One of the most common questions I am asked is which colleges superscore the ACT. For those of you not familiar with superscoring, it is when a college takes the highest subscores from various test dates to get a new higher superscore. For example, assume that a student takes the April ACT and gets a 29 reading, 27 math, 28 English and 31 science subscores. This give a composite score of 29. That same student then takes the June ACT and gets a 32 reading, 25 math, 29 English and 29 science. Again, the student has a composite score of 29. However, if a college superscores the tests they combine the best scores from each test giving a 32 reading, 27 math, 29 English and a 31 science. This combined superscore gives a new composite of 30.
Most colleges in the past have superscored the SAT but not the ACT. Recently, however, some colleges are starting to superscore the ACT. I first reported on superscoring the ACT in December, 2007. Here is a list of the colleges that I believe currently do superscore the ACT. As I become aware of additional colleges I will add them to the list.
California Institute of Technology
California State University System
MIT *
North Carolina State University
Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
University of Arkansas – Fayetteville
University of Colorado – Boulder
University of Louisiana – Lafayette
University of Tennessee – Knoxville
Washington University – St. Louis
*MIT uses the best subscores from each section of the ACT but does not use a composite score. So effect is same benefit as superscoring.
If you would like help finding the best college for you or your student, I offer a FREE 1/2 hour consultation to discuss your needs for college admissions counseling. Give me a call now at 952-449-5245 or drop me an email.
I was under the impression most colleges superscore, but don’t make it an official policy. Do you find this to be true?
Comment by Mark Truman — October 7, 2008 @ 5:24 pm
Mark,
Most colleges do superscore the SAT but until recently almost none superscored the ACT. Since the ACT is becoming more popular around the country, more people have been questioning if the ACT is being superscored. That is why I posted this entry.
Comment by Todd Johnson — October 7, 2008 @ 7:04 pm
What is that conclusion based on? Most colleges aren’t officially publishing anything in regards to this issue…
Comment by Mark Truman — October 7, 2008 @ 7:06 pm
Most colleges have been open about their refusal to superscore the ACT in the past. I have contacted a number of colleges in the last month or so asking about whether they have had a change in policy. Amherst and Washington University made news last December when they both announced that they were going to superscore the ACT. Because of the announcement of those two well known colleges, there has been some movement toward ACT superscoring. The colleges listed are by no means the only colleges I have discussed this issue with. They are merely those that said that they are superscoring the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — October 7, 2008 @ 8:02 pm
So some of these schools have publicly announced and some have privately confirmed with you?
Comment by Mark Truman — October 7, 2008 @ 8:12 pm
Correct.
Comment by Todd Johnson — October 7, 2008 @ 8:15 pm
We visited Duke this summer. They said to send both ACTs for superscore purposes. Have you had an official or unofficial word from Duke?
Comment by Catherine — November 16, 2008 @ 3:35 pm
Catherine,
There have been suggestions about Duke for about a year but nothing I have been able to confirm. I will check with them again to see if they are superscoring the ACT. Thanks for the note.
Comment by Todd Johnson — November 16, 2008 @ 6:17 pm
How does the NCAA Clearing House work with the ACT superscore? Does the Clearing House send out a superscore to the colleges?
Comment by KillaTrey — November 19, 2008 @ 1:29 pm
Killa,
The student sends the scores to the NCAA Clearing House directly from the ACT. The NCAA would then determine a super score to see if you qualify for Division I or II. The only concern of the Clearing House is to make sure the student athlete is academically qualified. It is my understanding that the Clearing House does not send any test scores to the colleges.
Comment by Todd Johnson — November 19, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
Does ohio university superscore?
Comment by Jessica — November 29, 2008 @ 1:18 pm
Jessica,
According to their website it appears that Ohio University does not superscore the ACT but will superscore the SAT.
Todd
Comment by Todd Johnson — November 29, 2008 @ 2:35 pm
[...] Colleges that super score ACT : College Admissions Counseling This says 2007. Apparently a lot of colleges don’t take it htough. [...]
Pingback by ACT or SAT?? - VolNation — December 16, 2008 @ 4:33 pm
hendrix college in arkansas superscores
Comment by paul — January 27, 2009 @ 2:57 pm
Paul,
Thanks for the note regarding Hendrix. I have a policy of trying to confirm with the colleges before listing them. I have contacted Hendrix and as soon as they confirm I will add them to the list.
Todd
Comment by Todd Johnson — January 28, 2009 @ 2:27 pm
I emailed illinois and they say they don’t superscore the ACT. They said that they do however consider the best subscores from multiple tests. This seems like a contridiction and i had trouble getting a straight answer from the people answering the admissions e-mails.
Comment by Mike — June 24, 2009 @ 1:15 am
Mike,
I will try to clarify with Illinois but you are right, their description of what they do is superscoring. It may be that there is a misunderstanding of the definition by the people you were talking to.
Comment by Todd Johnson — June 24, 2009 @ 8:33 am
This is extremely helpful. Thank you for doing this!
Comment by Terry Wright — June 24, 2009 @ 10:18 am
Daughter took both SAT and ACT test in past few months.
ACT was higher than SAT scores. She was quite surprised. We sent all scores to four colleges.
Will they then take the best,in this case her ACT score for admission purposes?
This is our first time around with all of this.
Thanks!
Comment by Cindy — June 25, 2009 @ 8:49 am
Cindy,
Virtually all colleges will take the highest score regardless of whether it is the ACT or SAT. So in your daughters case they will use the higher ACT score for admissions decisions.
If you have more questions feel free to give me a call or send me an email. My contact information can be found at the Free Consultation page.
Comment by Todd Johnson — June 25, 2009 @ 9:03 am
Are the composite (superscores) scores used for admissions purposes only? Do all of these colleges use the composite scores in evaluating scholarship offers?
Thanks
Comment by David — July 7, 2009 @ 4:04 pm
David,
It of course varies from college to college but most of the colleges that superscore will use that higher score for determining admissions and scholarships.
Comment by Todd Johnson — July 7, 2009 @ 4:18 pm
Purdue does not super score the ACT only the SAT
Comment by bob — July 26, 2009 @ 12:24 pm
Bob,
Thanks for the note. I checked with Purdue and you are correct that they superscore the SAT but not the ACT. I have removed them from the list.
Comment by Todd Johnson — July 27, 2009 @ 8:44 am
Are you absolutely sure about Amherst and Cornell? I can’t find any mention of superscoring the ACT on their websites. Thanks!
Comment by Terry — July 30, 2009 @ 7:36 am
Terry,
Amherst made an announcement back in late 2007 that they were going to super score the ACT. This is now addressed, although not clearly if you didn’t hear their announcement, on their FAQ page for admission applicants. They state “Amherst’s policy is to focus on your strongest test results.”
I had previously discussed with Cornell admissions but will double check. Unfortunately, transparency is not a hallmark of most aspects of college admissions. Thus, you will not find confirmation of this policy without checking with the college. I will let you know when I hear back from Cornell.
I just received confirmation from Cornell admissions that they do use the highest scores even from different exam dates for both SAT and ACT. Cornell is one of the schools that do not allow score choice and requires that every SAT or ACT test taken be submitted to the college.
Comment by Todd Johnson — July 30, 2009 @ 8:25 am
Hey I was wondering how you were sure about florida state accepting act subscores. I can’t find anything about it on their website anywhere. Thanks!
Comment by michelle — August 17, 2009 @ 3:38 pm
Michelle,
Most colleges do not have information about superscoring on their web site. I had Florida State down based on a reliable source but to be sure I will contact them directly to see if they will confirm.
Comment by Todd Johnson — August 17, 2009 @ 3:54 pm
“ACT scores are interchangeable” at all of the Florida public universities EXCEPT UF, UCF, and UNF. (Quotes are from their official admissions matrix.)
Comment by Jim — August 18, 2009 @ 9:48 am
I would have to send both score reports into the college for them to super score correct? Also, if they do super score, do they recalculate the composite with the highest subs-scores? Finally, when calculating the regular composite or calculating the super score, what is the policy on decimals? For example, 32.75
Comment by Rahul — September 28, 2009 @ 10:31 am
Rahul,
Yes, the college can only superscore if they have more than one test date for a particular test. Superscoring is by definition the recalculation of the composite using the highest subscores from various tests. Each college can handle rounding issues as they see fit but most of the colleges I am aware of round up if the decimal is .5 or greater. If the decimal is .25 they round down.
Comment by Todd Johnson — September 28, 2009 @ 11:40 am
Any word on Harvard, Princeton, or Yale
Comment by Stephen — September 28, 2009 @ 3:50 pm
Stephen,
It is my understanding that Harvard, Yale and Princeton do not superscore the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — September 28, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
Hi. Does Clemson superscore the ACT? I can’t find anything on the Web. Thanks.
Comment by Kelly — September 28, 2009 @ 7:55 pm
Kelly,
To my knowledge Clemson does not superscore. If I hear differently, I will post on the comments.
Comment by Todd Johnson — September 29, 2009 @ 10:25 am
University of Illinois DOES NOT SUPERSCORE THE ACT. I just talked with admissions on this.
Comment by Adam — October 2, 2009 @ 2:39 pm
Adam,
Thanks for the note. You are correct that the University of Illinois says that they do not superscore the ACT. But see comments 15 and 16 above. I have been told, and at least one other person has been told, that while Illinois does not superscore the ACT they do take the highest sub section score from multiple tests. This is by definition superscoring. So, whether they call it superscoring or not, I have left them on the list.
Comment by Todd Johnson — October 2, 2009 @ 2:56 pm
i don’t want to sound repetitive of questions already asked, but i want to make sure i get the facts straight. U of I (Urbana)says they do not superscore the ACT, but you know that they do look at the highest subscores you send them.
Comment by Christopher — October 4, 2009 @ 8:42 pm
Christopher,
That is my understanding from talking with admissions at UIUC.
Comment by Todd Johnson — October 5, 2009 @ 8:51 am
I just heard that Tufts superscores the ACT. Any idea? Thanks so much for your help with this!
Comment by Terry — October 7, 2009 @ 7:40 am
Terry,
Last I knew Tufts did not superscore the ACT. I will double check with them and let you know if there has been a change in policy.
Comment by Todd Johnson — October 7, 2009 @ 9:40 am
Terry,
I just heard from Tufts and they confirmed that they do not superscore the ACT. However, Tufts will look at the subscores for each of the ACT tests submitted so it would generally be to your benefit to submit all ACT scores.
Comment by Todd Johnson — October 8, 2009 @ 8:59 pm
Wow! You’re good. Thanks!
Comment by Terry — October 9, 2009 @ 4:01 pm
any word on georgetown
Comment by John — October 14, 2009 @ 9:12 am
John,
To my knowledge, Georgetown does not superscore the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — October 14, 2009 @ 9:36 am
How about Bucknell?
Comment by John — October 16, 2009 @ 1:40 pm
Do you generally suggest that people send only the best score, or should they send them all and let the school decide which they want to take. We have an identical composite, but the subs are different; on the first they are more consistent, but on the second we have one low score (22) in one area and a super high score (35) in another. Thank You!
Comment by Brett — October 16, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
Brett,
There is not one answer that works for everyone. It can depend to some extent on the college you are applying to. That being said, most colleges want to give the student the greatest advantage they can so I will often suggest that a student send in all of the scores.
Comment by Todd Johnson — October 16, 2009 @ 1:50 pm
John,
To my knowledge, Bucknell does not superscore the ACT, only the SAT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — October 16, 2009 @ 1:55 pm
I went to a Tufts information session with the Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, Lee Coffin, and he said that they DO superscore the ACT. It’s very interesting that we are hearing two different stories, with one coming from the Dean.
Also, Carnegie Mellon’s admissions representative said that they superscore the ACT, and Boston College’s Assistant Dean said that they superscore the ACT as well.
Comment by Emily — October 18, 2009 @ 11:01 am
Emily,
Thanks for the note. Transparency is not the hallmark of college admissions and a college’s acceptance or not of ACT super scoring is a good example.
Tufts is an interesting issue. The person I spoke with was clear that they do not super score the ACT. However, by saying that they look at each of the subscores they are in essence doing just that. I will check with Carnegie Mellon and Boston College.
Comment by Todd Johnson — October 18, 2009 @ 5:27 pm
any word on Denison, Truman State, or Denver U? Thx
Comment by Sam — October 19, 2009 @ 11:06 pm
Sam,
To my knowledge Denison does not superscore the ACT, only the SAT. I have no information about Truman State or University of Denver. I will check with them.
Comment by Todd Johnson — October 20, 2009 @ 8:20 am
Sam,
I just reviewed the websites of Truman State and University of Denver. Truman State says that they do not superscore the ACT. Denver says they will superscore SAT and ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — October 20, 2009 @ 8:26 am
When a college superscores, if the average of the new score is, for instance, 29.5, would they round up to a 30 or consider it a 29? Thanks!
Comment by Connie Maneyson — October 20, 2009 @ 11:55 am
Connie,
The answer depends on the particular college but in my experience most colleges will round up .5 scores so that a 29.5 would be rounded to a 30. On the other hand, a 29.25 would be viewed as a 29.
Comment by Todd Johnson — October 20, 2009 @ 11:58 am
Thank you for answering my question so quickly—also are you aware if Seton Hall does superscoring?
Comment by Connie Maneyson — October 20, 2009 @ 12:21 pm
Hey Todd,
I noticed Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, and Caltech aren’t on your list. Do you know if any of them have changed their minds recently? If not, do you know whether they primarily focus on the composite score or do they put an emphasis on the subscores as well? In essence, if I have a 34 composite score twice but have earned 35′s/36′s on all the sections at least once of the two times, then should I send in both scores or will they not notice?
Comment by Nicole — October 23, 2009 @ 9:15 pm
Nicole,
To my knowledge Harvard, Princeton, Stanford and Caltech do not superscore the ACT. Their primary focus is on the composite but they also have the discretion to look at subscores. Given your situation I would definitely send in both scores even though they have the same composite score.
Comment by Todd Johnson — October 23, 2009 @ 9:22 pm
Just to confirm, the California State System does superscore the ACT? Also, do the University of California School superscore?
Comment by David — November 10, 2009 @ 7:07 pm
David,
It is my understanding that the California State System does superscore the ACT. The University of California system does not superscore the ACT or the SAT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — November 10, 2009 @ 7:54 pm
Have you confirmed whether the CSU’s do? Because I cannot seem to find anything about that on the website
Comment by David — November 10, 2009 @ 8:00 pm
Also, does USC superscore?
Comment by David — November 10, 2009 @ 8:12 pm
David,
I have not independently confirmed that CSU superscores. I am trying to do so and will let you know if I find anything out.
USC only super scores the SAT, not the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — November 11, 2009 @ 10:38 am
Thank you Todd
Comment by David — November 13, 2009 @ 1:19 am
Does Brown, Wesleyan and Middlebury? PS great site and nice job.
Comment by spike — November 14, 2009 @ 2:22 pm
Spike,
I believe Brown, Wesleyan and Middlebury all do superscore the ACT.
Todd
Comment by Todd Johnson — November 14, 2009 @ 3:30 pm
On my first ACT test I recieved a 28 composite, 26 English, 32 Math, 24 Reading, 29 Science, 25 Combined English/Writing, 8 Writing.
On my second ACT test I recieved a 27 composite, 25 English, 33 Math, 21 Reading, 27 Science, 23 Combined English/Writing, 7 Writing.
I did worse on my second test in everything except Math; I went from a 32 to 33. I am going into engineering. I was wondering if i should send this second score to all schools im applying to or just ones that superscore. Also, even if they do superscore, do you think it would look bad to send the second one since I did so much worse on the ones beside Math.
The schools I am applying to thats on your list are: Carnegie Mellon University, Georgia Tech, MIT, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, and University of Illinois.
I am wanting to send out my scores as soon as possible so please answer. Thank You.
Comment by Jordan Zile — November 23, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
Jordan,
I can’t tell you what to do regarding which scores to submit since I don’t know your whole profile. I can tell you in my opinion that generally in the vast majority of cases, it doesn’t really hurt to submit more than one score because at the very least, the college will take the higher score. So most colleges will just look at your 28 and give you that score. For those colleges that superscore you might get a very small benefit from the higher math score, particularly since you are looking at engineering.
I can tell you that even with the schools that superscore your composite score is a 28 even if they take your higher math score since it is not that much higher than what you already had.
I hope that helps somewhat.
Comment by Todd Johnson — November 23, 2009 @ 8:16 pm
Does Johns Hopkins University superscore either the ACT or the SAT? Thank you for your help!
Comment by Landon — December 16, 2009 @ 10:16 am
Landon,
It is my understanding that Johns Hopkins superscores the SAT but not the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — December 16, 2009 @ 10:28 am
Any update on Williams and superscoring the ACT??I’m tempted to submit both scores I got just in case
Comment by dave — December 23, 2009 @ 10:25 pm
Best I know, Williams is not superscoring the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — December 23, 2009 @ 10:37 pm
As you have listed for Ivy League schools,
all of them require to you send all your scores, but…
Cornell does superscore both the SAT/ACT
H/Y/P do not
Any word on Dartmouth, Brown, Columbia and UPenn?
Comment by Kent — December 28, 2009 @ 3:57 am
Does University of Missouri superscore the act test?
Comment by Pat George — December 28, 2009 @ 7:37 am
At an Application Workshop session in Stamford, CT on Oct 6, 2009, the Dean of Admissions was quite explicit that Tufts DOES superscore the ACT and will recalculate the composite score based on highest segment scores.
Comment by Peter Goldberger — December 28, 2009 @ 11:48 am
From the Tufts Website-Dean Coffin’s blog:
Myth #4: “The college said it will use my highest test scores but they asked for all my scores so those will secretly be used against me.”
Truth: Everybody wins when we use your highest scores. Our computer picks the best individual score on the critical reading, math and writing sections of the SAT, or the respective subjects on the ACT, and those become the scores we see when we read your file. End of story.
Comment by Peter Goldberger — December 29, 2009 @ 10:11 pm
Kent,
I do not believe Dartmouth, Columbia or Penn superscore the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — January 1, 2010 @ 11:42 am
Pat,
I do not believe the University of Missouri superscores the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — January 1, 2010 @ 11:43 am
Peter,
Thanks for the information about Tufts. As I have said here before, trying to determine which colleges superscore and which don’t is often difficult because different admissions officers will give different responses.
Based on Dean Coffin’s comments I am putting Tufts back on the list that superscores the ACT.
Thanks again.
Comment by Todd Johnson — January 1, 2010 @ 11:49 am
Hi Todd,
I control F searched for the word BROWN and i found that in Nov you said that brown superscores and Jan 1st you said it does not..
so whats up?
Comment by Sandy — January 2, 2010 @ 11:43 pm
Sandy,
That was a mistake on my part. To my current knowledge, Brown University DOES superscore the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — January 3, 2010 @ 10:44 am
Does University of Central Florida superscore?
Comment by Logan — January 10, 2010 @ 4:54 pm
Logan,
To the best of my knowledge UCF does not superscore.
Comment by Todd Johnson — January 10, 2010 @ 5:04 pm
Does Syracuse University Superscore the ACT?
Comment by Dave G — January 16, 2010 @ 9:03 am
Dave,
To my knowledge Syracuse does not superscore the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — January 16, 2010 @ 10:42 am
Do you think more colleges will superscore ACT for 2010-2011 admissions next year?
Comment by Jenny — January 24, 2010 @ 1:53 pm
Jenny,
Colleges tend to move slowly on anything that is a change but I would be surprised if more colleges didn’t start super scoring the ACT in the next few years. Most super score the SAT and I think eventually, most will do the same with the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — January 24, 2010 @ 3:03 pm
Hello;
I got an ACT score of 23 and a SAT score of 1640! So shall I send the ACT score or the SAT score to improve my chances in Yale, Duke and Johns Hopkins? But in school, which is considered the hardest school in where I live, am an A* student with an average of 95-96! Do you think I have a chance to get accepted in those universities for Medicine?
Comment by Marwa — March 12, 2010 @ 3:59 am
Marwa,
Grades are very important for college admissions but so are test scores for the colleges you mention. While these colleges do not have minimum test scoes it is very unlikely that you will be admitted with the ACT and SAT scores mentioned.
You should also be aware that in US colleges there is no undergraduate medical program. Instead there are 4 years of college followed by 4 years of medical school. You need to apply to medical school before acceptance and only about 50 % of students are admitted.
I would suggest that in addition to the colleges you mention that you also consider some other colleges that are easier for admissions purposes.
Comment by Todd Johnson — March 12, 2010 @ 11:02 am
Todd;
May you please tell me (percentage wise) how much am likely to get accepted.
Thanks for the quick reply and I appreciate your assistance! But your reply really depressed me!
Comment by Marwa — March 13, 2010 @ 7:57 am
Hello Todd;
Thanks for the quick reply and I appreciate your assistance. But your reply depressed me big time, since my dream is to get admitted to one of these universities. Here are other 3 questions: 1) What is the chance of my acceptance?
2) What are other great universities but have easy admission criteria.
3) When is the admission decision revealed in the universities I have mentioned earlier?
Comment by Marwa — March 13, 2010 @ 8:10 am
Some schools say that they only accept the ACT with the writing section, but they still superscore the ACT. So, if I send in 1 ACT with the writing and 1 ACT without the writing section, will they use both of the ACTs for the superscore? Or will they only use the ACT with the writing section for the superscore?
Comment by Sam — March 31, 2010 @ 6:53 pm
Sam,
The answer to how a college will superscore depends on the college but since the goal is to give the student the benefit of the doubt, my guess is that they would superscore the sections they have and add to the single writing score.
Comment by Todd Johnson — March 31, 2010 @ 9:11 pm
Albion College superscores the ACT.
Thanks
Comment by Kevin Kropf — April 5, 2010 @ 8:43 am
Kevin,
Thanks for the note on Albion. They have been added to the list.
Comment by Todd Johnson — April 5, 2010 @ 8:53 am
Hi,
Does Emory superscore the ACT? They are not on your list. Is there any hope that they could change their policy?
Thank you.
Comment by Danielle — April 11, 2010 @ 2:40 pm
Danielle,
To the best of my knowledge Emory does not superscore the ACT. Five years ago no one superscored the ACT so it is possible they would join those colleges that do. But this is not something to count on.
Comment by Todd Johnson — April 11, 2010 @ 4:17 pm
Hi Todd,
Thanks for all the work you’ve done on this!
I have 4 questions:
1. Does Vanderbilt superscore the ACT?
2. How many more colleges/universities do you think will begin to superscore the ACT by the coming admissions season?
3. Is it true that some schools claim that they don’t superscore, but actually do consider the highest scores of each test?
4. Are “pure” composite scores valued more than superscored ones?
Thanks so much,
Melody
Comment by Melody — April 20, 2010 @ 1:04 am
Melody,
To my knowledge Vanderbilt does not superscore the ACT. If that changes I will update the list. There is no way to say how many colleges might have a change in policy before the next season begins. There have been a few colleges each year and I would expect that would continue. As for the issue of whether a college admits to superscoring, yes there are some colleges that say they don’t but their policy is to do so. The University of Illinois is one of the main examples. If a college says that they superscore I don’t believe that it will make a difference whether a particular score is a composite score or a one time score.
Comment by Todd Johnson — April 20, 2010 @ 9:08 am
Thanks!
Comment by Melody — April 20, 2010 @ 7:46 pm
Hi Todd,
It has been really helpful reading these comments. I am a junior and have an average 4.52 GPA, my ACT score is 32, 34 when superscore. I have not taken the SAT yet. I want to get into Pomona College or Stanford. Is it important for me to take the SAT in addition to the ACT?
Thanks, Wei
Comment by wei — April 27, 2010 @ 12:44 pm
Wei,
You have a strong ACT score so I wouldn’t worry about the SAT. If you wish to take one more test I would focus on studying more for the ACT. Just remember that the two schools you mention are highly selective so you need some other colleges to apply to where you have a better chance at admission.
Comment by Todd Johnson — April 27, 2010 @ 1:06 pm
Todd,
Thanks for the quick reply. Are you suggesting to take one more ACT to up the score for the colleges that do not superscore? I plan to take 3 SAT subject tests (math II, US History & Spanish). How do you weight that?
Comment by wei — April 27, 2010 @ 1:27 pm
Does Tulane superscore? You do not have it listed, but another website does. Thanks.
Comment by J. Lukes — May 2, 2010 @ 12:23 pm
I will double check with Tulane to see if they have changed to accept superscoring of the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — May 2, 2010 @ 12:39 pm
Tulane just got back to me and they do NOT superscore the ACT, only the SAT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — May 3, 2010 @ 8:51 am
My ACT composite score is 32, and the combined English/writing is 33. Why are there 2 score on the report? Which number do colleges look at?
Comment by ty — May 4, 2010 @ 6:14 pm
Ty,
The main score that colleges look at is your 32 ACT composite score.The combined score is an additional way to provide information to the colleges that might want to consider it. It basically weights your English score as 2/3 of the weight and your writing score as 1/3 of the weight.
Comment by Todd Johnson — May 4, 2010 @ 7:07 pm
I’ve heard from various sources that columbia superscores the ACT, is this true?
Comment by J Bruce — May 4, 2010 @ 9:30 pm
Bruce,
To the best of my knowledge, Columbia University does not superscore the ACT. Last I checked with them was less than a year ago, and I doubt they have changed since that time.
Comment by Todd Johnson — May 4, 2010 @ 9:53 pm
I saw on another website that the U of GA and U of NC Chapel Hill superscore the ACT. Is that true?
Thanks.
Comment by j. Lukes — June 1, 2010 @ 5:21 pm
J,
I will check with the University of Georgia and UNC Chapel Hill to see if they superscore.
Comment by Todd Johnson — June 2, 2010 @ 10:42 am
If you type in “superscore” in the University of Illinois’s website search bar, the first result comes up as “we do not super-score the ACT, we take the best composite score”
Comment by Scott — June 11, 2010 @ 11:38 pm
Scott,
You are correct that this is what University of Illinois says publicly. However, in talking with several of their admissions officers directly they have said that they DO consider the highest subscore from different test dates to reach a composite score. Since this is superscoring by definition I list them as superscoring. This is the type of problem that makes keeping this list accurate so difficult.
Comment by Todd Johnson — June 12, 2010 @ 8:37 am
Hello, do you know if Villanova, Lehigh, Lafayette, and Bucknell superscore?
Thanks,
Carolyn
Comment by Carolyn — June 13, 2010 @ 2:36 pm
Carolyn,
To the best of my knowledge those four colleges do not superscore the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — June 13, 2010 @ 6:52 pm
Todd,
Where can I find your most updated list of colleges that super-score the ACT. Is it the one at the top of this chain?
Comment by Janet B — June 17, 2010 @ 9:31 am
Janet,
The list at the top of this page is the current list. As I learn of new colleges that superscore the ACT I add them to the list.
Comment by Todd Johnson — June 17, 2010 @ 3:10 pm
Do you know if Carleton superscores?
Comment by Michele — June 25, 2010 @ 11:51 am
Michele,
Last I spoke with Carleton Admissions, several months ago, they did not superscore the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — June 25, 2010 @ 12:44 pm
Hi…any info on Northwestern’s ACT superscore policy? Thanks!
Comment by Bob C — June 28, 2010 @ 8:20 am
Bob,
To the best of my knowledge, Northwestern does not superscore the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — June 28, 2010 @ 8:42 am
Does Ohio State superscore ACT?? If not, do you know if they are looking into the possibility for 2011 HS graduates?
Comment by Sandy P — June 28, 2010 @ 1:55 pm
Sandy,
To the best of my knowledge, Ohio State does not superscore the ACT and I have not heard anything of a policy change for next year. However, that is not the sort of thing that the colleges generally make known until they actually change the policy.
Comment by Todd Johnson — June 28, 2010 @ 2:19 pm
Hi,
During superscoring, is the combined essay and english score separate, or what do the colleges do with the combined score?
Comment by Wilton — June 28, 2010 @ 3:40 pm
Wilton,
Most colleges that superscore the ACT use the 4 main sections. However, that is not to say that some might not also use the combined English essay score for some purpose. This is a decision made by each college.
Comment by Todd Johnson — June 28, 2010 @ 4:18 pm
Do you know if Duke or University of Virginia superscore the ACT?
Comment by Cheryl — June 29, 2010 @ 8:07 pm
Cheryl,
To the best of my knowledge neither Duke or University of Virginia superscore the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — June 29, 2010 @ 8:19 pm
What about the common application? Will colleges just mix and match the two ACT scores I’ll put down?
Comment by Henry — July 3, 2010 @ 2:05 pm
Henry,
The common application does not make any difference on how a college handles the ACT score. If the college superscores the ACT, then they will do so from wherever they receive the scores. If the college does not superscore then having multiple scores will not make any difference. Also, the vast majority of colleges require official scores from ACT or SAT and the scores reported on the common app or any other application are just informational.
Comment by Todd Johnson — July 3, 2010 @ 2:24 pm
Do you have any information about Drexel University and there ACT scoring policy?
Comment by Jesse — July 8, 2010 @ 11:06 pm
Jesse,
To the best of my knowledge, Drexel does not superscore the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — July 9, 2010 @ 4:57 am
Any idea if Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI superscores?
Comment by Kari Harris — July 12, 2010 @ 3:23 pm
Kari,
I have not heard that Grand Valle State University superscores.
Comment by Todd Johnson — July 12, 2010 @ 3:25 pm
Great Information! Thank you. Two questions.
1. My daughter is applying to some schools that DO superscore & REQUIRE ACT writing. Do you think most schools accept/use ONE subject area from a NON-WRITING ACT sitting?
2. When calculating superscore is a 33.75 really the same as a 34?
Comment by Claudia Hannon — July 21, 2010 @ 8:43 am
Claudia,
I am not sure I understand your first question. If you are asking if you can substitute a non-writing section for writing the answer would be no if that college requires the writing section. If you are asking if colleges will combine an ACT section with a SAT section, generally the answer is no although there are some colleges that do mix and match ACT and SAT scores. If you are asking something different let me know.
As to the second part of your question, yes a 33.75 would be viewed as a 34.
Comment by Todd Johnson — July 21, 2010 @ 9:25 am
UPDATE:
I just received an email from Catholic University that they do NOT superscore the ACT so I have removed them from the list.
Comment by Todd Johnson — July 26, 2010 @ 11:37 am
Does University of Maryland College Park Superscore the ACT?
Comment by jill — July 30, 2010 @ 5:43 pm
Jill,
To the best of my knowledge, the University of Maryland does not superscore the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — July 30, 2010 @ 8:41 pm
Are you sure Penn State University superscores the ACT? My overall composite went down the second time I took the ACT but my math subscore went way up. Trying to decide if submitting the second set of scores would make a difference.
Comment by Elizabeth — August 8, 2010 @ 7:47 am
[...] Pomona, Rochester Institute of Technology,Tufts, U of Connecticut and U Delaware. See this article for a more comprehensive list of schools thought [...]
Pingback by What Standardized Tests should you take and who wants what? | Sid's College Counseling — August 9, 2010 @ 2:14 pm
[...] Pomona, Rochester Institute of Technology,Tufts, U of Connecticut and U Delaware. See this article for a more comprehensive list of schools thought [...]
Pingback by Which Standardized Tests should you take and who wants what? « College Counseling Partners — August 9, 2010 @ 4:44 pm
Stanford has on their website, “If a student takes the ACT more than once, we will mix and match to focus on the highest Composite score and the highest Combined English/Writing Score. ” Isn’t that considered superscoring?
Comment by Mark — September 4, 2010 @ 1:27 pm
Mark,
That certainly sounds like superscoring to me. I will add them to the list.
Thanks for the heads up.
Comment by Todd Johnson — September 5, 2010 @ 9:42 am
So do you think Stanford is really superscoring or are they just using a Composite from your April 2010 sitting and your high English/Writing from your June 2010 sitting? And not creating an actual new composite? Two different things.
Comment by Claudia Hannon — September 5, 2010 @ 1:36 pm
Claudia,
I considered that and reread what they said before responding. The language is open to several possible interpretations but the most logical is that they superscore.
Comment by Todd Johnson — September 5, 2010 @ 1:48 pm
hey, do you have any info about superscores for Boulder, Washingington Univesity, Purdue, Indiana University, Colorado College, Boston University, University of Vermont, and Marquette?? thanks!
Comment by Sarah — September 5, 2010 @ 2:39 pm
Sarah,
Washington University in St. Louis is on the list. I have not heard that any of the others superscore the ACT.
Comment by Todd Johnson — September 5, 2010 @ 2:51 pm