Is a 31 on the ACT good?

Hi guys! I just took the ACT and got a score of 31. I'm pretty happy with it, but I'm just wondering if it's a competitive score for top-tier colleges. Should I consider retaking it or is it good enough?

Hi! Congratulations on your 31 ACT score—it's a great accomplishment! The answer to whether it's competitive for top-tier colleges depends on your target schools and the rest of your application. A 31 ACT score is above the national average (around 21) and puts you in the 95th percentile; this means that you've scored higher than 95% of test takers.

For highly selective colleges, a 31 ACT is generally on the lower end, although it's still within the lower to middle 50% range. For example, at many top-tier colleges, the average admitted students' ACT scores usually range from 33 to 36, although there might be some fluctuation depending on the school. That being said, your application to these schools wouldn't necessarily be uncompetitive due to your 31 ACT score alone, especially if you have a strong application in other areas (academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, essays, recommendations).

Before deciding whether to retake the ACT, consider these factors:

1. Your target schools: Research the average ACT scores at the schools you're interested in, ranging from your "reach" schools to your "safety" schools. This will give you an idea if your current score is in range or not.

2. Your application's strengths: Assess if you have a good balance between your academics, extracurriculars, and other achievements. If you have an exceptional GPA, challenging coursework, or outstanding accomplishments in other areas, admissions officers may overlook a slightly lower ACT score.

3. Test preparation: Evaluate how much time you spent preparing for the test and if there's room for significant improvement. If you feel that you didn't devote enough time or didn't use effective study methods, you might benefit from retaking the test.

If a higher ACT score seems achievable and it can increase your competitiveness at your dream schools, you might want to retake the test. However, if your other application components are strong, you can still be a competitive applicant, as colleges use a holistic review process when evaluating applicants. Good luck!