My ACT Score Went Up. Should I Retake the Test?

My ACT Score Went Up. Should I Retake the Test?

A blog about retaking the ACT to get a better score.

At myactscore, we believe that everyone should be able to retake the ACT and get a better score than their first attempt. We provide coaching and test prep for students looking to improve their scores on the ACT and SAT. We have a great team of educators who are dedicated to helping your teen get into the college of their dreams.

This is a question I get asked all the time. There’s no doubt about it… The ACT test can be stressful. And, as a result, it’s common to have mixed feelings about your score.

Many students think: “My ACT score went up a point or two. But I think I could do better if I just took it again.”

I’m here to tell you that this is the wrong way of thinking about it. If you got an ACT score that you’re happy with (even if it’s not perfect), then there are some very good reasons why you should consider NOT retaking the test.

And, in this post, I’m going to share those reasons with you.

Well, congratulations! You took the ACT and scored better than you thought you would. But… maybe it wasn’t as high as you’d hoped either. And now, you’re wondering: should I retake the ACT to get a better score?

There are three common situations in which students find themselves wondering if they should retake the ACT:

(1) They scored above a 30 but less than a 34.

(2) They scored below a 25.

(3) They had an exceptional score—33 or above—but think they can improve on it with more practice.

If your child’s ACT score has gone up, you may be wondering if it would benefit them to retake the test. In this article, we discuss why retaking the ACT can make sense and when it doesn’t.

“When is it a good idea for my child to retake the ACT?”

When…

the score is low compared with their high school GPA and course rigor. In this case, retaking the test will help level the playing field with other applicants who have better scores.

the student is applying to some of their “reach” schools and has a chance of getting accepted if they can get a higher score. In this case, they may want to retake the ACT and see what happens.

they are applying to some of their “target” schools where they would likely be admitted with a higher score. If a higher score will help them get merit aid, then retaking makes sense.

Most students take the ACT once, get their score, and call it a day. The smartest students take the ACT at least twice, though. When you take the ACT multiple times, your score tends to go up (especially if you prepare).

There is no downside to taking the ACT more than once; it’s not like applying to college where applying too many times can hurt you. But when you do decide to retake the ACT, you need to put some serious thought into it. It’s not just about feeling good about a higher score; you have to consider how much time and money it will cost as well as how likely your score is to increase.

In this post, I’m going to go through everything you need to know before retaking the ACT. This includes different scenarios for when it makes sense to retake the ACT, what your target score should be, and how much time and money it will cost.

Whether or not you should retake the ACT depends on a lot of things: your scores so far, what schools you’re targeting, and how much time (and money) you have available.

The average ACT score is a 21. However, a good ACT score is one that meets or exceeds the average score of students admitted to the college you want to attend. In 2016, the 75th percentile ACT score was a 27. This means that 75% of admitted students scored a 27 or below. To be in the top 25%, you need an ACT score of at least 30.

So, if you scored a 29 on your ACT, you have above average scores and are in good shape for college admissions. But if you think you can improve your score, it’s worth considering retaking the test.

If your initial ACT test didn’t go as well as expected, don’t worry! There are many reasons why you may have underperformed and not reached your target score. You may have been sick on test day or simply not well-rested. You may have had difficulties concentrating because of nerves or distracting noises in the testing room. Or perhaps you simply did not know how to tackle certain questions that were asked on the test. Whatever the reason, there is always another chance to do better on the test!

You were in a car accident. You walked away with just a few scratches, and the other driver’s insurance company is going to pay you $1000.

For a young person, scoring high on the ACT can mean the difference between getting into college and not getting into college. The ACT is an important test for your future… but it might not be that important. It’s worth thinking about what else you could do with your time.