State ACT Scores

Hey gang, I'm wondering if state ACT scores make any significant contribution to college admissions. Like, I'm from a state where the average ACT score is relatively low. Would that make my ACT score look more impressive, or does it not really matter?

Colleges will typically compare you with other applicants from your state, which is often easier to do for the admissions officers since they have detailed profiles of high schools in your state and can therefore make an educated comparison. If your ACT score is significantly higher than your state's average, that does show you're performing well compared to your peers.

However, the impact of this difference might not be as substantial as you might think. Admission officers will take into account several factors when reviewing your application such as high school grades, rigor of classes, extracurricular activities, recommendation letters, and essays. An impressive ACT score could potentially provide a slight edge, but it's just one piece of the puzzle. Your overall application should demonstrate excellence in many areas, not just standardized test scores.

One last thing to keep in mind is that more and more schools are moving towards test-optional policies. So, while your ACT score might be impressive relative to your state, some institutions might not put much emphasis on it, or even consider it at all depending on their testing policy. So definitely focus on other parts of your application as well to make it as strong as possible.