As the college admissions process intensifies, many students find themselves in the position of wondering whether to submit their ACT scores. With the rise of test-optional policies and shifting perspectives on standardized testing, it's easy to feel uncertain about whether submitting your ACT score is the right choice. While it may seem like an optional decision, in many cases, submitting your ACT scores could be a crucial step in enhancing your college application.
Let’s take a closer look at why submitting your ACT scores may be a smart move, and how it can positively impact your college admissions prospects.
1. Showcase Your Academic Strengths
Your ACT score is an objective measure of your academic abilities. For many colleges, standardized test scores provide an additional piece of the puzzle when assessing your academic readiness for higher education. Even with the growing trend of test-optional admissions policies, strong ACT scores can help demonstrate your commitment to academic excellence.
If your score is high, submitting it allows you to showcase your strengths in key areas like math, science, reading, and English. This can be particularly beneficial if your GPA doesn’t fully reflect your potential, or if you’re applying to competitive programs that place emphasis on academic performance.
2. Strengthen Your Application
When reviewing your application, admissions officers are looking for ways to assess your readiness for college. Your ACT score can provide an extra layer of insight into your academic profile, especially if you’ve excelled in one or more sections of the test. A good ACT score can:
- Fill in any gaps: If your high school transcript shows areas where you struggled or didn’t perform as well as you hoped, a solid ACT score could demonstrate that you’re academically prepared for college-level work.
- Highlight your strengths: If you have a high score in a particular section, like math or reading, it can reinforce your strengths and make your application more well-rounded.
When you have a high ACT score, it provides an additional asset that helps your application stand out, especially when you’re competing for spots at selective schools.
3. Boost Your Chances for Scholarships
Many colleges and universities offer merit-based scholarships to students who perform well on the ACT. A high ACT score can increase your chances of receiving financial aid, and in some cases, can even be the deciding factor in your scholarship eligibility.
Scholarship programs often have specific score thresholds, and meeting or exceeding those thresholds can unlock opportunities for financial support that could make college more affordable. Additionally, submitting your ACT scores for scholarship applications is often a requirement, so it's important to have those scores ready and available for consideration.
4. Test-Optional Doesn’t Mean Test-Blind
While it’s true that many schools have moved to test-optional admissions policies, it’s important to note that test-optional doesn’t mean test-blind. This means that while some schools don’t require SAT or ACT scores, they will still consider them if you choose to submit them.
For students who have performed well on the ACT, submitting your scores might give you an edge over applicants who opt not to submit theirs. In competitive admissions environments, every piece of the application matters, and your ACT score could provide the added boost that makes your application stand out.
It’s also worth considering that certain programs—such as honors programs or specialized tracks—may require standardized test scores, even if the general admissions process is test-optional. If you’re applying to such programs, it’s in your best interest to submit your ACT scores.
5. Give Your Application More Consistency
If you’ve consistently performed well in high school, submitting your ACT scores can reinforce the narrative you’ve already built through your GPA, extracurriculars, and other application materials. When your academic performance across the board (GPA + ACT score) aligns, it gives admissions committees more confidence in your readiness for college.
On the flip side, if your GPA doesn’t fully reflect your academic potential—perhaps due to personal challenges or inconsistent performance—your ACT score can be a powerful way to show that you are capable of succeeding in a college environment.
6. Demonstrate College Readiness
The ACT is designed to assess college readiness. If your scores are competitive, they signal to admissions officers that you are prepared for the academic demands of college life. This is particularly important if you’re applying to more selective schools that may use test scores as an additional measure of whether or not a student is ready for their rigorous programs.
Additionally, many students use the ACT as an opportunity to benchmark their performance against other applicants. A high score can help demonstrate that you are academically in the same league as other top-tier applicants, which can be especially helpful at highly selective colleges.
7. You Can Retake the ACT—But Don’t Wait
If you’ve taken the ACT before and your score isn’t exactly where you want it, don’t be discouraged. You can always retake the test and submit your higher score later. However, waiting too long to submit your score could delay your application or miss important deadlines, particularly if you’re applying for early decision or early action.
In addition, if you’ve taken the ACT multiple times and your score has improved, you can choose to submit only your highest score. Many colleges have a “superscoring” policy, where they’ll combine your best scores from different test dates to create the highest possible composite score. This means you can potentially submit the best parts of your testing history, even if your individual test scores vary across different attempts.
8. Give Yourself More Options
Submitting your ACT score doesn’t lock you into one decision—it opens up more options for you. Even if a college has a test-optional policy, submitting your ACT score allows you to apply with all available information, giving you a broader chance of acceptance, scholarships, and opportunities within the school.
Moreover, submitting your ACT score can help if you end up needing to apply to multiple schools, especially if you're unsure about whether to take a risk with a test-optional application. When in doubt, having your scores ready to go gives you more flexibility in your choices.
Conclusion: Submit Your ACT Scores!
While it’s true that test-optional policies have made the admissions process less reliant on standardized testing, submitting your ACT scores can still be a powerful tool to boost your application. A strong ACT score showcases your academic capabilities, improves your chances of earning scholarships, and opens doors to competitive programs.
If your ACT score reflects your abilities, don’t hesitate to submit it. It’s an opportunity to present yourself in the best light possible, giving you an edge in the highly competitive college admissions landscape. By submitting your ACT scores, you're not only demonstrating your academic readiness, but you're also maximizing your chances of success.
So, if you’ve already taken the ACT and scored well, or if you’re planning to take it soon, submit your ACT scores—they could be the key to unlocking your future at the college of your dreams!