ACT SCORE

[A1Janitor]

USAFA and USNA are pretty close. USMA has a slightly lower average. Our MOC stated that they would take that into account for noms and encouraged applicants to change their preferences accordingly.

Is this every year? I could have sworn it was different when my son applied.

 

[99Gold]

Is this every year? I could have sworn it was different when my son applied.

Looks like it's been that way at least since the class of 2017 (that's as far back as I could find quickly). The differences aren't huge but seem consistent.

 

[BBMomma]

If you were my kid, I'd save my money. 35 is GREAT! That is a 1560-1590 on the SAT according to the Princeton Review. Is there anything else you could work on instead? CFA, ECAs, leadership, sports?

Maybe... my kid didn't do great on the ACT, but his SAT is great. With the different formats, some kids kill SAT and don't do equally as good on ACT or vice-versa. I say take both as heck maybe he can get a 1600 SAT worse case scenario, SAT isn't his test and he still has the excellent ACT score

 

[A1Janitor]

Maybe... my kid didn't do great on the ACT, but his SAT is great. With the different formats, some kids kill SAT and don't do equally as good on ACT or vice-versa. I say take both as heck maybe he can get a 1600 SAT worse case scenario, SAT isn't his test and he still has the excellent ACT score

My son took both. Didn’t prepare for ACT. Did very well on SATs. Found out plebe year that admissions super scored ACT English and SAT math. So he was higher than he thought.

 

[99Gold]

Maybe... my kid didn't do great on the ACT, but his SAT is great. With the different formats, some kids kill SAT and don't do equally as good on ACT or vice-versa. I say take both as heck maybe he can get a 1600 SAT worse case scenario, SAT isn't his test and he still has the excellent ACT score

I totally agree that the tests are different and kids don't always perform equally on them. I just wouldn't waste the time and money if I already had a 35 on the ACT. I think there is a huge difference between a 31 and 32 but not between a 35 and 36. Just my opinion and I do not work for admissions.

My son took both. Didn’t prepare for ACT. Did very well on SATs. Found out plebe year that admissions super scored ACT English and SAT math. So he was higher than he thought.

We found out late in the game that USAFA superscores the subtests for the SAT. We scrambled to submit his last and lowest SAT score and it bumped his superscore by 40 points. Guess he focused on the right section that time!

 

[chino]

My score is 33.

36 Science
34 Math
33 Reading
28 English

Is this a solid score for an appointment?

 

[A1Janitor]

My score is 33.

36 Science
34 Math
33 Reading
28 English

Is this a solid score for an appointment?

Yes, but that question isn’t necessarily relevant.

Is this score good enough to beat your competition? That nobody knows except admissions.

 

[Gaffer]

What are your other three scores? Or is the "35" the composite?

On my first attempt I got a 35 composite. On my second attempt a few months later, I got a 35 composite again. Unfortunately the super-score for the two together is also a 35, it didn't get bumped to a 36.

 

[flieger83]

On my first attempt I got a 35 composite. On my second attempt a few months later, I got a 35 composite again. Unfortunately the super-score for the two together is also a 35, it didn't get bumped to a 36.

Don't worry about any more testing. Focus upon your package, especially the CFA, and academics.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

 

[foxtail1027]

Interesting reference here not just on admissions but military career as a whole

 

[Ivy22]

On my first attempt I got a 35 composite. On my second attempt a few months later, I got a 35 composite again. Unfortunately the super-score for the two together is also a 35, it didn't get bumped to a 36.

I wouldn't take the test again nor would I try the SAT. Difference between 35 and 36 isn't worth another retake. We have a term for this in econ: diminishing marginal returns.
Also, some civilian schools require you to submit every ACT/SAT test score you've received instead of just your best one, so taking the ACT or SAT again is risking getting lower than a 35/1550. Penn and Cornell come to mind as examples unless they've changed policy temporarily due to covid

 

[A1Janitor]

I wouldn't take the test again nor would I try the SAT. Difference between 35 and 36 isn't worth another retake. We have a term for this in econ: diminishing marginal returns.
Also, some civilian schools require you to submit every ACT/SAT test score you've received instead of just your best one, so taking the ACT or SAT again is risking getting lower than a 35/1550. Penn and Cornell come to mind as examples unless they've changed policy temporarily due to covid

Spot on.

My son took each one once and stopped. Not because he was afraid he would score lower - but what does it get you in WPM/WCS?

 

[flying2024]

Definitely keep taking it. Until you’ve leveled out and can’t improve much more, or until you have a 36 . DS took it 4 times and stopped with a 34 at my suggestion. Looking back I should have encouraged him to keep going, because why not?

Did your son get in with a 34? Curious if this was the Air Force?

 

[IggyMom23]

Did your son get in with a 34? Curious if this was the Air Force?

He got into USMA. He got a 32 his first time, then 31, 33, then 34. His super score was still a 34 with the last one. It doesn’t seem like a huge difference, but combined with the fact that his GPA was maybe lower than other applicants, I believe it helped him.

 

[ak29]

SATs and ACTs are more highly looked at USAFA and other service academies than normal colleges, and so a higher score will not hurt at all. You can also superscore so take that into account when studying and what not for your next ACT.

 

[gniyji]

OP you may read this
Air Force Academy Admissions Calculator – Are you Competitive?