New Changes to the ACT

ACT.org recently announced 2 changes.

1.) From now on, it will compile a "SuperScore" report option and send that your college list. (you still get 4 free with your test but have to pay for each additional one). To do that you will "opt in" for the SuperScore. Therefore if you want 10 of your colleges to see your ACT superscore, ACT.org will do that for you. It will also send along "all event scores" that created the superscore composite score as well. So if you took the ACT 3 times, and 2 of the tests make up your superscore, the College gets the superscore and the 2 test events that make up the superscore.

The benefit from this is that it automates a process that benefits you as an applicant and secondarily takes out any possible error(s) from the colleges doing it themself. So rest assured, if your ACT super score is 34, then all 10 schools see a 34. I'm not suggesting colleges ever make a mistake superscoring but this further minimizing their potential errors.

2.) The ACT reading section will now have charts and graphs similar to the SAT reading section. While the ACT science section already has charts and graphs, these will be perhaps closer to the simple charts and graphs found on the SAT versus the Science Section.

These incremental changes ACT.org is trying to make the ACT more competitive to the SAT. Right now about 52.7% of test submitters choose the SAT and 47.3% choose the ACT. Eventually, these will be closer to 50%/50%.

If ACT.org enacted some kind of National Merit Scholarship program similar to the PSAT version of the SAT, then I think more and more students would opt in for a PRE-ACT type merit scholarship award. I'm surprised they are so close in demand given they don't offer a huge carrot to dangle.