<p>I got my ACT scores today. I got a composite 24 with a breakdown of 24 English, 24 Math, 23 Reading, 23 Science and my writing scores haven't been graded yet. These scores crushed me. Even though I didn't study much for it, I still have to consider it to my fault, because in the end, I was the one who took it and my intelligence was the one who couldn't score higher. And besides the ACT is an achievement test. It tests how well you've done throughout high school. I guess I haven't done any well then.</p>
<p>You have no idea how much this crushes me. I have a GPA of 96% with a good mix of honors/APs. Kids who have crap GPAs with no honors or APs scored better than me on the ACT. For example, one of my good friends has an 80% GPA with no honors/APs and got a 27 on the ACT. She's smart, but she doesn't try in her studies. Her and many other exampls just make me feel as if I'm dumb, but I try hard in school. I don't want to be another tryhard, because GPA won't matter much if I can't correlate my test scores with my GPA and obviously I haven't been able to do that yet.</p>
<p>I thought that junior year I had everything going for me. I was doing well in school. I was having fun and attending more social events. I participated in more extracurricular activities that I wasn't able to participate in during 9th and 10th Grade. I became a Questbridge College Prep Scholar and was invited to an international science olympiad. But when these ACT scores came, it seemed as if all of my dreams has been crushed into a wrinkly piece of paper. Lafayette College '17? gone. Syracuse University '17? gone. Rochester Institute of Technology '17? gone. Washington and Lee '17? gone. Going to work at a top tech company? gone. Everything seems so lost.</p>
<p>A few points here:</p>
<p>1) Practice matters on these tests. If you don’t practice, you won’t do as well. That simple.</p>
<p>2) Some people do much better on the SAT. You can search for ACT vs. SAT threads here on CC so you understand the differences. And colleges will superscore your SAT, which means they will take the highest scores from each section if you take the test several time.</p>
<p>3) There are lots of schools, some highly regarded, that are test-optional. Do a google search for that list.</p>
<p>It’s too melodramatic to decide that life is over because of this little setback. Just decide that next time, you’ll study for the test…</p>
<p>DS did about the same as you on the ACT. He took the SAT and actually practiced for it and scored the equivalent of a 32 on the ACT. The tests are different and practicing makes a different.</p>
<p>Not everyone is a great standardized test taker too, don’t be discouraged. I don’t test well, but I’m in the top 5 % of my high school with a whole bunch of people who DO test well.</p>
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<p>Except for relatively few people, prep makes all the difference for standardized tests. What are you doing this summer? Go to the SAT/ACT prep forums here, make a plan, carry it out and retest in the fall. Sounds like you’ve done the work for your classes and ECs, now it’s time to do it for testing. </p>
<p>Definitely check out the test optional colleges as well.</p>
<p>If you have consistently done poorly on standardized exams relative to your classwork, do pop by the guidance office and ask for a meeting with the school psychologist for screening for processing issues (think dyslexia-lite). If is just takes you a tiny bit longer than the average to read through the questions and formulate a response, this will result in difficulties with timed exams like the SAT and ACT.</p>
<p>Oh, and here’s the truth about life: the hard worker will be successful in the end. So stop measuring yourself against people who flake off in class (and probably eventually in life as well) but who can whip in and do well on the ACT or SAT. Your commitment and drive will make all the difference in your life. Keep up the good work!</p>
<p>Totally agree with happymomof1. TAKE A PREP CLASS. My s did and he improved. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. You’ll learn the tricks to the tests from your prep class. Questbridge is awesome. But, most importantly, apply to a RANGE OF SCHOOLS that you like – from Lafayette to Northeastern to a good state school. I’ve seen way to many kids this year think they have what it takes to get into a top 25 school, only to ignore some really great schools (to heck with rank!) like Lawrence, Union College (NY), etc. DO YOUR HOMEWORK on schools like you do your homework on all other topics. You sound like a hardworker, and that counts big-time. You’ll have a good selection of choices and don’t sweat the pressure right now – you will do GREAT things. Really!</p>
<p>getting a lower ACT score is not the end of the world!
My child didn’t do very well in ACT and SAT/Subjects tests, in fact all were taken 3 times, but worked really hard in senior year.
College admissions are looking for well-rounded students, you don’t compare yourself with others, you sound intelligent, do what you can do best! :-)</p>
<p>This does not mean you’re not smart! Please don’t believe that. There are so many reasons you could have not done well, you could have been having an off day, you may just not be great with the act. This doesn’t mean you’re not smart, your gpa proves otherwise. Try studying over the summer and taking it again in the fall and I’m sure you’ll get into a good college! An off testing day is totally understandable. You’ll do fine, don’t worry</p>
<p>Is there something wrong with being a tryhard?</p>
<p>A test is just a test, it’s not a true reflection of a person’s intelligence or an indicator of a person’s future success. There are many things way more important in life than doing well on an ACT. </p>
<p>With that said, if you still want to get your ACT score to more adequately reflect your GPA then just study. Do some practice tests, find out why you miss the questions you miss. A little bit of studying could easily get your composite up to high 20s or even 30s. Also try the SAT (practice before the real thing with this too, see if you do better on SAT or ACT practice tests).</p>
<p>Definition for tryhard:
Web definitions: </p>
<h2>A person usually of little talent who tries hard, especially through imitation, to succeed, usually to gain fame or popularity.</h2>
<p>Then something is wrong if you fall under that definition, but when you say “tryhard” as in working and trying hard to be the best without proving anything to anyone is better!</p>
<p>Just my opinion…</p>
<p>Is there anything wrong with a try-hard? I don’t believe so. They are better than the brilliant ones who do not try…</p>