New to taking the ACT - what do percentiles mean exactly?

Hey everyone! Junior here, and I just got my first ACT score. I saw something called a percentile rank on my report. Can anybody explain what that is and how it affects my chances for admission? Feeling stressed about this score.

Sure! Allow me to clarify what percentiles in standardized tests such as the ACT mean. When you receive your ACT score, it is accompanied by a percentile rank. This percentile rank essentially shows the percentage of test takers who scored lower than you.

For example, if your ACT score is in the 85th percentile, this means that you scored higher than 85% of the students who also took the test. It's thus a comparative measure to give you a sense of where you stand compared to all the other test-takers.

Regarding college admissions, colleges often publish the 25th and 75th percentile ACT scores of admitted students. This means that 25% of students scored at or below the lower number (the 25th percentile score), and 25% of students scored at or above the higher number (the 75th percentile score). The range in between constitutes the middle 50% of admitted students’ scores, which is where colleges hope your score will fall.

However, remember that standardized test scores are just one component of your college application. While higher test scores can boost your application, they are not the sole determinant of whether you will gain admission to a certain school. Other factors such as your GPA, course rigor, extracurriculars, and essays are also significant pieces of the puzzle. Your percentile score gives you an idea of how you stack up academically, but admission officers will also be looking at other aspects of your profile in their holistic review process. Don't stress too much! You have control over many elements of your application, so focus on those and do the best you can.