How does an ACT score of 29 affect my college admission chances?

Hey everyone, I just got my ACT score back and I scored a 29. I'm a little bit confused about how this score might influence my admission process. Could someone help me understand where does this score place me in terms of college admissions? Are some colleges out of reach with this score, or do I still stand a chance?

A score of 29 on the ACT is a competitive score that places you in the 91st percentile of all test takers. This means you've scored higher than 90% of the students who've taken the ACT. It's a strong score and will be considered positively by a large number of colleges, but it's important to remember that it's just one component of your application.

When evaluating your prospects of admission, it's useful to know that test scores are most impactful at highly selective institutions, with strict cut-offs for scores below a certain threshold. For schools that require test scores, you can often find a middle 50% ACT score range for accepted students on the school's profile. If your score falls within (or above) that range, your ACT score is definitely competitive for that college. For example, a score of 29 could be competitive for schools like the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which has a middle 50% ACT score range of 27-32.

However, for the most selective institutions (like Ivy League universities), you might find your ACT score to be below their typical range. For instance, institutions like Harvard University or Columbia University usually see an average ACT score in the 33-35 range. That being said, even these highly selective schools uphold a holistic admissions process, so a lower test score doesn't entirely eliminate your chances of admission if the rest of your application is exceptionally strong.

Keep in mind, for the 2024-2025 application cycle, some prominent institutions, including University of Michigan, UNC Chapel Hill, and University of Southern California, have chosen to remain test-optional, so you would not be required to submit a score.

Lastly, many schools consider more than just your score when reviewing your application - things like your GPA, course rigor, extracurricular involvement, essays, and letters of recommendation all play a role.

The best course of action is to analyze the specific schools you're interested in, see how your scores align with their accepted student data, and consider how the rest of your application might balance out your test scores.