So I never decided to send my ACT score to any colleges but Northwestern emailed me congratulating me on my score. I’m guessing they do this to all test takers in order to increase the amount of applications to the school. Do they know my actual ACT score, or is it just a way for them to decrease their acceptance rate?
Colleges can send things out without actually having the information - as in “Send this email to students with a 32+”. They don’t know who specifically has the 32+, but the distribution/advertising company sends a letter nonetheless.
@usualhopeful oh ok. That’s reassuring haha.
Colleges pay testing companies money to contact the people within a certain score bracket. If you opt into the “Student Search Service” with the SAT, and you score say a 1400+, colleges can pay to contact people who receive between a 1300-1500, for example. It’s just a way to advertise.
Congratulations on the ACT score - and the mailing! 
My son had a 34 on the ACT, NU was his #1 choice - and he got zero mailers from NU! - and hundreds of mailers from other schools across the country. Although this was @ 4 years ago, and perhaps NU has a new Marketing Manager…
It is no different from when a pizza parlor uses a mailing firm to mail to everyone in a certain zip code. They don’t know anything about you personally.
Be flattered – Northwestern is outstanding.
But does the ACT have the same type of student search services as the CB?
Yes