Our daughter is applying early decision to the University of Pennsylvania, and has struggling with bringing up her math SAT score (English/reading is very high). She just took the ACT and has a composite 34 score, with 36 English, 28 Math, 36 Reading. She is also a National Merit Commended Scholar. Can we call it quits at this point and use the ACT, or is there still incremental value in trying to bring up the SAT score and/or her ACT math score? (She’s looking at liberal arts majors, nothing STEM.) All advice welcome.
When would she be taking the ACT again…if she did? Will it be early enough to be included for ED applications?
What was her SAT score in each section?
A composite 34 is great. If she has practiced and done her best on math, and has just hit a limit, I’d focus on the other parts of her app (and enjoy her senior year). I doubt a 28 in the math section with a 34 composite will be the reason she doesn’t get in. I am going to assume her accomplishments and interests are consistent with her reading and English spikes.
OP here. Her SAT scores (super-scored) were 790 Reading, 660 Math. Yes, her interests and accomplishments are consistent with her score breakdown, and she also has a couple of hooks for Penn ED (legacy, URM). She could probably take either the ACT or the SAT one more time, but we wouldn’t necessarily get to see the score before it would have to be reported for ED.
34 is pretty good.