Hello! I'm a junior and I'm planning to take the SAT or ACT soon. I'm wondering what scores are considered good for top colleges. I know it varies, but can anyone give me a general idea of what I should aim for? Thanks for the help!
Hello! It's great that you're thinking ahead and planning for your college admissions process. You're right that the definition of a 'good' SAT or ACT score varies depending on the specific college, but I can provide you with some general guidelines.
For most top colleges, a competitive SAT score would be 1450 or higher, with the ideal range being 1500-1600. For the ACT, a score of 33 or higher would be considered good, with 34-36 being the ideal range. Keep in mind, though, that these are just general guidelines, and there are many factors that colleges consider when evaluating your academic prowess, such as your GPA, course rigor, and teacher recs.
Additionally, extracurricular activities and essays are two non-academic parts of your application that play a big role in admissions officers' decisions, so if you end up with a score slightly below these general bounds, you can help yourself by spending extra time and energy crafting the strongest activities list possible, and polishing your essays as much as you can. However, there is no way around the fact that a high test score will definitely help your chances at a top college, where most applicants are so talented and accomplished.
Best of luck with your test preparation and college applications!
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