I took the ACT in December of 2019 right before COVID-19 began and got a 35 composite. Rightfully so, I believe all schools have become test-optional. My question is, how will colleges balance out so many students who are now not taking the ACT/SAT this year? Does getting a 35 mean as much now that schools have gone test optional?
I think it will help. Many students will not be submitting scores. The fact that you are will be something that can help set you apart.
While not any one data point, grades, SAT/ACT scores, EC’s etc. are the end all, be all, for a school determining success for incoming students, having more positive data points do help. I don’t see your great ACT score being anything but a positive.
Having a high score is only a good thing. Just understand that this coming application season, I think a lot of colleges are going to weigh grades, course rigor, and teacher recommendations even more heavily than before. There are going to be a LOT of applicants who can’t or won’t submit test scores and they can’t favor applicants who do.
Another side note, do you think applying ED to a school and being a legacy from both your parents will be weighed more, or is that something which is probably going to remain about the same?
Im going to disagree here. There is a finite number of applicants the college can accept and all things equal the applicant with a test score and one that is high (your 35 ACT) is going to be an advantage over someone who doesn’t submit one. This is a zero sum game…
Test optional does not mean test blind and they will consider a score if submitted. It’s another data point that can only help the OP and conversely disadvantage an applicant that doesn’t have one.
Additionally, for competitive colleges, the adcoms know that many top students will have taken the SAT/ACT well before the March Junior year shutdowns and for those that choose not to submit any scores this fall, it might not be looked at favorably by adcoms even with this new TO policy for this year.
To say that the colleges “can’t favor applicants that submit a high test score” is incorrect otherwise the college could have easily gone “test blind” and not consider them at all, but they didn’t go test blind, how come? Maybe because they like high test score applicants?
IMO, the main reason colleges went TO is because they want the maximum number of applicants possible. If they didn’t go TO this year they know they would not get the same amount of applicants as years past so they go TO. But it doesn’t mean that not submitting a test is no big deal. Most colleges love high stat test score applicants.
I would encourage all rising seniors to get in a test score this year if at all possible, especially if chasing merit as a great score can mean lots of merit scholarships $$$ and likely an advantage over applicants without test scores.