Hey everyone, I recently got a 33 on my ACT and I'm not sure if this score is competitive enough for top-tier schools. What do you think? Is it worth retaking or should I focus on other aspects of my application?
Hey there! A 33 on the ACT is indeed a competitive score, as it places you in the 98th percentile of test-takers. It should be sufficient for most top-tier schools, as their average accepted ACT scores typically fall between 32 and 35.
That being said, keep in mind that test scores are just one part of your application. At top-tier schools, even a perfect 36 won't guarantee acceptance on its own, so make sure to also focus on other aspects of your application, such as your GPA, extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation. These components are critical in showcasing your talents, character, and potential more broadly, and thus in helping you stand out from a highly competitive applicant pool.
If you're confident that you can significantly improve your ACT score, it might be worth retaking the exam. However, if you think you have already achieved your highest possible score or only expect a marginal improvement, it would be better to concentrate on other parts of your application.
If you want to get a more concrete sense of how much of a difference a score of say, 35, would boost your chances, I'd recommend using CollegeVine's free chancing engine, which factors in all quantifiable aspects of your profile, including GPA, course rigor, extracurriculars, and yes, test score to provide you with personalized odds of acceptance at hundreds of colleges around the country: https://www.collegevine.com/admissions-calculator/. You can experiment with implementing different ACT scores, and see how your chances change as a result.
In the end, though, it's up to you to decide whether the potential benefits of a higher score outweigh the time and effort required for additional test preparation, and whether that energy would be better spent on some other aspect of your application. Good luck!
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