Since JMU is test optional, should I send in my ACT scores or not? 4.12 weighted gpa and 3.77 unweighted gpa. Will have associates degree (dual enrollment) in May 2020. Lots of extracurricular activities. ACT Composite score of 25. Reading 28, English 27, Math 23 and Science 22. Guidance counselor told me the scores were fine to send in. But online information I found from a few places says only send them if they improve your application. 25% for JMU is 23 and 75% percentile is 28, so a 25 is slightly lower than 50%. I am worried that if I don’t send it in the admissions people will think it is lower than it is. But it is slightly lower than 50%. I am in state. Thanks for any help.
I would go ahead and send in - your mid-range. Honestly the whole reason for score optional is to improve their averages (lower scores not being sent so not counted in the freshman average). You should be in good shape. The GPA borderline for admission last year for students I know that applied tended to be in the 3.8 weighted range.
I work in Admissions at JMU, unlike the previous person commented. Test scores are completely optional and I can’t think of many instances where we brought up test scores in our committee discussions. The bulk of our decisions are going to be based on their transcript, as we analyze their high school performance. GPAs can be calculated differently at high schools based on the weight they give Honors/AP/DE, etc. We typically want to see that students take a rigorous courseload based on what is available at their high school and have mostly As & Bs.
So if SAT scores or average or better it does not good to send in SAT. I would make assumption if you had 2 students with near identical high school transcripts - that if one student didn’t submit SAT and the other that had slightly above average SAT turned theirs in that the above average SAT student would win out. Maybe I’m wrong I can’t pretend to know your process. So a person with 1480 SAT need not bother submitting as your saying not even discussed.