I’ll be a senior year next year and I plan on majoring in Finance and becoming a CFP. Last summer I made a 26 on the ACT, and the test I took in May turned out to be a 26. Again. I plan on attending the University of Alabama in Birmingham, so it’s high enough to definitely get in, but my parents have always pressured me on trying to get a 30. I would LOVE to get a 30, but as I’m starting to run out of time, I realize that that might be impossible. I have a 3.8/4.0 GPA, and I understand that I might miss out on scholarships, which I’m okay with. So my question is, am I right to be upset that I made a 26? Is that bad for a future business major?
it’s perfectly natural to have such feelings when you set high expectations for yourself, and it might be a good opportunity to reflect on why it may not have worked out as you hoped. Did you put in the time and attention you needed to succeed? Were your expectations too high to begin with given where you started from?
Fortunately you are in a nice situation where the 30 would only be symbolic at this point. You’ll feel bad about it for a bit but it should be a distant memory once you get your UAB acceptance and start looking towards the future. Take the experience as motivation to crush it at the next stage
It is easy for you to say that you might miss on scholarships as you are not paying for college.
I would tell your parents that your self-studying has not gotten you any higher score…if they want to organize a study course/tutor you would take it and try your hardest.
If you can get it up by 1 point, you will get a higher scholarship.
http://www.uab.edu/students/paying-for-college/scholarships/act-gpa-based-scholarships-alabama-residents
You get free tuition if you get it up by 4.
If you are admitted, then you are correct, it has no further meaning other than scholarships.
What about trying SAT? Some ppl do better on it?
ACT of 26 is decent score so I wouldn’t worry about it too much.
But I would take it again- you could get a lot of money by improving just a slight amount.
I think the hardest aspect of the ACT is the time constraints, so if you struggle with that, take the SAT!
A 26 isn’t bad though, clearly above-average