </p>
<p>I think honesty is the best policy. You will get into the school that is appropriate and won't be plagued by doubts ("I got in because I fibbed.") Plus you won't have to worry about the GC or recommenders talking about your planned career in X (while you told the school Y), and you won't have to convincingly lie your way through interviews about your abiding passion in Y. It would be better to be able to ask your interviewer about X, mentioning any strengths you have in it that perhaps aren't disclosed by your test scores.</p>
<p>Heck, this could even make for an interesting personal essay.</p>
<p>Have you tried to bring your science/math scores up?</p>
<p>Hey.. Thanks for your response.</p>
<p>I see your point...Doesn't make sense going about it in the wrong way..</p>
<p>I got a 26 in Science and 28 in Math which I hope to bring up when I take it again.</p>
<p>okay umm what if you get a </p>
<p>take #1!
m: 30
v: 30
r: 30
s: 20
haha umm yeah thatd be like a 28.</p>
<p>so if you retake it again, and
take#2!
m:20
v: 30
r: 10
s: 30
a 23!
improvement in science</p>
<p>all together out of all your scores the top ones are
highest on each.
m: 30
v: 30
r: 30
s: 30
averaeges to a 30.</p>
<p>which score would college take the 30 or the 28? i'm sooo confuseed haha. and i'm sorry if i got you confused here.</p>
<p>does the test work where if you improve on one section, that'll improve your overall score?</p>
<p>jai6638,</p>
<p>Those math and science scores aren't bad! You're in the 90th decile somewhere.</p>
<p>A lot of the problem for those sections (well, the reading as well) seems to be the time pressure. In the real world, this isn't a factor in how well you might do in math or science. You can take a couple extra minutes analyzing a chart to make sure you understand it, e.g.</p>
<p>Have you tried out any math or science SAT IIs? If you do well, that could boost your application. </p>
<p>Good luck bringing up your scores. It should be possible if your problem is just one of pacing and getting through in time.</p>
<p>transistor,</p>
<p>I doubt anyone in the real world would score like that. The second test would be a silly one to report. IMHO, the improvement in science would be overwhelmed by the dramatic declines in math and particularly reading (a 10?) Very few colleges, as I understand it, take the highest subscores from different test dates and add them up. Even those who do would likely be given pause by this hypothetical performance -- they do SEE all the scores, after all. The acceptance decision isn't done by plugging the scores in a computer and admitting the highest ones.</p>
<p>My take anyway.</p>
<p>Hey... </p>
<p>I think I can get my science up since timing was a big issue with science.. I couldnt do the last physics passage since I only had 3-4 min! So am hoping to get it up..</p>
<p>Took the Math and Physics SATII and got a 650 on both :(..</p>
<p>I have a question about ACT scores too. My S got a 30 the first time he took it, with high math and science scores, lower english and reading. The kicker is his writing sample was awful. He says that he freaked out and couldn't think clearly and it was obvious with his score (7). Then he retook it last June and got a 29, his science and math stayed relatively the same around 30 - 32, his English went down a bit, and reading was the same, BUT, his writing score went to 10 and it brought the combined English score up. Anyway, he isn't going to take it again. Should he send both scores because he did so much better on the writing sample the second time, or just send the first because the composite is better? Thanks for any replies!!</p>
<p>Yeah, my daughter had a problem with the science timing as well. Without time pressure, in practice tests she could essentially get all the science (and the math). But the time issue really got to her. I guess this could improve with practice -- or with telling yourself you only have a certain number of minutes per problem and then you will move on.</p>
<p>ag54, if it were me, I would send both scores. The composite is essentially the same (on any given test, kids are expected to score within a particular range, not the exact same thing each time) and the writing score is quite a bit better on the second. Most places will look at the highest composite, and those that look at the writing score (I'm not sure how many do yet, since it is new) can see the better one.</p>
<p>Thanks for your response Diane, I think I will have him send both. It can't hurt!</p>
<p>
[quote]
Yeah, my daughter had a problem with the science timing as well. Without time pressure, in practice tests she could essentially get all the science (and the math). But the time issue really got to her. I guess this could improve with practice -- or with telling yourself you only have a certain number of minutes per problem and then you will move on.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The problem is that when I'm doing the practice test, I know that if I get it wrong, its not a big deal since its just a practice session. However, when I do the real thing, I second guess my answers!! doh! Your advice of setting aside a certain number of minutes per problem is probably what I'm going to have to do although its so hard following it! :(</p>