ACT 34

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I wasn’t clear. He is looking at schools where a 34 is mid range (33-35). So a 34 is right in the middle. So that would be a situation where score should not hurt (but probably also not help). Am I thinking about that correctly?

Thanks.

Oh I get it now. Yes, a 34 shouldn't hurt his chances anywhere. Those top schools (top 30 or so) admission is less stats driven so unless he brings other factors/hooks, good stats are really nonevermind kinda thing...

Thank you. That is what I hoping I guess- that I 34 would be worth submitting to get the app in the pile to be considered, so to speak.

Have a close relative who has worked in admissions at two select schools - nearly verbatim: "35/36 goes in one pile and 34 goes in another." It's a great score, but it doesn't get in that pile.

This is absolute total and unadulterated BS. Name the schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A 34 ACT will get you in any Top 10-30 liberal arts college IF you go ED.

And you are full pay.

Strike that.

A 34 ACT will get you in any top liberal arts college if you are full pay and go ED...and you are a male.

I know many very strong, high-stats, full-pay, interesting young women who have not gotten into top liberal arts colleges even ED, but many male students who have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This board gives me whiplash. I just finished reading at least three posts that any high stats kids has no shot at getting into top schools with perfect scores and how every responder’s kid had 35 or 36 and got into only their safeties.

This board made it sound like a 34 could possibly hurt and the guide books were not to be trusted. So forgive me for being confused.

The reason it's confusing is because admissions is a crap shoot. A 34 is a fantastic score, but there are also thousands of kids who get perfect ACT scores (and SAT scores) each year and that doesn't guarantee admission into a USNWR Top X anything. Withholding a 34 to go test optional against kids who submit a 35 or a 36 isn't a good plan.

FWIW, my DD got a 34 and decided to tutor herself and go for a 36. She did it but I want to be clear it was her decision. At that point the mid-tier slacs started calling her offering $30K in tuition scholarships. So if merit is important to you then maybe take it again. She chose UVA. FWIW the incoming class last fall at UVA had a 75th percentile of 35. A 34 was the 50th percentile. The bototm 25th is a 32. It sounds crazy but that is the game being played today

[Anonymous]

I was told MIT would probably want a 35 with a perfect math score.

34 should be sufficient most other places (though tippy top places would, of course, rather see a 35). I didn’t ask what tippy top meant but assuming HYPS or what we the acronym is everyone uses on this board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was told MIT would probably want a 35 with a perfect math score.

34 should be sufficient most other places (though tippy top places would, of course, rather see a 35). I didn’t ask what tippy top meant but assuming HYPS or what we the acronym is everyone uses on this board.

Where will a 33 be sufficient for (one sitting, not superscored)? DS decided to just go with their first composite score because: 1) it seemed to be at the median of all the schools of interest last year when they took it; and 2) major test anxiety...the advice they got was as long as you're "in the range" you should be okay and all of the ranges seemed to be 32-34.
Now, everyone is saying you need a 34+ or to be in the 75th percentile...and it's too late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I wasn’t clear. He is looking at schools where a 34 is mid range (33-35). So a 34 is right in the middle. So that would be a situation where score should not hurt (but probably also not help). Am I thinking about that correctly?

Thanks.

Oh I get it now. Yes, a 34 shouldn't hurt his chances anywhere. Those top schools (top 30 or so) admission is less stats driven so unless he brings other factors/hooks, good stats are really nonevermind kinda thing...

Thank you. That is what I hoping I guess- that I 34 would be worth submitting to get the app in the pile to be considered, so to speak.

Have a close relative who has worked in admissions at two select schools - nearly verbatim: "35/36 goes in one pile and 34 goes in another." It's a great score, but it doesn't get in that pile.

This is absolute total and unadulterated BS. Name the schools.

Well, UVA. 34 is the 50th percentile for kids who showed up last fall. 35 is the 75th percentile, so 25 percent of the attending class had something higher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I wasn’t clear. He is looking at schools where a 34 is mid range (33-35). So a 34 is right in the middle. So that would be a situation where score should not hurt (but probably also not help). Am I thinking about that correctly?

Thanks.

Oh I get it now. Yes, a 34 shouldn't hurt his chances anywhere. Those top schools (top 30 or so) admission is less stats driven so unless he brings other factors/hooks, good stats are really nonevermind kinda thing...

Thank you. That is what I hoping I guess- that I 34 would be worth submitting to get the app in the pile to be considered, so to speak.

Have a close relative who has worked in admissions at two select schools - nearly verbatim: "35/36 goes in one pile and 34 goes in another." It's a great score, but it doesn't get in that pile.

Well, duh. But 33 goes into another pile, and 32 and below in another…. See how that works?

Sounds like you're good at sorting.

Relative said it because 34 is great score...but it is not a 35/36, so no need to get out over your skis.

I really have no idea why OP would think DC might consider test optional with that score. If the kid is coming from an aflluent school district/family, admissions will probably assume the ACT is 24 not 34 if the applicant goes test optional.

Duh. Exactly. Sorting is not decisive. You’re the one who implied that not having a 35/36 is determinative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was told MIT would probably want a 35 with a perfect math score.

34 should be sufficient most other places (though tippy top places would, of course, rather see a 35). I didn’t ask what tippy top meant but assuming HYPS or what we the acronym is everyone uses on this board.

Where will a 33 be sufficient for (one sitting, not superscored)? DS decided to just go with their first composite score because: 1) it seemed to be at the median of all the schools of interest last year when they took it; and 2) major test anxiety...the advice they got was as long as you're "in the range" you should be okay and all of the ranges seemed to be 32-34.
Now, everyone is saying you need a 34+ or to be in the 75th percentile...and it's too late.

Someone else with more knowledge please weigh in, but I didn’t think it mattered how you got there (superscore, multiple tests etc) - just ultimately what your final score is (with the notable exceptions of Yale, Syracuse, Cornell, Georgetown and other places that request you to submit all your scores. And even then, I didn’t get the sense you would be penalized for superscoring. My DD also got her score in one sitting too at the beginning of junior year but I don’t think she gets any bonus for that.

As for where a 33 will work, I would say anywhere the score is in the range. So 33 should be sufficient in 32-34 range school. The rest of her application will be determinative. If she has an off the charts special skill or activity or rigor and recs that paint her to be an exceptional student, the more they will want her. If she is more “run of the mill” a higher score may have helped. And I don’t think 33 was ever 75% at the top 25 national universities such as MIT (though you may be right in that test optional is skewing scores higher).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I wasn’t clear. He is looking at schools where a 34 is mid range (33-35). So a 34 is right in the middle. So that would be a situation where score should not hurt (but probably also not help). Am I thinking about that correctly?

Thanks.

Oh I get it now. Yes, a 34 shouldn't hurt his chances anywhere. Those top schools (top 30 or so) admission is less stats driven so unless he brings other factors/hooks, good stats are really nonevermind kinda thing...

Thank you. That is what I hoping I guess- that I 34 would be worth submitting to get the app in the pile to be considered, so to speak.

Have a close relative who has worked in admissions at two select schools - nearly verbatim: "35/36 goes in one pile and 34 goes in another." It's a great score, but it doesn't get in that pile.

This is absolute total and unadulterated BS. Name the schools.

Well, UVA. 34 is the 50th percentile for kids who showed up last fall. 35 is the 75th percentile, so 25 percent of the attending class had something higher.

Last year’s numbers will skew higher because of the prevalence of kids who chose to not report. Those numbers will be smaller this year given that covid cancellations are no longer an excuse.

[Anonymous]

You do not share your sons’s intellect. What are you babbling about?

[Anonymous]

Submit a 34. Period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I wasn’t clear. He is looking at schools where a 34 is mid range (33-35). So a 34 is right in the middle. So that would be a situation where score should not hurt (but probably also not help). Am I thinking about that correctly?

Thanks.

Oh I get it now. Yes, a 34 shouldn't hurt his chances anywhere. Those top schools (top 30 or so) admission is less stats driven so unless he brings other factors/hooks, good stats are really nonevermind kinda thing...

Thank you. That is what I hoping I guess- that I 34 would be worth submitting to get the app in the pile to be considered, so to speak.

Have a close relative who has worked in admissions at two select schools - nearly verbatim: "35/36 goes in one pile and 34 goes in another." It's a great score, but it doesn't get in that pile.

This is absolute total and unadulterated BS. Name the schools.

Well, UVA. 34 is the 50th percentile for kids who showed up last fall. 35 is the 75th percentile, so 25 percent of the attending class had something higher.

Last year’s numbers will skew higher because of the prevalence of kids who chose to not report. Those numbers will be smaller this year given that covid cancellations are no longer an excuse.

No, it’s been just about like that for every year DC was there. Every year the gpa and test scores creep up slightly. Same with W&M -they are almost in lockstep but W&M is just slightly behind in most categories. I think it’s actually the quality if applications there was a concomitant surge in applications to tge publics when parents reassessed their financial situation after the crash in Spring of 2020

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I wasn’t clear. He is looking at schools where a 34 is mid range (33-35). So a 34 is right in the middle. So that would be a situation where score should not hurt (but probably also not help). Am I thinking about that correctly?

Thanks.

Oh I get it now. Yes, a 34 shouldn't hurt his chances anywhere. Those top schools (top 30 or so) admission is less stats driven so unless he brings other factors/hooks, good stats are really nonevermind kinda thing...

Thank you. That is what I hoping I guess- that I 34 would be worth submitting to get the app in the pile to be considered, so to speak.

Have a close relative who has worked in admissions at two select schools - nearly verbatim: "35/36 goes in one pile and 34 goes in another." It's a great score, but it doesn't get in that pile.

This is absolute total and unadulterated BS. Name the schools.

Well, UVA. 34 is the 50th percentile for kids who showed up last fall. 35 is the 75th percentile, so 25 percent of the attending class had something higher.

Last year’s numbers will skew higher because of the prevalence of kids who chose to not report. Those numbers will be smaller this year given that covid cancellations are no longer an excuse.

No, it’s been just about like that for every year DC was there. Every year the gpa and test scores creep up slightly. Same with W&M -they are almost in lockstep but W&M is just slightly behind in most categories. I think it’s actually the quality if applications there was a concomitant surge in applications to tge publics when parents reassessed their financial situation after the crash in Spring of 2020

Just looked at the statistics and a 34 would put a student in the 75th percentile for admitted students at UVA in 2018 to 2020 (fall of entrance). Guess your memory is wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was told MIT would probably want a 35 with a perfect math score.

34 should be sufficient most other places (though tippy top places would, of course, rather see a 35). I didn’t ask what tippy top meant but assuming HYPS or what we the acronym is everyone uses on this board.

Where will a 33 be sufficient for (one sitting, not superscored)? DS decided to just go with their first composite score because: 1) it seemed to be at the median of all the schools of interest last year when they took it; and 2) major test anxiety...the advice they got was as long as you're "in the range" you should be okay and all of the ranges seemed to be 32-34.
Now, everyone is saying you need a 34+ or to be in the 75th percentile...and it's too late.

Someone else with more knowledge please weigh in, but I didn’t think it mattered how you got there (superscore, multiple tests etc) - just ultimately what your final score is (with the notable exceptions of Yale, Syracuse, Cornell, Georgetown and other places that request you to submit all your scores. And even then, I didn’t get the sense you would be penalized for superscoring. My DD also got her score in one sitting too at the beginning of junior year but I don’t think she gets any bonus for that.

As for where a 33 will work, I would say anywhere the score is in the range. So 33 should be sufficient in 32-34 range school. The rest of her application will be determinative. If she has an off the charts special skill or activity or rigor and recs that paint her to be an exceptional student, the more they will want her. If she is more “run of the mill” a higher score may have helped. And I don’t think 33 was ever 75% at the top 25 national universities such as MIT (though you may be right in that test optional is skewing scores higher).

DS is not shooting for the "MIT" types of schools...mostly Top 20-50-ish universities and 10-30ish SLACs....these are the schools where 32-34 seem to be the norm (and the acceptance rates are in the 15-30% ranges)...obviously, several safeties too (already into Pitt)...but they had thought 33 would have been solid for these schools before. Now they wish they had retaken to get the 34+....I'm just encouraging them to not worry about it. Too many things are crap shoots in this process, a 33 is a great score, and the less "what could have been" the better....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was told MIT would probably want a 35 with a perfect math score.

34 should be sufficient most other places (though tippy top places would, of course, rather see a 35). I didn’t ask what tippy top meant but assuming HYPS or what we the acronym is everyone uses on this board.

Where will a 33 be sufficient for (one sitting, not superscored)? DS decided to just go with their first composite score because: 1) it seemed to be at the median of all the schools of interest last year when they took it; and 2) major test anxiety...the advice they got was as long as you're "in the range" you should be okay and all of the ranges seemed to be 32-34.
Now, everyone is saying you need a 34+ or to be in the 75th percentile...and it's too late.

Someone else with more knowledge please weigh in, but I didn’t think it mattered how you got there (superscore, multiple tests etc) - just ultimately what your final score is (with the notable exceptions of Yale, Syracuse, Cornell, Georgetown and other places that request you to submit all your scores. And even then, I didn’t get the sense you would be penalized for superscoring. My DD also got her score in one sitting too at the beginning of junior year but I don’t think she gets any bonus for that.

As for where a 33 will work, I would say anywhere the score is in the range. So 33 should be sufficient in 32-34 range school. The rest of her application will be determinative. If she has an off the charts special skill or activity or rigor and recs that paint her to be an exceptional student, the more they will want her. If she is more “run of the mill” a higher score may have helped. And I don’t think 33 was ever 75% at the top 25 national universities such as MIT (though you may be right in that test optional is skewing scores higher).

DS is not shooting for the "MIT" types of schools...mostly Top 20-50-ish universities and 10-30ish SLACs....these are the schools where 32-34 seem to be the norm (and the acceptance rates are in the 15-30% ranges)...obviously, several safeties too (already into Pitt)...but they had thought 33 would have been solid for these schools before. Now they wish they had retaken to get the 34+....I'm just encouraging them to not worry about it. Too many things are crap shoots in this process, a 33 is a great score, and the less "what could have been" the better....

Good luck! I think we are saying the same thing and your daughter’s test score should place her solidly in the to be considered pile.