| If memory serves me well, 31 on the ACT is at the 75th percentile of the admitted class, 34 being the 25th percentile. This means that your ACT is better than 25% of the class, and therefore yes, it is 'enough' if your question regards the benchmark for admissions. However, it is not so high as to warrant you an advantage.
Know, too, that you will be competing against others from your vicinity. In this sense, the fact that you live in China may be detrimental as the Chinese, as a group of international applicants, tend to have stronger scores (presumably due to belonging to a culture which is conducive to much studying). By no means does this mean you will NOT have a chance; it is simply a point worthy of noting.
Most important though, is that you know that your numbers will not be what get you in. Your score is high enough in that it is comparable to the scores of many current Yale students. Unfortunately, the bottom 25% may have some advantages that you (presumably, since you have not given these details) do not, such as legacy, minority or athletic status.
In conclusion, my advice is that you do not rely on the ACT score to get you in, but that you know that it is 'high enough'. Take the test again only if you have a reasonable expectation of scoring higher (and yes, even a single point could make a difference.) But even with a 36 ACT and 4.0 GPA, you will need extra-curriculars or strong essays or recommendations that set you apart.
Last edited by Aze; 07-17-2008 at 01:45 PM.
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