So i took the ACT twice at the start of my junior year, the first time was a test run of sorts, and the second go i scored a 31 (34E, 33M, 26R, 32S 10W). All of those scores were really high for me, except for reading, and my parent/college counselor both insist that i take it again to try for a 32. Is a 32 that much better for admissions than a 31? I heard that they are both equally as common, and only worth taking again if I was to get into the elite 34-36 range which i’m not necessarily capable of.
This is really dependent on what schools you are intending to apply to. The ACT or SAT are just one of many admissions considerations. If it is a matter of acceptance or positioning yourself more favorably for merit awards than taking it again may make sense.
Your question can’t be completely answered with out more information.
It depends. Some colleges have significant scholarships for a 32 versus a 31. Where are you thinking of applying? You can obviously improve on the reading section with practice
@GreatKid@patriot420 I was thinking more of positioning myself in terms of other applicants. I am not thinking in terms of scholarships, though maybe i should.
As of now, I’m thinking of schools such as Davidson, Colgate, Bates, Bucknell, Trinity, Wake Forest
For most of those schools, i think i am on the upper end of the median ACT score.
I guess I’m just trying to be in a spot where my ACT score won’t hurt me in admissions to these schools
I think you should take the ACT in June. Because you scored so well at the BEGINNING of your junior year, you might improve your score. Having one lower scored section means that you can target your preparation. It might be beneficial to work with a test prep tutor just on reading for a coup,e of hours if you can afford it. The schools you have listed are competitive and, if you don’t get admitted, you might always wonder about your ACT score.
Also, if you decide that you need a merit scholarship, a bit higher ACT score would certainly be helpful.
@educateddarcy@txstella I haven’t been tutored in reading, but during the period where i was studying for the test, i did a ton of practice on the reading portion of the test. I typically scored around 29/30.
my only worry is that i will be able to improve reading, but not be able to experience the same success in math and science as i did.
i may be getting a tutor this summer for the act.
i plan on retaking it next fall as i am focusing my studying on SATII in june.
You are happy with your 31, and you should be. Take the September test knowing that you can get into many colleges with your present stats. My daughter found that having a respectable score really relieved the pressure the next time she took the test. With that said, I would continue to take practice tests and have the tutor go over your mistakes. If you don’t get a tutor and take the practice tests at a center where they charge you, they typically have the answer key and you should go through it. Good luck! *-
For scholarships and certain admissions purposes, a 32 is better than a 31. I don’t see the harm in retaking the ACT since it would only be your third time. Going beyond that though is iffy because there are low odds you can improve significantly after 3 times and it is conceived as score-grubbing.
I retook a 31 to get it up to at least a 32 and ended up getting a 33 unexpectedly. Study hard and retake. If you’re worried about not doing well in certain subjects, remember that some places super score.
Since you took it early in your junior year I think it would be worthwhile to take it again. My daughter got a 31 the fall of her junior year. It didn’t really matter at the schools she was applying to if she upped her score by one point. She was able to get very generous merit awards with a 31 at several private LACs. We did notice at the public schools that 32 was the score you needed to get their top award, however it was not a huge difference. It might mean an extra $500 each year, sometimes $1000. The worst thing that can happen to you is that your score stays the same or goes down, in that case you submit your 31 to schools and all is just fine. There is no downside to this.
Go for it – if my kiddo had one additional ACT composite point, the school she’s attending would have given her an additional $2k per year. Would you take one afternoon off for the possible pay off of $8K? Of course you would.
All you have to do is bring up your reading score. Otherwise you have a great ACT! My S added 3 composite points (33->36C) between sophomore and junior years by just working on his lower math and reading score. It turned out that most of his other scores improved too (34-36E, 31-36M, 30-35R, 36-36S, 8-8W)
You need to believe in yourself. If you can get a 31, you can certainly get a 33/34 or more! At the higher ACT levels, some schools offer full ride scholarships and much greater FA.
When I read the title I assumed you had a 35. You are looking for 5 points not 1. I do think having a low reading score could hurt you although not sure about your specific places but it is so out of line. Find a test prep that works. Do you read the first line, then glance through the questions and then go back to the paragraph? That way you can pick out answers as you read? Not sure if that works for everyone. One thing that does not make sense, your science score is much higher and Science is really reading comprehension with graphs thrown in.
One important with ACTs, continue practicing the other sections before the test even if you are great at them, just not as much as the ones you need work. Otherwise you will forget and make mistakes, especially English (in my experience, yours may be different). Many people think the cut off is a 33 although 32 and 31 are respectable. Depends on your GPA.
