I’m a rising senior from NY and, even though I may get a small amount of need based aid, I need to get merit aid, too to afford college. I really like Stonehill, Providence, Fairfield and Loyola, among other test optional schools (I want to study business/accounting?). My question is: should I submit my ACT score? I got a 26 my first time taking it and I’m taking it again in Sept. My GPA is 3.8 with 1 AP class last year and 3 this year and mostly honors classes. I have good recommendations, EC (JV & Varsity basketball & softball), honor societies, volunteer service, etc. I see that a 26 ACT is in the middle 50% of these schools, but I’m not sure if it detracts from the rest of my application. Everyone says submit if you think your score is reflective of academic ability, but I’ve never been a good standardized test taker and my grades have always been better than any standardized tests I’ve taken. To try to get as much aid as possible, should I submit my 26 (assuming my Sept test is the same)? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
At many Test Optional schools, test scores are needed to determine merit awards.
IMO you should submit if you are at least at the 50th percentile and you need merit aid. But run this by yiur GC to be sure.
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see that a 26 ACT is in the middle 50% of these schools,
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Being in the middle 40% at schools on your list shouldn’t be a negative.
That said, do retest and also take the SAT. I don’t think any of those schools are known for great need-based aid, so you’ll probably get a better preferential pkg is your stats are strong.
Have you had your parents run the NPCs on the schools’ websites? Have you talked to your parents about how much they’ll pay?
My daughter is attending Providence in the fall as a Freshman and from what they told us grades and rigor are the most important pieces they look at for admission as well as their merit aid. That beng said you should not submit them unless you feel it will help reinforce the rest of your application.
Thanks everyone. I tried the SAT twice but didn’t do as well as my ACT. I went over the schools with my parents, but I am still unsure if a 26 hurts me or if it’s neutral. And if it’s neutral, does it round out my application in any way? I know these schools don’t need an ACT score to give out merit aid, but I don’t know if I should submit just to confirm I didn’t bomb the test. Also, any advice on other schools which might give out good merit aid for my stats would be greatly appreciated! I’m looking to stay within a 4-5 hour radius of NYC.
Some schools superscore the ACT, so your Sept test may end up helping quite a bit, even if the composite remains the same.
At Union College in Schenectady, I asked D’s admissions counselor point blank whether she should submit, and said what her scores were. I realize this would not be an ideal strategy for everyone. She ended up not submitting, but still was admitted with merit aid.
I doubt those three schools superscore: http://blog.prepscholar.com/colleges-that-superscore-act-complete-list
The Prep Scholar list isn’t “complete” so be sure to check with each school. For example, at Sewanee the admissions webpage explicitly states that they superscore the ACT, but it is not listed on the Prep Scholar list.
MidwestDad3, not to be nosy, but Union is on my list, too. Was your D’s score higher or lower than mine?
Sent you a PM @hava939
Update: I took the ACT again this past Sept and got a 28. I ended up submitting it with my EA apps to Fairfield, Stonehill, Siena, Saint Joe’s, Loyola Maryland, Roger Williams, Saint Michael’s, Saint Bonaventure, along with my state schools and got accepted to all with very nice merits. Still waiting on fin aid packages but I wanted to thank you all for your help!
Congrats on the acceptances, the merit and the much better ACT score.
I really wonder about the the school (and maybe others) who awarded merit to a student w/o scores. There are schools, particularly smallish privates, that are virtually awarding merit to every student. A marketing scheme of having high prices and then flatter their acceptees by awarding a discount.
@hava939 Thanks for updating and congrats on your acceptances and great score. Do you have a top 3 yet of those schools or are you still deciding? Looks like you have some nice options.