What's a good ACT composite score?

I'm planning on taking the ACT soon, and I'm trying to set a goal for myself. What's considered a good composite score? I know it's out of 36, but what score range should I be aiming for if I want to target competitive schools? Thanks in advance!

A good ACT composite score varies depending on the competitiveness of the schools you're targeting. However, it's essential to aim for a score that falls within the middle 50% range of accepted students' scores for your desired schools or higher. Generally, here's how ACT scores look in terms of competitiveness:

1. Score of 30 or above: This is considered an excellent score and would make you competitive for many top colleges and universities, as well as provide you with additional scholarship opportunities.

2. Score between 24 and 29: This is a good score, and it would meet the requirements for most colleges and universities, including some competitive ones. However, it might not make your application particularly stand out for highly selective schools.

3. Score between 20 and 23: This score is average, and it would generally meet the minimum requirements for many schools, particularly public universities and less selective private colleges.

If you're aiming for competitive schools, a composite score of 30 or higher is a good target, but the most selective universities typically have median ACT scores of 33 or higher. Keep in mind that achieving a strong ACT score is just one part of your college application, and admissions committees consider many other factors like GPA, extracurricular activities, and essays in their decisions.

It's crucial to research the specific schools you're interested in and look into their middle 50% ACT score ranges to guide your goal-setting. Doing so will help you create a realistic target for the ACT and optimize your chances of acceptance.