What is an ACT superscore?
This April, ACT superscore reporting finally became available. The process involves averaging a student’s 4 highest subject scores from all ACT test attempts, which creates a new and improved composite score.
A superscore report and an individual test date report both cost $15.
Who is eligible for a superscore?
All students who have taken the ACT more than once from September 2016 to the current day.
How are they used?
When a student submits two or more ACT scores, colleges have to decide how to evaluate them. Some colleges only utilize the test date with the highest composite score, even when a superscore is included in the report.
ACT states the following as how the scores are used:
If a school superscores, they will use your superscore composite.
If a school does not superscore, they will use your highest full ACT Test scores.
Once a report is provided to a college, there is nothing that prevents an admission office from evaluating all scores and subscores. Ultimately, applicants must take responsibility for providing colleges with the required scores and the score report that is best for the student.
That said, the trend lately has been for colleges to evaluate students’ best performance in each subject area.
It’s important to remember that sending a superscore report does not mean that a college will superscore!
The bigger picture
Through discussion with colleges, ACT discovered that not all schools were ready to totally ignore test date scores. So in order to accommodate, ACT created some guidelines to their reporting process. For example:
If you are sending a single test event then the recipient you chose will only get the scores from that test. By sending a superscore, the college or agency will receive all the scores from every test event represented in the superscore.
A more itemized breakdown of what scores are included in a superscore report:
The student’s superscore (including Writing, if it has been taken at any point)
The complete test scores associated with the student’s highest composite score.
The complete test scores associated with the student’s highest Math score.
The complete test scores associated with the student’s highest Science score.
The complete test scores associated with the student’s highest English score.
The complete test scores associated with the student’s highest Reading score.
In the event of any ties on the highest scores, the more recent test date is sent.
A student thinking they are sending superscores could be submitting the full set of results from as many as 5 different test dates, as well.
Depending on a student’s blend of scores, there are situations where sending superscore reports is more beneficial at some colleges and sending individual test date reports is preferable at others.
Self reporting
In some cases it may be best for a student to not send an official report whatsoever. At many colleges, students only need to send a report once an admission offer is made. Scores are then self-reported on the application. This allows a student to avoid racking up score reporting fees and to rest assured that colleges only receive the scores they expect them to receive.
Is section retesting available?
Not at this time. The rollout of superscoring was supposed to be paired with the opportunity to retake one section at a time following your first complete ACT attempt. This would ultimately allow students to choose which subjects to repeat, leading to more students opting for and repeating the ACT.
What should my student make of their superscore?
Students should use it as an assessment of their overall capability on the test and to understand where their score is heading in terms of potential for an individual test score. They should be mindful that not all schools will consider the superscore and again that there are circumstances where it may be more beneficial to utilize an individual test date attempt. Students should do their research with their prospective schools to learn what route is best for them.
Sources: ACT Inc. , Compass Education Group