Submitting ACT scores

TNElvis

5-Year Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2017
Messages
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My DS received his first set of ACT scores last night. He will be an incoming JR this fall so has not started/completed a preliminary application for any of the academies. He was pretty happy with his scores, as was I, and the first thing he asked was could he send his scores to the academy. I believe with state universities you can send scores in without having applied. They add your scores to your application once received. Will the USMA take scores without a prem. application complete?

I ask because I read the ACT will keep your score available to send to colleges for 1 year. After a year you have to make a written request to have a specific test date sent. He is planning to continue testing and understands the benefits on super-scoring. Thank you.
 
When my Son filled out his online profile for the ACT it asked for two schools (and gave codes for said schools) that he would want his scores sent to. Both USNA and USMA were listed. You may want to check/update the ACT profile.
 
If he is class of 2023 then you may as well wait. You cannot open up a 'class of' application until later in your Junior year once the current admissions cycle is wrapped up for this years' HS seniors. Its too late to get the scores sent for free this time so you will pay anyway; I don't see any advantage to rushing this ahead. Next time put the academy code on the free score report [usually you get 4 for free at time of test] and save a few $$. Don't forget next year you need to send these same scores to MOCs for nomination process.
 
I believe that if you list USMA as a recipient for the scores, they will be sent to West Point admissions office by ACT. They will not be logged into a portal for your son until he has opened the application and is given portal access, which of course will not occur for quite some time. However, the scores are sent in batches to USMA, and once your son opens his application, and is given a candidate number, he can first contact ACT to get the information to locate his scores. (I use the term "batch", but it may be some other term they use). You can then contact West Point admissions, speak to the clerical staff (there are really only two ladies who input all that info), and give them the info that ACT provides you (batch number and maybe a date, along with some other number I believe), and the staffer will locate your sons scores (probably while you are on the phone with her), and input them into his application portal. Simple, right? LOL.

Trust me, the test scores, and getting them to the portal, can be frustrating with USMA and the other academies. And when your kid is involved with sports, work, and other activities, and doesnt have any opportunity to wait on hold during phone calls with the test companies and the academies, mom, dad, and sister may have to help muddle through the process; but eventually the scores should appear.
 
Thank you all for the guidance. DS understands that test scores are just 1 step of 1000, but was really pumped this morning (nothing like the eerie feeling of having someone hoovering over you at 12:03 am whispering dad, dad) and finally feels like his long journey has started. I'll tell him to pump the brakes a little. Thank you all again. Looking forward to being an active member on the forum.
 
@TNElvis. We are in the same boat. Our DS (also a rising JR) just got his first ACT scores today. He was pretty happy and better then he expected for his first time. I was tickled pink and thought they look pretty dang good! He will retake them as well and hope to keep making gains. We did include USMA and USNA on the 4 free schools to send scores to.

I believe that if you list USMA as a recipient for the scores, they will be sent to West Point admissions office by ACT. They will not be logged into a portal for your son until he has opened the application and is given portal access, which of course will not occur for quite some time. However, the scores are sent in batches to USMA, and once your son opens his application, and is given a candidate number, he can first contact ACT to get the information to locate his scores. (I use the term "batch", but it may be some other term they use). You can then contact West Point admissions, speak to the clerical staff (there are really only two ladies who input all that info), and give them the info that ACT provides you (batch number and maybe a date, along with some other number I believe), and the staffer will locate your sons scores (probably while you are on the phone with her), and input them into his application portal. Simple, right? LOL.

Trust me, the test scores, and getting them to the portal, can be frustrating with USMA and the other academies. And when your kid is involved with sports, work, and other activities, and doesnt have any opportunity to wait on hold during phone calls with the test companies and the academies, mom, dad, and sister may have to help muddle through the process; but eventually the scores should appear.

Thanks for this info!! I just 'assumed' once he sent the scores they would be added when he applies. I now see the errors of my thinking. I am sure they receive 1000's of ACT scores that need to be waded through with no applications to correlate them with. Good piece of info to keep for when he is able to start his application.
 
@TNElvis. We are in the same boat. Our DS (also a rising JR) just got his first ACT scores today. He was pretty happy and better then he expected for his first time. I was tickled pink and thought they look pretty dang good! He will retake them as well and hope to keep making gains. We did include USMA and USNA on the 4 free schools to send scores to.



Thanks for this info!! I just 'assumed' once he sent the scores they would be added when he applies. I now see the errors of my thinking. I am sure they receive 1000's of ACT scores that need to be waded through with no applications to correlate them with. Good piece of info to keep for when he is able to start his application.
Who knows; they may ultimately get to the portal if you do nothing. We found that each of the Academies was slow posting scores, and a bit understaffed. When my son got better scores he wanted to know those scores were part of his package and being considered, so he pushed the envelope to be sure they were updated. Until the buttons are pushed the scores are only as good as what appears on the portal.

There is a lot of frustration within the process of applying to Academies, and all is just because of things out of your control. Get used to it. Lol. When you get those appointments it's all good. Then you get to experience the the frustrations from life at West Point.
 
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