What happens if you do really bad on the ACT?

Ultimately, a low ACT score for a particular college is a score that won't get you in. Schools don't tend to publish hard ACT score minimums, but they do offer information about the ACT scores of their students. We can use current students' scores to infer what scores colleges expect from applicants.

What happens if you do bad on the ACT?

If you do worse, you can simply submit the higher score from a previous test. Some colleges (e.g., The Ivy League) require you to submit all of your ACT scores to assess your academic growth. In this case, too many retakes may impact you negatively, especially if your scores don't improve.

Is it bad to score a 14 on the ACT?

ACT Test Score Ranges

Each section has a test score range of 1-36: Below Average Score Range: 1-16. Average Score Range: 17-24. Above Average Score Range: 25-36.

Is 27 a good ACT score for a junior?

Is a 27 ACT Score (85th Percentile) Good? A 27 ACT score puts you a good deal about the national average (20.8) and makes you eligible for acceptance at a vast majority of schools. It also makes you competitive at some selective institutions, as well as eligible for merit aid!

What is the lowest possible ACT score?

For the ACT, the minimum score is 1 and the maximum, 36. For the SAT, scores range from 400-1600, with 400 being the lowest you can score and 1600 being the highest. The ACT also has an additional science section that the SAT doesn't have.

Taking the ACT Test Sucks!

Can you get a 0 on ACT?

What's the Lowest ACT Score You Can Get? The ACT is scored on a scale of 1-36, meaning that the absolute minimum ACT score you could get is 1.

Is 37 a good ACT score?

In general, a good ACT score is any score in or above the 75th percentile — at least a 24. Students should aim to hit or exceed the middle 50% of ACT scores at their chosen colleges.

Is 15 a bad ACT score?

Scores below a 15 on the ACT are considered low at just about any four-year college. You can overcome low scores with a great GPA or an outstanding college application. But even if you're accepted, the school may ask you to take some remedial courses before enrolling.

Is 18 a good ACT score for a junior?

Is 18 a good ACT score? A score of 18 on the ACT doesn't give you a whole ton of options for college, nor does it make you a competitive applicant at most. To make yourself a prime candidate, you'll want to earn a score closer to the national average, which is 20.8.

Can I get into Harvard with a 27 ACT?

There's no absolute ACT requirement at Harvard, but they really want to see at least a 34 to have a chance at being considered.

Is an 18 bad on the ACT?

With a score of 18, you are in the 40th percentile of all test takers. You are in range for improvement and, with plenty of preparation, can better your score and widen the horizon of opportunity.

What is a failing ACT score?

Any composite 16 or lower is in the bottom 25%. If you score below 16 or lower on the ACT, your score is definitely in the very low range nationwide.

Is 1200 a good ACT score?

For example, a score in the 75th percentile (approximately a 1200 on the SAT or a 24 on the ACT) would likely be strongly considered at most competitive colleges, while applicants scoring in the 90th percentile or higher (a 1350 on the SAT or a 29 on the ACT) would likely be well received even at highly competitive ...

Can retaking the ACT hurt your score?

As referenced earlier, retesting at least once is associated with increases in average Composite scores when comparing first and second test instances.

Should I submit a bad ACT score?

Advice From a College Access Professional

When advising students I recommend sending in test scores if your scores are at or above the 75th percentile for the college. If your scores are somewhere between the 50th and 75th percentile, you probably should submit the scores.

Why am I doing so bad on the ACT?

Overachieving students can be particularly susceptible to this problem because they feel like they have to get a top score in order to get into the best colleges. Feeling stressed or anxious while taking the test can cause you to make silly mistakes and forget information and strategies you've learned.

Is 17 a low ACT score?

In general, many US colleges and universities accept applicants with 16 or 17 ACT scores. In fact, an ACT score of 16 or lower is accepted by 33 schools. On the other hand, an ACT score of 17 or lower is accepted by 58 schools.

Do colleges accept 17 ACT score?

17 ACT Score Standings

You can apply to 64 colleges and have a good shot at getting admitted. You have a very low chance of getting into 1443 schools with this score.

Is 12 a good ACT score?

A score of 8 or above is preferred by extremely selective institutions. Scores of 10, 11, and 12 stand out and demonstrate strong writing abilities. College and university universities act independently regarding whether to require the ACT writing exam scores for admittance or not.

Is 8 a bad ACT writing score?

As you can see from this table, the mean, or average, score on the ACT Writing section is 6. It's a good idea to aim for at least the 75th percentile, so in this case a good ACT writing score would be an 8 or above. A 9 or above would put you in the 96th percentile, which is great!

Is a 27 ACT bad?

With a score of 27, you are in the 87th percentile of all test takers. More likely than not, with a score of 27, you'll often be in or near the commonly accepted range at selective colleges. The exception may be the Ivy League where the score required may be higher than 30 on average.

Will a 36 ACT get you into Harvard?

Aim for a 1580 SAT and 36 ACT (the 75th percentile)

The middle 50% of Harvard's class of 2025 earned SAT scores of 1480-1580 and ACT scores of 33-36. Any score in the middle 50% is good, however, the higher in the range you score, the better your odds of admission are.

What is a 70 on the ACT?

Your ACT® raw score is equivalent to the number of questions you get correct on the test. For example, ACT® English has 75 questions — if you got a 70, it means you got 70 of the multiple choice questions correct. ACT® Math has 60 questions — so if you got 43 questions right, your raw score would be a 43.