<p>Lets say a school's middle 50 percentile range for ACT is a 30-33, if I have a 29, how low to their standards is that score? How much will it hurt me?</p>
<p>You have to realize…25% of people have LOWER than a 30.
Which is a 29 or lower.</p>
<p>People always think they have to be ABOVE the 25-75 range, but they don’t understand that there are 25% of people below.</p>
<p>It won’t hurt you, it just won’t stand out.</p>
<p>You should compensate with ECs and such</p>
<p>The problem is, the middle 50% for test scores is ONLY for test scores. That doesn’t necessarily mean that if you’re an average student and your test scores are below the 25th percentile you still have a good chance; in fact, it could be that the only way that 25% got admitted was by being exceptional in other things.</p>