Retake ACT for math for top school?

[Anonymous]

Ok, not trying to make this harder or rub anything in here. DD did great on ACT (35). Hooray! She is interested in applying for some top schools for engineering, and her math was a 33. I know this is still a great score, but it's probably below the mid point for some of the schools. Do schools look at the sub scores closely? For those with admissions knowledge, should she consider trying again for a better super score? On the one had, I feel like test scores are not a huge factor anymore, and this should be enough, and it would be nice for her to just move on. But on the other hand improving by a couple of points in math would be pretty easy, and there is no bonus consideration for one and done.

I know this seems picky, but if it might make a difference, she might want to do it.

[Anonymous]

It's a wonderful score overall, one I would love for my son to receive, but I agree that for engineering, a 33 in math might raise eyebrows. It's not that she needs to increase her total score, it's that her math scores should be at least a 34. There was a thread weeks ago about how selective colleges appear to have a tacit cut-off at 34. There's no way to know if it's true, but... why not try?

My son, who consistently scores 35-36 in Reading and English sections, and is applying for a major in the Humanities, retook his ACT because his Math and Science were 30s, and for a selective college, he felt it dragged down his score too much.
We don't have the results yet, I hope he improved!

[Anonymous]

Same situation. Following

[Anonymous]

This is not the advice you came here to get, but if the colleges your DD are going to look askew at a 35, then she is looking at too many schools that are rejective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is not the advice you came here to get, but if the colleges your DD are going to look askew at a 35, then she is looking at too many schools that are rejective.

It's not the 35. It's the 33 in math for a selective engineering major.
And yes, OP's child need a few safeties and matches as well, not just reaches.

[Anonymous]

So glad a few others are in the same boat. Thanks for the thoughtful responses.

For those questioning where she will apply, I did say "some" top schools, not ALL top schools. Of course she'll apply to safeties as well!

[Anonymous]

Hi OP- my Junior took ACTs for the first time 9/10/.

He scored perfect 36 in reading and 36 in verbal. Science and Math were both 32. So his composite was 34.

Unlike your daughter, he's heavily into history/govt. and definitely not going into math/computer science/engineering (his lower scores).

However, his prep was on the lighter side this summer (after sophomore year) and he just started Honors Precalc this year. He does very well in Honors Math and AP science classes (As)- though not his favorite subjects/preference.

He will likely take it again after the school year is over (next summer) and prep just science and math because with superscore, if he raised those by a point he'd have a 35. It's crazy because when I was in HS, a 34 was the holy grail. Test optional has driven up the Universities test averages in the past 3 years by a full point in most places. It's a direct factor of only kids with very high scores submitting scores.

I think a 35 is fantastic and doubtful your daughter even needs to re-take it, no matter her intended major. ACTs are different than SATs and for a long time they didn't even allow superscores (some places still don't). The composite is really what they are looking at, so I have been told.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP- my Junior took ACTs for the first time 9/10/.

He scored perfect 36 in reading and 36 in verbal. Science and Math were both 32. So his composite was 34.

Unlike your daughter, he's heavily into history/govt. and definitely not going into math/computer science/engineering (his lower scores).

However, his prep was on the lighter side this summer (after sophomore year) and he just started Honors Precalc this year. He does very well in Honors Math and AP science classes (As)- though not his favorite subjects/preference.

He will likely take it again after the school year is over (next summer) and prep just science and math because with superscore, if he raised those by a point he'd have a 35. It's crazy because when I was in HS, a 34 was the holy grail. Test optional has driven up the Universities test averages in the past 3 years by a full point in most places. It's a direct factor of only kids with very high scores submitting scores.

I think a 35 is fantastic and doubtful your daughter even needs to re-take it, no matter her intended major. ACTs are different than SATs and for a long time they didn't even allow superscores (some places still don't). The composite is really what they are looking at, so I have been told.

My dc also took act in September as a junior and is enrolled in precalc now. DC did better than on practice tests but still has room for improvement. Had originally planned on retaking in October but now I’m thinking nothing is likely to improve by then. Will scores likely improve with precalc or might they go down by spring because farther from summer prep and the Algebra and Geometry classes? Anyone have any thoughts?

For OP, I’d retake to try for a 34 in math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP- my Junior took ACTs for the first time 9/10/.

He scored perfect 36 in reading and 36 in verbal. Science and Math were both 32. So his composite was 34.

Unlike your daughter, he's heavily into history/govt. and definitely not going into math/computer science/engineering (his lower scores).

However, his prep was on the lighter side this summer (after sophomore year) and he just started Honors Precalc this year. He does very well in Honors Math and AP science classes (As)- though not his favorite subjects/preference.

He will likely take it again after the school year is over (next summer) and prep just science and math because with superscore, if he raised those by a point he'd have a 35. It's crazy because when I was in HS, a 34 was the holy grail. Test optional has driven up the Universities test averages in the past 3 years by a full point in most places. It's a direct factor of only kids with very high scores submitting scores.

I think a 35 is fantastic and doubtful your daughter even needs to re-take it, no matter her intended major. ACTs are different than SATs and for a long time they didn't even allow superscores (some places still don't). The composite is really what they are looking at, so I have been told.

OP here. Thanks for this. I hope you're right about colleges looking at primarily the composite! I totally agree about how wacky this feels. I feel nuts even suggesting she consider taking it again. She prepped herself with a study book, so if she does do it again, she'll probably just brush up on the math.

Congrats to yours on the 2 perfect sub scores and good luck with any future sitting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi OP- my Junior took ACTs for the first time 9/10/.

He scored perfect 36 in reading and 36 in verbal. Science and Math were both 32. So his composite was 34.

Unlike your daughter, he's heavily into history/govt. and definitely not going into math/computer science/engineering (his lower scores).

However, his prep was on the lighter side this summer (after sophomore year) and he just started Honors Precalc this year. He does very well in Honors Math and AP science classes (As)- though not his favorite subjects/preference.

He will likely take it again after the school year is over (next summer) and prep just science and math because with superscore, if he raised those by a point he'd have a 35. It's crazy because when I was in HS, a 34 was the holy grail. Test optional has driven up the Universities test averages in the past 3 years by a full point in most places. It's a direct factor of only kids with very high scores submitting scores.

I think a 35 is fantastic and doubtful your daughter even needs to re-take it, no matter her intended major. ACTs are different than SATs and for a long time they didn't even allow superscores (some places still don't). The composite is really what they are looking at, so I have been told.

The composite is important, but engineering programs consider the math score. I'd encourage her to retake it.

[Anonymous]

NP

DS is a Junior and got these scores:
Math - 36
Reading - 36
Verbal - 35
Science - 31

Overall, its a 35, but he wants to do CS and the STEM score is a 34. Retake, right? Or don't sweat it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP

DS is a Junior and got these scores:
Math - 36
Reading - 36
Verbal - 35
Science - 31

Overall, its a 35, but he wants to do CS and the STEM score is a 34. Retake, right? Or don't sweat it?

I wouldn’t sweat science like I would math. ACT Science is more of a reading test and not considered as important as math. So retake optional. But I might skip it if he’s applying to schools requiring all scores because the others are so high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, not trying to make this harder or rub anything in here. DD did great on ACT (35). Hooray! She is interested in applying for some top schools for engineering, and her math was a 33. I know this is still a great score, but it's probably below the mid point for some of the schools. Do schools look at the sub scores closely? For those with admissions knowledge, should she consider trying again for a better super score? On the one had, I feel like test scores are not a huge factor anymore, and this should be enough, and it would be nice for her to just move on. But on the other hand improving by a couple of points in math would be pretty easy, and there is no bonus consideration for one and done.

I know this seems picky, but if it might make a difference, she might want to do it.

If she has to get merit aid, or go to a school like Princeton that offers spectacular need-based aid, or she’s a true child prodigy who had stomach flu or the like while taking the test, and she wants to be with her people, then she should retake it.

Otherwise, she shouldn’t. She should aim for schools where 33 is above the 75th level for math for all students, or you have the engineering school figures and a 33 is at least somewhat above average for engineering majors.

Many students slide out of engineering school. Doing anything special to get into a top engineering school is an enormous mistake. Going to a solid program as a great student is a lot better than going to MIT as a loser.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, not trying to make this harder or rub anything in here. DD did great on ACT (35). Hooray! She is interested in applying for some top schools for engineering, and her math was a 33. I know this is still a great score, but it's probably below the mid point for some of the schools. Do schools look at the sub scores closely? For those with admissions knowledge, should she consider trying again for a better super score? On the one had, I feel like test scores are not a huge factor anymore, and this should be enough, and it would be nice for her to just move on. But on the other hand improving by a couple of points in math would be pretty easy, and there is no bonus consideration for one and done.

I know this seems picky, but if it might make a difference, she might want to do it.

If she has to get merit aid, or go to a school like Princeton that offers spectacular need-based aid, or she’s a true child prodigy who had stomach flu or the like while taking the test, and she wants to be with her people, then she should retake it.

Otherwise, she shouldn’t. She should aim for schools where 33 is above the 75th level for math for all students, or you have the engineering school figures and a 33 is at least somewhat above average for engineering majors.

Many students slide out of engineering school. Doing anything special to get into a top engineering school is an enormous mistake. Going to a solid program as a great student is a lot better than going to MIT as a loser.

She'd likely be interested in an Ivy, Northwestern, Olin or Smith as reach schools.

Would the Ivies and Smith really look at her as a 33 because of the math when her overall score is a 35? She's not a super mathy kid, but she's in the top classes. Not interested in cutthroat programs. Great ECs.

[Anonymous]

I always wonder how well these kids know themselves. It seems like she is probably very talented in reading and language, perhaps more so than math. Is engineering aligned with her true interests and talents. I'm sure she can do it, but is it what she loves and would be best at?