Odd ACT scores?

Applying to College
1

<p>I'm not sure what to think of this.</p>

<p>My scores are: English - 34
Math - 32
Reading - 22
Science - 24
Composite - 28</p>

<p>Taking the ACT in October seems like it would push my applications too far back, so that wouldn't be an option, right? I'm planning to major in physics at either Wisconsin-Madison, Rice, Illinois-Champaign, Reed, or Boulder-Colorado. </p>

<p>Does anyone know how any of these colleges weigh the ACT? </p>

2

<p>Oct is not too late to take ACT or SAT for most colleges. Don’t delay completing and submitting the rest of the application. Just submit the ACT scores later (f they are better) since those need to be sent separately by the testing agency anyway. Oct test date will almost certainly work for application deadlines in January. Check with each college you are applying to.</p>

3

<p>thank you you have no idea how much this set me to ease</p>

4

<p>I’m glad but still check with each college/university - the admissions website almost always indicate what is the latest SAT/ACT testing date they will accept for each application deadline. Don’t take my word for it.</p>

5

<p>If I had to guess the reason for your test scores it would be that you run out of gas. Taking the test is a marathon and by the time you get to the third and fourth sections, your brain is too tired to do well.</p>

<p>Try training before you take the test again by taking the test exactly like you’ll be taking it on test day. Same order, same timing, same breaks. Not easy to do, as you’ll need uninterrupted three hour sessions, but that’s probably the key - you need to have the endurance to take the whole test, not just one section at a time.</p>

6

<p>Yeah, it’s hard because both reading and science are long slogs through long reading passages.</p>

7

<p>You should only take the test again if you can practice. First, practice only the sections that you are weakest on. A practice test for those is less than one hour each. Diligently go over your mistakes and examine where you went wrong. Then before the actual “official test” - make sure that you do at least one full-length practice. Drink a ton of water the day before and throughout the test – hydration is critical to keeping the brain alert. Last resort, bring a soda full of caffeine and during the break at the half-way point, drink it. It might help perk you up a bit for those last tests (I can not believe I am recommending caffeine…)</p>