I think for most schools, they have a stated policy of when scores have to be in - I think they won’t evaluate your application until after that point.
If you do get good news, I would send the results out as quickly as possible (duh) and if you are past a stated deadline at any particular school, a quick email to admissions to let them know you have better scores on the way.
I don’t get why you wanted to take the ACT in December if you’re in a Gap year. Likely they will not take the December ACT if they receive it in January. Read the individual college sites you are interested in, or call them, and find out. No one can answer this definitively for you- but its not smart to leave the ACT to the last minute.
@NickFlynn Yeah, all the ones I am applying to accept the December one. So the plan is to call my high school and have them remove the 31 from my transcript, submit the app by the deadline, and send the ACT the moment it becomes available.
So for schools I have already applied to, I will do as you said and send them an email the moment I get the score to make sure it is considered.
@suzyQ7 Yes, they will take the December one “For students applying to Vanderbilt under Early Decision I (postmark deadline November 1), the October administrations of the SAT or ACT represent the final opportunity to take the exams. Students applying under Early Decision II or Regular Decision (postmark deadline January 1) can sit for the exams through the December administrations.”
and being on a gap year doesn’t affect it, @viphan got into Duke with the ACT he took during his gap year.
I wish I would have taken it in October, but I was busy… I’ve actually had time to study and this one felt ridiculously easy, and the curve is always more generous on the December/June ones. Plus the percentiles have shifted, thus further pointing out that it is easier. And http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/act-preparation/1787600-were-your-act-scores-better-than-expected.html this thread shows that it is, indeed, easier. But that is not why I know I got a higher one, I know because of practice tests and because during the real test I was 100% sure I missed no more than a certain amount of questions per test.
@cappex, you are already in a gap year, right? Stop trying to game the system. Apply mostly to matches and safeties with the stats you have. Throw in a couple of reaches in case you get a better score this time.