Send both ACT scores or just one?

Parents Forum
1

My D took the ACT in June without prep and got a 33 composite (R-36, E-33, S-34, M-28). We thought she should just be done with it because I knew with all her theater rehearsals etc. that she probably wouldn’t study much and likely wouldn’t get a higher score. Then, when we visited our state flagship in Sept., we learned that the honors program only looks at English and Math, which are her two lowest scores. She missed the cutoff by half a point so she re-tested in October to see if she could get either the Math or English up a point. Well, she took the test right in the middle of her play and did accomplish that goal (Math went up to 30 and English to 34). However, her other two went down and science really dropped (R-33, S-26) so her composite was a 31 this time.

So, for the other more selective schools to which she is applying that do superscore, does it make sense to send both sets of scores? If both are sent, her superscored composite is a 34. However, will the 31 look unimpressive and take away from that. Should she just stick with the 33?

2

Send in both for superscoring schools. A 34 vs a 33 will only help you.

If the school looks at only English and Math, let them decide by sending in both. Maybe that year they need their composite to go up or they need their math to go up, etc…

Only send the 33 to other non-superscoring schools.

3

Agree with @Jpgranier. Important to research whether the school she’s applying to super scores or not, then send accordingly.

4

Ok thanks @Jpgranier and @nakpatel !

5

Only send the scores that will work best based on each school’s policy.

If they super-score, send the tests that super-score the highest.

If they don’t super-score, send the best single sitting score.

If the school requires you to send all tests (Yale, Stanford, Georgetown, Berkeley, etc.) then you send all the scores.

If the school will take scores from the December 2016 test date, have your kid take the test again in December.

If the school only looks at scores from R months, send the October score but not the June score. : )