<p>I'm sure that this has been asked before, but it's news to me.</p>
<p>I was aware that most colleges superscored their applicants' SAT scores, but today a WashU representative that I talked to said that they superscore ACT scores, too.</p>
<p>In short, is it common for colleges to superscore their applicants' ACT scores as well as their SAT scores? Do you know of any colleges in particular that do so?</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for any advice.</p>
<p>Yes it’s common, almost all colleges do</p>
<p>No, it definitely is NOT common to superscore the ACT. Indeed, very few colleges do so. Colleges may say, ‘send us all your ACT scores and we will consider them’, which is probably true. But that is not the same as recomputing a new ACT composite based on different test dates, which those same colleges will do for the SAT.</p>
<p>But that is not the same as recomputing a new ACT composite based on different test dates…</p>
<p>So then what does “consider” mean? If they’re going to consider the subscores accross tests, surely they would mentally recalculate the score, even if they don’t officially do so. Or maybe they’re looking for an upward trend?</p>
<p>For SAT, College Board has put out a list of how each institution handles multiple SAT scores</p>
<p>professionals.collegeboard.com/…/sat-score-use-practices-list.pdf -</p>
<p>This list will answer your questions about SAT. I am not sure if ACT has a comparable list.</p>
<p>This is from the ACT website on how colleges can use multiple scores. They leave it to the individual colleges as to which policy they want to follow</p>
<p>[ACT</a> Information System](<a href=“http://www.act.org/aap/infosys/scores.html]ACT”>http://www.act.org/aap/infosys/scores.html)</p>
<p>I was under the impression that most colleges will essentially re-composite your score, or at least do the mental-equivalent…</p>
<p>This is the best list that I know of because the guy seems to check with the schools themselves. </p>
<p>[Colleges</a> that super score ACT | College Admissions Counseling](<a href=“http://www.collegeadmissionspartners.com/college-testing/colleges-superscore-act/]Colleges”>Colleges that superscore the ACT - BS/MD Admissions by College Admissions Partners)</p>
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<p>That would be incorrect. But remember, even with the “mental equivalent,” a college still must publicize your unsuperscored ACT in its USNews or common data set. So, even if your 32 superscored is above their mean, your below average 30 is still the official number. Thus, an adcom has to make a stronger case to his/her colleagues on why they should accept a below mean applicant when it will lower their published averages, i.e., other stuff HAS to be stronger.</p>
<p>check out hohum’s list: there are only a few highly selective liberal arts colleges on it (Amherst & WashU), and some tech schools (MIT, Olin, Rose-Hulman). Cornell should have a footnote since some of its colleges may superscore, but not all do: Cornell Arts & Sciences will “look at” all scores, but not recompute a new composite, whereas Engineering will recompute a new composite, at least according to what I’ve read on cc.</p>