When should you retake the ACT?

You should take the ACT in the fall semester of your junior year, then retake it in the spring of your senior year. This schedule will give you four months of prep time before your retake date. Here are a few pointers to help you decide when you should retake the ACT.

Is it worth retaking the ACT?

Retaking the ACT gives you another opportunity to improve your score and strengthen your college or scholarship applications.

Should I retake ACT with a 30?

Should I Retake the ACT with a 30 Score? With a score of 30 on the ACT, there's no pressing reason to retake the exam unless your ideal school is looking for a higher score. As indicated above, most colleges consider an ACT score of 30 to be a strong fit for admission.

Should I retake the ACT if I got a 33?

While it may be tempting to retake it, I think it's essential to consider the time and effort required to improve your score. Also, keep in mind that the 50th percentile range at Carnegie Mellon and Northwestern is 33-35, so you're right within the range.

Can colleges see if you retake the ACT?

Colleges typically receive all scores from both the ACT and SAT tests when students send their scores for admission consideration. This means that if you take the ACT or SAT multiple times, colleges will have access to all of your scores, not just your highest or most recent ones.

Deciding whether to retake the ACT

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.

What happens if I retake the ACT and get a lower score?

Getting a lower score on a retake won't affect college admission. Luckily, some schools do not require you to send all of your scores if you don't want to. Your chances of getting into you dream school aren't ruined just because of a score decrease.

Will a 36 ACT get you into Harvard?

Average ACT: 34

The 25th percentile ACT score is 34, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 36. In other words, a 34 places you below average, while a 36 will move you up to above average. 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.

Will a 33 ACT get me into Harvard?

A 33 lands you solidly in the mid-range for average acceptance at places like Yale and Harvard, above their 25th percentile, which is 32, but below the 75th, which is 34-35.

Is a 33 ACT good enough for Ivy League?

A 33 is on the lower end of the middle 50% range for Ivy League schools, but it's still within the range. It should be high enough to at least get your application read, provided that your GPA and course rigor are also similar to that of accepted Ivy League students.

Is it worth retaking the ACT if I got a 34?

Even if you're applying to the Ivy League institutions, there isn't an incredible need to retake the ACT. An ACT score of 34 lands you solidly in their average acceptance area.

Does a bad ACT score matter?

Admissions committees also look at your high school transcript, extracurricular activities, essays, and other factors to assess your overall potential as a student. Don't worry if your ACT score falls slightly below the average;, a well-rounded application can still open doors.

Is your GPA or ACT score more important?

According to a 2020 study, high school GPA is a better predictor of college graduation than ACT scores.

Is a ACT score of 19 good?

A good ACT score ranks you higher than the majority of test-takers. As such, any composite score above the 50th percentile, or 19-20, can be considered a solid score.

Is GPA more important than ACT score?

Recent research suggests that GPA—not standardized testing—better predicts students' success in college. In fact, researchers found that GPA was five times better at making this prediction when compared to the ACT. Another study showed that grades were a better predictor of graduation rates than test scores.

Is 17 a good 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.

Is a 32 ACT good enough for Ivy League?

Generally speaking, you need a minimum ACT score of 31 to get into an Ivy League School. The minimum score is 32 at a few of these schools, including Harvard and Yale. The minimum SAT score to get into an Ivy League school ranges from 690 to 730 for the reading section and from 700 to 730 for the math section.

Is 34 ACT good enough for Yale?

Average ACT: 34

The 25th percentile ACT score is 33, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 35. Even though Yale likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 33 or below, you'll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application.

Is a 4.7 GPA good for Harvard?

Final Admissions Verdict

To be safe, you should aim for the 75th percentile, with a 1580 SAT and a 4 GPA or higher to be above average.

How rare is a 36?

To really press how well a 36 is, it puts you at a 100 percentile — meaning that you scored higher or as high as all test takers. Only 0.19% of test takers earn a 36, which is around 3,700 students in the most recent years. Congratulations!

Is a 4.7 weighted GPA good?

A GPA above 4 indicates that your institution employs a weighted GPA system (class difficulty is considered in conjunction with your grades). A 5.0 GPA is the highest possible in most high schools. If you got a 4.7 GPA in high school, you might probably do well in college.

Is it worth retaking the ACT as an adult?

You sure can, but it might not be the right answer for you. Think about your goals and if you have the time and finances to commit to such a venture. And remember, while retaking the ACT is often a good idea, it doesn't guarantee that you will score higher—especially if you do not prepare.

Does it look bad if you take the ACT multiple times?

You can take the ACT up to 12 times, and many students end up taking the test between 2-3 times before applying to college. Most colleges are neutral about multiple scores. Many students, in fact, make score improvements by retaking the ACT. Give yourself time to improve before you begin filling out applications.

How much can you realistically raise your ACT score?

If the number of tutoring hours is increased and the process is extended across several months, then a student may expect 4-6 points of ACT improvement and 120-180 points of SAT improvement. While they do happen, improvements of more than 7 points on the ACT or 200 points on the SAT are relatively rare.