ACT query: What does '30 composite' mean?

Hey, just got my ACT scores and there's this '30 composite' thing. Not quite sure what it means. Is it a good score, or should I aim higher?

The "30 composite" refers to your ACT composite score. This is an average of the individual section scores you earned in English, Math, Reading, and Science on the ACT test. Each of these sections is scored on a scale from 1 to 36, and your composite score is the rounded average of these four scores.

A 30 composite score is, quite frankly, excellent. It places you in approximately the 94th percentile of all ACT test-takers, which means you scored higher than 94% of students who took the test.

Whether it's a good score for you, specifically, largely depends on the colleges you're considering. You should look at the 25th-75th percentile ACT scores of accepted students at those schools. If your score of 30 composite falls within or above that range, then it is a strong score for those schools.

However, if your dream university has a higher range, say a 32-34, you might consider re-taking the test to increase your competitiveness. Remember, while a good ACT score can strengthen your application, colleges consider other factors too, like your GPA, extracurricular involvement, and application essays.