Will a 32 on the ACT rule me out at any schools?

Pretty straight forward. I know that many colleges pride themselves in a holistic admissions process, but I’m just wondering if a 32 would be just too low for some prestigious universities. What are your guys’ opinions?

It will be a negative on you profile if you are aiming for top 20 schools so you will need to have positives in other aspects of your application.

That’s false. A 32 is fine for many top 20 schools.

For top 20s, a 32 is in the 25th percentile so it is a bit low. If you have outstanding ECs, it wouldn’t be a problem.

A 32 may be a decent score by some measures, but considering the competition for top schools, TonSr is right.

It’s at or near the 25th percentile for several of them. If you’ve only taken it once and have time to study and retest, it might be worth your while to improve it.

Source: http://oir.harvard.edu/common-data-set

More concerned you said “What are your guys’ opinions?”

@ClarinetDad16 oops lol… can’t fix that now

@ben69420 I’m most specifically concerned about Brown because I will be applying there ED. I have many ECs and I am ranked #1 in freerunning/parkour in California. I was also offered a spot on the Olympic Committee for freerunning/parkour as it will most likely become an Olympic sport in 2024. This is on top of many clubs, playing an instrument, and acting. Would interesting essays and good ECs like these give me a chance at Brown ED?

@ap012199 Yes but remember you’ll be competing against numerous other applicants with stellar stats and ECs.

A 32 will keep you in the game for top schools. It is below average for some, but within the range. There are no schools where no student has a 32.

Really can’t come on CC with just a few bullets when the process is holistic. Those aren’t hooks or tips, by themselves. You have to know what a school is looking for and understand just how fierce competition is. So think about what your “whole” picture will be.

The male or female advantage depends on major. OP has said he/she may want creative writing/English; male would be some help, but the full picture still needs to be there. And the ACT subscores will matter.

A 32 will never “rule you out.” At most schools, that’s an incredible score, but at very competitive and prestigious schools, you will need to compensate for it.

@MurphyBrown @lookingforward my sub scores are 34E 30M 31R (32R super score) 34S 30W. I would apply to the literary arts and/or English concentration for Brown ED. My GPA is 4.0 UW

@MurphyBrown “look at their CDCs”

I thought the only prestigious schools with their own Centers for Disease Control were Emory and Georgia Tech.