Which score is better of the two?

Hi guys!

I recently took the SAT as well as the ACT. Both scores were relatively the same. SAT: 550 CR, 570 M, 530 W. I got a 1650 with a 9 on the essay. ACT: 25 R, 26M, 26 S, and 21 W. My composite was overall a 25 with a 8 on the essay… I’m just not sure if sending the ACT score would be better since I would like to go into a science field. Would the UCs look at the science score or do they only look at the composite? The UC score for my SAT was a 225 while the ACT score was a 224. Of course, I’m going to retake the tests, but I want to use this for future reference. As for both of these scores, which one would probably look better? Thank you so much!

Note: I fully understand that these scores are low, but from the two, which would probably be better if I was considering a science major?

You can submit them both - they will pick the strongest score.

You should know, they aren’t really competitive scores at any UC other than Merced.

This link will take you to all the UC freshman class profiles.
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/freshman/profiles/

You can re-take the test but heading straight to a UC may not be right for you.

What’s your GPA?

Just an FYI: Older son got accepted to UCI/UCD/UCSC/UCR and UCM with an ACT of 26 but UC GPA of 4.2, strong essays and EC’s 2 years ago. I know the competitiveness of the UC’s continue to climb so apply and hope for the best. A competitive UC GPA (4.0+) will be needed to make up for less than stellar test scores. Make sure you have some solid match and safety schools on your list. Spend time on your essays this summer. Good luck