<p>So overall, will this score HURT me? P.S. Please realize that I’m still aiming higher for this test. I just want to make sure that at least my ACT isn’t bad enough to almost instantly get thrown into the rejection pile, but I want to maximize my chances.</p>
<p>@cortana: Very interesting…How do you know this?</p>
<p>There is a book by a duke admissions officer that details dukes admissions process.</p>
<p>No, the score will not hurt you but you would be maximizing your chances furher with a 34+. Try the September act! I got a 32 in April and retook last September and got a 35.</p>
<p>lol yeah that’s what I’m planning on doing. What’s the name of that book?</p>
<p>Our school naviance shows nobody has been admitted to Penn with 34 or less.</p>
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<p>That is a fantastic point. A school looks at your region and school from the previous years. If previous applications have 34/35/36 scores year after year, you are obviously not a competitive applicant.</p>
<p>However if you come from a 30 person graduating class in the middle of Mississippi delta, your 32 will be more than impressive.</p>
This is a really old discussion but it’s killing me knowing information that could’ve helped anyone! Basically, schools look at act/sat score percentiles. For example, a 27 is the 87th percentile, and it goes up slowly from there. Once you get to 32 you’re about the 97th-98th percentile. However, 33, 34, 35, and 36 are all 99th percentile scores, meaning that raising your score 1 point from a 32 to a 33 (which could easily be done by retaking) would benefit you greatly!!
Please use old threads only for research. Start your own if you’re burning to show your knowledge.