Does ACT score matter for all colleges?

Hey guys, I'm working on my ACT prep and I'm really worried about the score. Do all colleges require a minimum ACT score? Will a bad score automatically disqualify me from top tier colleges?

No college has a hard cut-off when it comes to ACT scores. They usually have a range of scores that are typical for admitted students, but an applicant is not automatically disqualified if they fall below this range. Admissions officers look at your application as a whole, with the ACT score being just one aspect among things like your GPA, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendation, etc.

If you want to know how your application as a whole stacks up at a particular school, I'd check out CollegeVine's free chancing engine, which accounts for all quantifiable elements of your application, including not just test scores but also GPA, course rigor, and extracurriculars to give you personalized odds of acceptance at over 1,600 colleges across the country: https://www.collegevine.com/admissions-calculator

This tool will also give you suggestions on how to improve your chances, whether by raising your ACT score slightly or some other step, like earning a leadership position in one of your extracurriculars.

Additionally, while ACT scores are definitely a factor in college admissions, it’s important to keep in mind that not all colleges use them in the same way. Many colleges are test-optional as of the 2024-2025 application cycle, such as University of Michigan (UMich), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC Chapel Hill), University of Southern California (USC), University of Washington (UW), and Drexel University (Drexel). This means that they don't require applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores, but will review them if submitted.

There can still be instances at test-optional schools where submitting a score makes sense, especially at more selective schools or for especially competitive programs. If you'd like to learn more about test-optional policies and how to navigate them, I'd check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/does-test-optional-mean-test-optional/

On the other hand, some colleges, including Dartmouth College (Dartmouth), Harvard University (Harvard), Purdue University (Purdue), Brown University (Brown), Yale University (Yale), The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin), and California Institute of Technology (Caltech), have returned to requiring standardized test scores.

Finally, there are some test-blind schools, which don't look at standardized test scores even if you submit them. The most notable test-blind schools are the UC and CSU systems.

Make sure you're aware of the testing policies at your top choice schools, as knowing how much weight your score will be given can help you plan your prep accordingly. And if your ACT score is not as strong as you'd like, don't panic. Just focus on highlighting your strengths in other areas: strong grades, compelling essays, rigorous coursework, and impressive extracurricular activities can sometimes compensate for a slightly lower ACT score.

Good luck!