Should I Retake my ACT?

Applying to College
1

I just took the ACT for the first time without studying or familiarizing myself with the format of the test. I wanted to see if I scored higher than I did on my SAT (2110). I received a score of 33 (35 Reading, 28 math, 35 English, 33 science). I’m looking at some pretty selective schools, and am happy to retake, but… Is my score good enough? And will colleges focus more on the composite score or on the subsection scores (because my math score is a lot lower than my English)?

Thanks!!

2

I recommend retaking to get your math score up. A 33 composite is good but a 28 in math may drag you down a bit.

3

You might wanna retake because of the math score. Although your focus while studying should be math, make sure to review for all sections. Very few colleges superscore the ACT, so you wanna do well across the board the 2nd time.

4

Send both.

5

If money isn’t an issue, why not retake for a chance to bump up your chances in admissions.

6

I’m in the same situation, although my math was a 32. A 33 puts you in the top 1% of test takers nationally, so I’m not sure if it’s worth it. Does anyone know whether colleges weigh composite or component scores more?

7

@pianogirl999 Statistically at 33, the probability of your score going up a point is well below 50% and only slightly higher than it going down a point.

If you get rejected from a school it won’t be because of a 33.

8

^^ Agree with BatesParents. A 33 is a competitive score. I’m assuming from other threads you are applying to elite schools, so will likely take SAT subject tests. Taking SAT Math 2 will show math acumen. I wouldn’t retake the ACT just to increase one subscore when you can take Math 2.

9

Thank you all for the advice!

10

The real question is whether you are able to get a better score. Since you took it without preparation (a bad idea), it is likely you will get a better score if you do some preparation before retaking it. Try several practice test and see if you can indeed improve your score. If so, go ahead and retake it. Nevertheless, make sure you have complied with all other requirements (e.g. SAT2 scores) first. An one point increase from 33 to 34 may still increase your chance slightly at elite schools.