Help me understand ACT and superscores, please...

[Anonymous]

So my DC received her ACT score this week. Solid scores, but room for improvement. If she takes the April exam, do we submit both test results to the colleges, or does the ACT company provide superscores?

[Anonymous]

The ACT company will not send super scores. My DC's ACT scores improved across the board on his second attempt (each subsection rose by 2 to 5 points), so he sent scores from the second sitting.

[Anonymous]

You need to read app requirements for each school she is applying. Some will say "send all scores" (so they can review exam history), some will superscore, and some will not. Even the ones that superscore, their superscoring methodology maybe different. No one-size-fits-all sadly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The ACT company will not send super scores. My DC's ACT scores improved across the board on his second attempt (each subsection rose by 2 to 5 points), so he sent scores from the second sitting.

That's really a wonderful improvement! Did your son do test prep? If so, what kind and for how long?

I'm guessing that some of the improvement was in simply knowing how to take the test the second time around?

[Anonymous]

You can usually pick and choose test dates to send. But if section high scores fall across 2 test dates you send the full result from both dates. It's the school that does the superscoring. Pretty sure the same is true for the SAT or at least it was a couple of years ago. Schools have only recently started to superscore ACTs so you need to look at what the specific schools say they do.

[Anonymous]

That's really a wonderful improvement! Did your son do test prep? If so, what kind and for how long?

I'm guessing that some of the improvement was in simply knowing how to take the test the second time around?

He just had a very thin ACT Math workbook (math was his lowest score) and only got through half of it. The first test was basically a practice and he took it without seeing it before, so yes, much of the improvement was just familiarity with the test.

[Anonymous]

For other readers, I recommend a practice test that is not with ACT (or SAT). Many of the local prep places offer them. Then, if you have to send all scores, colleges only see the ones where the kid was at least familiar with the test.

[Anonymous]

Are super scores really swaying admissions decisions? I doubt it.

I think it's just something to finagle the admissions stats for US News rankings and bragging rights.

[Anonymous]

There are a few schools that offer merit aid with at least a ACT of X and do consider the superscore in that determination... so maybe not for admission, but for school funding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a few schools that offer merit aid with at least a ACT of X and do consider the superscore in that determination... so maybe not for admission, but for school funding.

My DS received two offers from schools to which he was not applying because the schools had bought a list of - say Christian males in zip code ____ with ACT scores over 32. When we said DS had received a composite 36, there was a rustling of papers and then a higher offer. They offered $28K each (identical offers). But the schools were virtually unknown and did not have the departments DS wanted. Even with the $28K, the total cost was higher than UVA, so he went state and is very happy with his decision.