BlueHouse

thisdude and mymo ~ I got a 34 with a writing 9 in April 2007. I decided to retake in April 2008 because we wrote a lot during our Junior year and I "knew" I could improve. On the retake I got a 35 and a.....9. My advice, work on your application essays as this I believe will be more important to our applications than our ACT writing scores. OR go to a movie, get lost in a great novel, do a service project....do anything but waste another Saturday testing! Congratulations on the 35!

mymo91

BlueHouse, that's good advice, but I don't feel I would be wasting my time. I've only taken the test once and I didn't feel very well on the day of the test. Does anyone know the process for taking the ACT on standby?

Counting12001

My D was accepted SCEA to Harvard for the class of 2011 with a meager 35 on the ACT. So I guess it can't be all that bad.... LOL!

heather_estby

I got a 35 for a composite score, and a very very very sad SIX for the writing portion. (probably because I erased a paragraph, which must have made my essay practically illegible on the copy) Will colleges think that it was just luck that I got a 35 when they see my writing score?

chibistar6

Yeah, I got a 34 my freshman year - last year.
took it again this year without any prep at all and it went down to a 32...my advice is don't take it unless you have some concrete plan to raise your score :]

mabsjenbu123

well I think it depends

in your case....I think you should go for it
you were already so close and the worst thing that can happen is that your score goes down but because of score choice, who cares?

I would just go for it...u never know

gblob331

I hope you didn't get a 35.25 and plan to retake, b/c that's like one question from a 36...

Does it really matter? Why would you throw another $40 something at a testing company and take another 4 hours test? I'd rather sleep. It doesn't make any difference in college admissions, and how are you sure you'll get a 36 next time?

guitarman89

Pros: bragging rights

Cons:
Probably more likely to score the same or lower
really no difference between 35/36 in college admissions
have to take a test for three hours
waste a Saturday
must pay extra $40

tan2007

You're putting too much value into these test scores. While I do agree that, yes, a 36 IS better than a 35, NO highly-selective college out there is going to see your 36 and automatically accept you. I understand that you want to maximize your chances for admission, but ultimately trying for a 36 after a 35 is just silly because they DO look at other things, i.e. extracurriculars and your essays. If you want to think of something productive to do instead of re-taking the test, work on your application essays.

Emiiliye

Hmm... I was just wondering the same thing. I got a 35 (but it was rounded up from a 34.75 or something) and I got a 10 on the essay, which I guess I'm satisfied with. Retake it or not?

My friend took it and got a 34, which was rounded up from a 33.5. The difference between a 33 and a 36 however is a lot at our school...so if you keep with the idea that a 36 is basicaly like a 35..which is basically like a 34...what's the value of a 36 then?

phishfan0969

You didn't want to sound obnoxious?

Well...you do.

olleger

same situation really with me. I took as a sophomore and got a 34.25 with an 11 essay (not quite sure how with a 32 english...). should i retake? i have the maditory test from my school but should i make any other plans? btw my parents expect me to retake so anything i can tell them to convince them otherwise (if i shouldnt) would be nice.

on and a parent saying "LOL"... lol...

Egbert Sousè

erm...year old thread...

amaster008

really? people are so self conscious. there are ppl who do worse (like me, but ...) who need to truely retake it. this is absolutely ridiculous to wonder if "i should retake a 35". it is perfectly acceptable. you should worry about doing something meaningful with your life instead of worrying about a silly point on your composite score.

olleger

lol i didnt notice.. what the... haha