<p>Just got back from a long business trip and had about 10 minutes to talk to D last night. I was in a total shock whe she said the GC encouraged her to take ACT one more time. </p>
<p>Is making a perfect ACT that much important?</p>
<p>Nope. How close to perfection is your DD now? What type of school list does she propose?</p>
<p>^^ Sorry I am still in half sleeping mode.</p>
<p>There was a long thread I started a while back. I thought most of the people here know my stories by now.</p>
<p>D's ACT is not perfect but close, very close.</p>
<p>I guess I am behind.....gone for much of summer, sorry. I will do some searching to catch up. My opinion is still NO.</p>
<p>It is hard to keep everyone's story straight but I recall your D having an ACT score of 35 and a 12 on the Essay....you can correct me if I have it wrong. I recall a discussion about that on the forum at some point. My opinion then and now is that she has NO reason to retake the ACT score if she has a 35. The difference between a 35 and a 36 will make no difference in her admissions outcome. Her ACT score is competitive for ANY college in the land and they are not looking for perfect scores. In fact, many with perfect scores still do not get accepted. It is not automatic to get in with perfect scores, whatsoever. Elite colleges, including Ivies, will want candidates to be in the ballpark with their stats and once they are there, it is going to be ALL the rest that will matter.....not one digit this way or that on the ACT. Many who apply to such colleges have the stats.....very high SAT or ACT, very high GPA, the most rigorous courses offered, high class rank, etc. What sets them apart? The OTHER things. It isn't about a 35 or a 36. Both scores already meet the admissions criteria at an elite college. It is not as if the highest scorers land on the admit pile. If anything, seeing a retake of a test when the candidate aleady had a 35/12 can come across as obsessed with testing. Perhaps she can use her Saturday morning to do something else that will "look good."</p>
<p>My guess is that GC wants a student with a perfect score in his school (it will probably get the school's name into a local newspaper). It will make no difference for your D.</p>
<p>^^ I agree with you 100%. That is why I am surprised by when D told me GC encouraged her to take it again. </p>
<p>I am going to set up a meeting with GC to get exact wording, among other things. </p>
<p>BTW, D did not get 35 but the 12 on essary is correct.</p>
<p>nngmm, coube very well be. The local radio has a report today about three local 2007 HS graduates got perfect ACT, among the 177 in the nation. None from this very pround HS.</p>
<p>I do think a retake would only have a negative impact on D. </p>
<p>But, the GC's words are 10x heavier than mine now.</p>
<p>Could this be student driven? Perhaps a lack of understanding regarding perfection on the part of a student seeking admission to a selective school? I think it is easy for a student to fall into the mindset that "perfection" will yield desired outcome. You seem to be of reasonable mind, you can likely assure your daughter that perfection isn't the answer. Good luck.</p>
<p>If it is student driven, then I must say I did not know my D that well. She is so much into other things.</p>
<p>You might also point out to your D that her score is just as likely to go down a little as go up a little.</p>
<p>I remember my GC asking me to take the SAT again when I'd already received a score I was satisfied with. I had SAT IIs to worry about, a 20-hr/week job, classes, applications & interviews. I didn't bother.</p>
<p>I get what you are saying. Some frank discussion and reassurance is in order. Words from a GC can carry much weight, in this instance, not for the betterment of the applicant. Hey, forgot to mention, welcome home?</p>
<p>Let's assume your D has a 34 (and it also matters what each subtest score was). I know a LOT of people who get into the top schools in the land with such a score. It is hard to talk of her score in isolation of her entire profile. The whole profile matters. Whether she has a 34, 35, or 36 is not going to matter as long as she is in that ballpark (any of those scores will do it). Let's say she is a straight A student in the hardest courses and ranked at the top of the class.....put that together with a 34 and it is a very strong academic profile. My kid would never choose to retake a test with that score which is "good enough" to get into a top school. She would stop testing if she reached that bar that your D did (assuming your D has a 34/12).</p>
<p>My d's like yours, soozie - she got a 33 ACT and a 2250 SAT, each on the first try. She was DONE! And she did well in the admissions race - didn't get into her tippy top reaches, but was very happy with her matches and is happy where she is now.</p>
<p>Assuming a good profile, OP, I'd tell your d to do what she wants to do, not because it may help, but only if it will make her feel better.</p>
<p>I agree that the OP's D should do what she WANTS to do. If she wants to retake it, by all means she can. She does not NEED to. My kids would not opt to retake it if they got a 34 (they didn't take the ACTs but I'm talking of a basic SAT equivalency).</p>
<p>Dad II,
Yeah, I agree with you that her ACT scores are fine, and with all the wise folks saying it's not worth taking the test again.</p>
<p>The place where your D can best apply her energies at this point is to her essays and to making sure her activities summary reflects her interests, passion and leadership. I'm NOT saying she should go out and join new activities -- but that her summary should accurately and honestly reflect what she has already accomplished. THOSE are what will distinguish her from the crowd of other kids with excellent grades and test scores.</p>
<p>Maybe D could be swayed by looking up the percentile charts on the ACT website. If I remember correctly a 34, 35, 36 were all 99th percentile. Check it out.</p>
<p>More like GC could use a lesson in stats to explain what that means?</p>
<p>
[quote]
Is the GC crazy? </p>
<p>Just got back from a long business trip and had about 10 minutes to talk to D last night. I was in a total shock whe she said the GC encouraged her to take ACT one more time.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The GC is probably not as crazy as simply misguided and uninformed. While there are occasional stories of amazing GC's who are on top of their games and get all the credit they deserve, most of them are hopelessly anchored in the past and hardly understand the state of admissions in 2007. </p>
<p>In which category does YOUR GC fall? None of us can do more than speculating about that part. However, YOU can find out by asking the GC WHY she thiinks it would be appropriate for your D to retake a 34. Is it possible that your D has shared with the GC that she could do a LOT better? </p>
<p>Simple common sense would dictate that the current score is sufficient. Retaking is mostly a matter of deciding that one could spend 4 hours filling little bubbles or ... work on something else. I'd be inclined to think that the time would be better spent working on essays and polishing the applications, but it's only 4 hours and early on a Saturday! </p>
<p>Talk to your GC and find out how she sees your D's applications in general; I have the feeling you might be in for a BUNCH of surprises. :)</p>