<p>So, I'm sure the question has been asked about a million times, but I have to ask it. I am not a legacy, a URM, or a recruited athlete, just a genuine student. I scored a 31 on my ACT, twice. The first time the breakdown was (E33,M32,R31,S29,W10) and the second time I got (30,29,30,33,9). Neither times did I study very much (the first, not at all, the second for like a couple of days, not very intense). I was honestly hoping for a 34+ and felt like even a little studying would have helped me, but obviously that wasn't the case. My questions regarding this are:
1. Retake, this time actually study in earnest and going under the impression that I will score 3 points+ better this time?</p>
<ol>
<li><p>What will it look like to Yale to see I took the ACT 3 times, twice getting the same score? I am well aware that scores are not the most important part of any college app. They want people, not just a robot.</p></li>
<li><p>Should I take the SAT too/instead of the ACT a third time? If so, does anyone know the correlation between ACT and SAT scores?</p></li>
<li><p>I know I need to take the SAT II, but I'd like a few suggestions as to which to take (more of the flavor of each test, if you please). My best subjects are biology (not eco), math, & chem, but how would that look? I'd like to show that I'm not completely devoid of other interests.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>31 is in yale’s 50% range, but obviously on the lower end. As an unhooked applicant it will likely work against you. You know better than everyone else if you could get a 34+ but a ton of people do without studying - the ACT is more straightforward than the SAT. You don’t have to submit your other scores on the ACT, although you are supposed to, so Yale wouldn’t know.</p>
<p>There are tons of charts for ACT/SAT conversion charts. That doesn’t mean that you are going to do the same on the other test though. I know kids who have taken both and (in yale relative terms) bombed one and done very well on on other.</p>
<p>You don’t need to take 2 SATIIs if you take the ACT, but I would highly recommend it.</p>
<p>I didn’t mean to imply that those students aren’t genuine. I’m terribly sorry if it came off that way. What I really meant to say is that I’m simply a student, with none of those hooks that other students may posses (and yes, thank you for knowing I didn’t think they were mutually exclusive). In no way am I trying to imply those students didn’t earn their way or anything. It was not intentionally rude and I know that the comment reflects poorly on myself, but please try to forgive my foolishness. :)</p>
<p>Retake the ACT, if you believe you can improve your score with more preparation. </p>
<p>Unless you are hooked (and you say you aren’t) or perhaps attend an underserved high school in an underserved community, a 31 is a low ACT score for Yale. </p>
<p>As for switching to the SAT, here are a few general thoughts. The ACT is curriculum-based. You should think about whether your high school has adequately covered the materials included. If it hasn’t, you may be at a disadvantage. In contrast, the SAT measures critical thinking ability and problem-solving skills rather than mastery of specific content. If you are a good problem solver, you may want to consider it. </p>
<p>Don’t worry about taking the ACT a third time; many, many students take it three times.</p>
<p>^And, if you decide to take SAT IIs, you would typically take them directly after completing the corresponding course. That is, take Bio after you have completed AP Bio, take Chem after you have completed AP Chem, etc. That way, the material is still fresh in your mind and you shouldn’t need to study excessively in order to get a good score.</p>