Superscoring ACT?

Hi, I've stumbled across the term 'superscoring ACT' and got curious. What does it mean for a college to superscore the ACT and how does it affect my application?

Superscoring the ACT means that a college will take the highest individual section scores from multiple ACT test administrations and combine them to create a new, higher composite score. In other words, if you took the ACT multiple times, the college would consider the best scores from each of the four sections (English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science) regardless of which test date they came from to calculate your superscore.

For example, say you took the ACT twice and received the following scores:

Test 1:

- English: 28

- Math: 32

- Reading: 30

- Science: 29

- Composite: 29.75 (rounded to 30)

Test 2:

- English: 31

- Math: 30

- Reading: 28

- Science: 31

- Composite: 30

If a college superscores the ACT, they would take the highest section scores from each test to create a new composite score of 31 (English: 31, Math: 32, Reading: 30, Science: 31).

Superscoring can potentially have a positive impact on your application, as it allows you to present the highest possible composite score to the colleges you're applying to. This approach can particularly benefit students who improve in certain sections with each test administration but may not experience overall improvement across all sections in a single test.

When preparing for college applications, it is important to research the ACT testing policies of each institution you're considering applying to, as not all colleges superscore the ACT. Make sure you're familiar with the specific policies of each school on your list to optimize your chances of admission.