Title. I didn’t study for the ACT once but took it for the first time in October on a whim. I received a 31. My GPA is a 4.8 weighted and 4.0 unweighted. I heard that you shouldn’t submit a test score if it doesn’t “match” your GPA… Should I send my score to colleges or just take advantage of the test-optional policy?
Some schools I’m applying to are: UCSD, UCLA, UCI, UCB, Pomona, Cornell, Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon, and USC.
Thank you for your input in advance!
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Fall 2021 enrollment
UC will not consider SAT or ACT test scores when making admissions decisions or awarding Regents and Chancellor’s scholarships. If you choose to submit test scores as part of your application, they may be used to determine your eligibility for the California statewide admissions guarantee, as an alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements for eligibility or for course placement after you enroll.
I’ve never heard that it needs to “match” anything. The general advice is to submit only if it improves the strength of your application, which typically means being above the median of recently admitted students (or the mid-point of the 25th and 75th percentiles as a proxy, as that’s more available from the CDS).
I haven’t looked up all of the non-UC schools you mentioned, but I suspect it would be below that bar for at least most of them. So no, I would not recommend submitting them.
EDIT: I confirmed 31 is at or below the 25th percentile at those schools, so no, don’t submit it. Apply test optional, unless you can retake and score in the 33-34 range.
no