<p>My daughter (applying regular deadline) just took two SAT subject tests and doesn’t feel she did well on them. Her latest SAT score is 2260. She is wondering if she should take the December ACT to counterbalance her (assumed) poor subject test scores.</p>
<p>Her coursework is challenging and she’s doing well, but her GPA/rank are not great because of poorish grades early in high school secondary to serious family problems. We’re in the southern U.S.; she has honors related to vocal performance.</p>
<p>please know that ACT does not balance subject scores, it would be a different test in columbia’s eyes. columbia doesn’t subscribe to the view that the ACT may act in place of subject tests or that they test the same information - having taken both subject tests and the ACT, i can understand why. the ACT is nowhere near the same rigor.</p>
<p>your daughter has 2 more chances at the SAT subject tests (in dec and then again in jan). i can’t say that she should or should not take the ACT. that is your prerogative. but i don’t think you should conflate the ACT with the SAT subject tests at least in columbia’s case. i have heard of other schools that would take the two as interchangeable, just know that columbia isn’t one of them.</p>
<p>Thanks, 'geek. This is helpful. Maybe you know this answer to this, too. If she retakes subject tests in January (ironically, she can’t in December because we’re doing a campus visit there that day!), will the later scores count, since they’re beyond the admissions deadline?</p>
<p>columbia openly says on their website they will accept the january test scores for regular decision. the student should make sure that the scores are sent directly to columbia - she may do this by filling out the columbia CEEB code at the end of the test date in january.</p>
<p>she should also on her application or through correspondence let the admission’s staff know she is taking the tests at a later date; they will then look out for them.</p>
<p>i read on their site they omly look at your two best scores. so you could get a 540 on one test, but if you have a 760 and a 800 youd still be ok</p>
<p>Yes; I actually read that yesterday myself. I guess if I’d read the site thoroughly, I wouldn’t have had to post the question! I’m really happy they take January test scores.</p>