Scored 22 on the ACT - Is it Enough?

I recently took my ACT and landed a score of 22. Is this a good score, or do I need to push for more?

In the broader context, an ACT score of 22 is considered slightly above average. However, the "goodness" of your score largely depends on the specific schools you're targeting.

For top tier, highly selective institutions, you'd need to aim much higher, as their ACT score ranges are usually in the upper 20s to perfect scores. However, many state schools and less competitive private colleges may accept an ACT score of 22. It's important to research the average ACT scores of accepted students at the schools you're interested in.

Keep in mind, though, universities consider more than just test scores in their admissions process. Your GPA, coursework, extracurriculars, personal essays, and letters of recommendation are also key components of your application.

If you're aiming for more competitive schools, or you'd like to make your application stronger in general, you could consider retaking the ACT and leveraging resources for study and preparation to aim for a higher score.

Also as of 2024-2025 application cycle, some highly selective schools like Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Purdue University, Brown University, Yale University, and The University of Texas at Austin are requiring the ACT or SAT for admission, while others like Princeton University, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, and the University of Chicago are still test-optional.

So, whether you need to push for more depends on the schools you're interested in. It would be wise to make a list of colleges you're interested in, identify their average ACT score ranges, and decide from there.