ACT scores, is there just a point where a kid can't raise it?

[Kelli in TN]

Everytime my daughter takes the ACT she scores the exact same score. If the math goes up, the reading goes down. If the reading goes up, the English goes down. If the science goes up, the math goes down. The composite score has been exactly the same every blasted time she takes the durn test.

 

Should we just call it good? She did get a perfect score on her English this time. So that is cool. But the composite was still the same as the last seventy eleven times she has taken it.

 

It is frustrating to say the least.

[Osmosis Mom]

But they use the highest composite score for the final score. That's how I remember it.

 

Dd got 31 after her second try. We had run out of time, but she had finally gotten better at her math and could have raised it further. At one college one extra point would have meant a full instead of a half scholarship!!!

[readwithem]

What has she done in between the tests? Has she looked at prep books, etc.? If so and her scores are the same, I wouldn't worry about it. If she hasn't done any review, you might look at having her do that. I'm not as familiar with the ACT as the SAT so I don't know what kind of review books are out there.

 

OTOH if she is getting test burnout, yep I would call it good and do the next thing. How does SHE feel about her scores?

[Kelli in TN]

What has she done in between the tests? Has she looked at prep books, etc.? If so and her scores are the same, I wouldn't worry about it. If she hasn't done any review, you might look at having her do that. I'm not as familiar with the ACT as the SAT so I don't know what kind of review books are out there.

 

OTOH if she is getting test burnout, yep I would call it good and do the next thing. How does SHE feel about her scores?

 

She has studied OBSESSIVELY. She puts an enormous amount of pressure on herself about this, well this and everything else in her life!

 

I told her that her score is not bad at all and she qualifies for some nice scholarhips. Her response? "I could have done up to 7 points better." :rolleyes:

 

When she is signed up for a test I know that she is going obsess over the score and all we will be able to talk about, think about will be that ACT test. It consumes her, and then the score never budges. She has been getting the same score since 10th grade!

 

I really want to throw in the towel, look only at the schools that will consider this a scholarship worthy score, and move on with life. If only I could convince her to see it that way!

[Miss Marple]

I would have her take the SAT. Many kids do better with it than the ACT. Most of the schools we looked at will take either and will use a score equivalence. My son's ACT score equivalence (from the SAT) ended up higher than his actual ACT.

[happykids]

Ds took the SAT, then the ACT. He thought for sure he'd do better on the ACT, but ended up doing a better on the SAT.

 

Dd (senior) has only taken the ACT, twice, once this past June, and once this September.

Amazingly, she increased her composite score by 4 points, and her English score went from a 24 to a 31!!!

June was the first time she had ever taken an outside test, so maybe the newness of the whole thing threw her off a bit, but she was so happy this am when she saw her score that she cried!

 

So, her score is good enough, and she's done!

 

~Sabrina in NY

[Kelli in TN]

I would have her take the SAT. Many kids do better with it than the ACT. Most of the schools we looked at will take either and will use a score equivalence. My son's ACT score equivalence (from the SAT) ended up higher than his actual ACT.

 

I wondered about that. She does not want to take the SAT because the essay freaks her out, but I think I am going to encourage her to give it a try anyway.

[readwithem]

I wondered about that. She does not want to take the SAT because the essay freaks her out, but I think I am going to encourage her to give it a try anyway.

 

Many schools don't use the writing part, it's so new they don't know what to do with it.:001_huh:

[Miss Marple]

You're right. None of the school we looked at used the essay portion to figure the composite.

[happykids]

My son's writing portion of the SAT was his highest, by far, and the writing portion doesn't count at all for his college. He could have had a bigger scholarship if they had counted the writing portion, but they base their academic scholarships on the math/reading portion only (plus GPA).

 

So, have her practice a few timed essays and let her try it. It won't hurt her if she does not do well on the essay.

 

~Sabrina in NY

[flyingmommy]

I keep remembering what my counselor told me about the ACT in high school (I took it in 1985). She told me that most kids only raise their score by maybe one point when they retake the test. She advised us to not waste money taking it over and over again trying to get a truly amazing score.

 

My son took it 3 years ago and his counselor and teachers made it sound like you absolutely HAD to take it more than once. My son did not apply himself in high school so we took the 26 and ran with it. I didn't expect him to do that well. Happy surprise.

 

Jeannie

[mom2abcd]

She may be scoring as high as she can. I think there are some ways of studying that are better than others. When dd is ready, I will have her take a class at the community college or work through the REAL ACT test prep book. Those are both ways I've heard kids improve their scores (though by a matter of 3 points or so-- not 7).

 

Some colleges require the essay portion and that's why the ACT had to add it. Has she worked through The Lively Art of Writing? I think that book helps a lot.

 

Also-- I would recommend not sending any scores to any colleges until you have the highest one you're ready to accept. You aren't required to (although it's tempting because you get four free send-aways each time you take the ACT).

 

Ds took the ACT maybe four times and he did improve. This is with NO preparation at all. (We did pay for the online stuff when we registered with the ACT, but it didn't work with our computer connection so that was a waste.)

 

I guess everyone is going to be different on this. Hopefully our recommendations will help.

 

Have you made friends with any local guidance counselors yet? That's honestly where we got our best scholarship leads. With the rewards the private college gave out to get him and some scholarships he found and applied for and was awarded, he has essentially a full-ride. It all adds up!

[Kelli in TN]

She may be scoring as high as she can. I think there are some ways of studying that are better than others. When dd is ready, I will have her take a class at the community college or work through the REAL ACT test prep book. Those are both ways I've heard kids improve their scores (though by a matter of 3 points or so-- not 7).

 

:001_smile: I am pretty sure she does not expect to raise it a full 7 points! I suppose she could go to any college she wanted to then, but I think a 36 is pretty unrealistic. She would actually be happy to raise it to a 31 or so, that would put her in the running for some really good scholarships at her favorite college.

 

 

 

Also-- I would recommend not sending any scores to any colleges until you have the highest one you're ready to accept. You aren't required to (although it's tempting because you get four free send-aways each time you take the ACT).

 

We have done this as well. She says she feels a little less pressured knowing that nobody has to see the score unless we pay to have it sent.

 

 

 

 

 

Have you made friends with any local guidance counselors yet? That's honestly where we got our best scholarship leads. With the rewards the private college gave out to get him and some scholarships he found and applied for and was awarded, he has essentially a full-ride. It all adds up!

 

No, but we do look at Fastweb and honestly, our older daughter was in public school and the counselor never suggested anything that could not be found on Fastweb.

[danielle]

My dd took the SAT as part of a talent search back in 7th grade. The writing was mandatory even tho the talent search didn't use it. She was lousy at essays at the time. But the writing also includes a grammar section, which she aced and ended up with a pretty good score anyway. Tell your dd that mine said it was no where near as bad as she worried--it's just a five paragraph essay format. It doesn't have to be brilliant so much as it has to be LONG. So just keep writing! Plus, if she's headed for college, taking quick essay tests may be a big part of her future, so she may as well practice!

 

Dd did better on the SAT then the ACT, contrary to my expectation. Now that you don't have to report all SAT scores, I'd say it would be worth taking the chance that she'd do better on the SAT.

Danielle