ACT what's the lowest score to qualify for scholarship $$

[Andtototoo]

My dd got a 23 on the ACT and had scholarship offers. She also had a 3.95 GPA. (She can't take standardized tests to save her life. That 23 was considered a triumph for her and occurred after she took classes on taking the ACT.)

 

[SydSim]

Since the ACT tests on information that you have learned in school, if she took it as a sophomore, I'm sure that there was information on it that she hadn't learned yet. Many, if not most kids start taking their standardized tests in their junior year. (And yes I am aware that many gifted and talented kids take some of the tests as early as middle school, but that certainly isn't the norm).

 

[LisaR]

My dd got a 23 on the ACT and had scholarship offers. She also had a 3.95 GPA. (She can't take standardized tests to save her life. That 23 was considered a triumph for her and occurred after she took classes on taking the ACT.)

Do you mind if I ask if it was a significant scholarship and if she had some type of a unique major? I can't imagine many schools that hand out large scholarships for a 23. But congrats to her! My DD got much higher and will likely walk in with just a few thousand dollars of merit money. Bummer!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

The school I went to didn't even care about the ACT, only the SAT. As far as I know.

 

[eliza61]

Do you mind if I ask if it was a significant scholarship and if she had some type of a unique major? I can't imagine many schools that hand out large scholarships for a 23. But congrats to her! My DD got much higher and will likely walk in with just a few thousand dollars of merit money. Bummer!

I think as many said, it depends on the University. what do you consider significant. My son who is now at the University of Cincinnati got a merit scholarship (6K each year) and his SAT grades were very average.
He also applied to the University of Pittsburgh, the main campus in Oakland didn't offer him anything but interestingly enough one of the satelitte campuses offered him darn near 14K a year which was 1/2 of his tuition. Of course he would not make his mother happy and go but that a post for another day.

The school I went to didn't even care about the ACT, only the SAT. As far as I know.

I got you beet FD, when I went to school I don't think they even had the act, I don't recall anyone taking anything but the SAT.

 

[LisaR]

I think as many said, it depends on the University. what do you consider significant. My son who is now at the University of Cincinnati got a merit scholarship (6K each year) and his SAT grades were very average.
He also applied to the University of Pittsburgh, the main campus in Oakland didn't offer him anything but interestingly enough one of the satelitte campuses offered him darn near 14K a year which was 1/2 of his tuition. Of course he would not make his mother happy and go but that a post for another day.




I got you beet FD, when I went to school I don't think they even had the act, I don't recall anyone taking anything but the SAT.

I would think half of the tuition would be significant but it depends on the cost of the school.

Our state schools don't offer much at all for test scores but our state itself does. A 28 + will get you half off tuition only. Our state tuition is only about $6,500 a year so it is just over $3,000 with the scholarship. The state schools will throw in $1000 - $1500 more for 28 - 30 on the ACT but that is for the first year only.

The private schools DD has applied to are offering her $15,000 - $20,000 but those are $45,000 + schools. None of those schools offer that money for scores under 30 from what I can tell.

That has just been our experience with the schools DD has applied to or looked at. Obviously, all schools vary.

My one regret in life: Not pushing my kids into something musical. From everything I can tell, music scholarships are plentiful. You can minor in music and still pursue something else. I keep telling my 17 y/o that it might not be too late to pick up the oboe and have at it.

 

[StephMK]

Wow, it's interesting to hear all of the different experiences. DD applied to 5 schools - 3 state colleges, 2 privates. She did not get into the one super competitive private but the other gave significant aid that matched costs for instate tuition at the state college. The private and one state offered honors program.

Her in state college (which she ultimately chose) offered $2K in freshman merit only. They did not even accept her to the honors program, which honestly shocked us. Her ACT score was 28, 29 superscored. Her grades were 4.1 weighted, 3.875 unweighted with 6 AP classes and top 7% of her class. She kept straight As all 4 years of school, except for an AP B last semester senior year. She was involved in school musicals 4 years, varsity choir 3, 3 honor orgs, and highly active in church and choir. Yes, she was one of "those" kids but it didn't benefit her as far as getting merit aid like we had hoped but didn't expect.

After reading all of these responses, I wish she had applied to some other schools that offered more merit aid but she loves her school and at least she is prepared with good skills for the college workload.

 

[ORMom2Four]

We are just starting down this path with our HS Jr. I know the higher the score the better but what's the lowest score that would qualify for scholarship money? Thanks

I have 2 that are college age, and we have yet to find a scholarship that does not take into account the money parents make or have in the bank. Even though DD20 has been on the presidental honor roll for 2 years straight in community college, she doesn't qualify for a single scholarship because of our income (which is not a lot!).

It is SOOO frustrating!

 

[eliza61]

I would think half of the tuition would be significant but it depends on the cost of the school.

Our state schools don't offer much at all for test scores but our state itself does. A 28 + will get you half off tuition only. Our state tuition is only about $6,500 a year so it is just over $3,000 with the scholarship. The state schools will throw in $1000 - $1500 more for 28 - 30 on the ACT but that is for the first year only.

The private schools DD has applied to are offering her $15,000 - $20,000 but those are $45,000 + schools. None of those schools offer that money for scores under 30 from what I can tell.

That has just been our experience with the schools DD has applied to or looked at. Obviously, all schools vary.

My one regret in life: Not pushing my kids into something musical. From everything I can tell, music scholarships are plentiful. You can minor in music and still pursue something else. I keep telling my 17 y/o that it might not be too late to pick up the oboe and have at it.

LOL. Don't worry about it Lisa, I've got a basement full of old instruments that my precious little angel swore he had to have. I've got a pretty brand new trumpet because he knew he was going to be the next Dizzy Gillespie, Chris botti rolled up into one.

 

[eliza61]

I have 2 that are college age, and we have yet to find a scholarship that does not take into account the money parents make or have in the bank. Even though DD20 has been on the presidental honor roll for 2 years straight in community college, she doesn't qualify for a single scholarship because of our income (which is not a lot!).

It is SOOO frustrating!

I think they all do!! When we started our college search we made sure the schools Jr picked were all within our ability to pay without scholarship money. Every school we toured had their own way they awarded money. every single one. We visited almost 10 schools a mix of in state, out of state, private and catholic universities and they all gave us different answers.

 

[Hannathy]

My one regret in life: Not pushing my kids into something musical. From everything I can tell, music scholarships are plentiful. You can minor in music and still pursue something else. I keep telling my 17 y/o that it might not be too late to pick up the oboe and have at it.

I think that must really vary by the region. My DD was musical and many of her friends even more so and NONE of them not a one got anything for it. Even the music majors. in fact her one friend who considered majoring in it had to pay for a course to be able to continue playing his viola at college. Only could be in an orchestra if you took a course and this was the "rec" orchestra. And he was valedictorian in HS. Her friend who is majoring in music composition-very gifted pianist didn't get anything scholarship wise.

I'm also shocked at the ACT scores that are getting money for 28's. At Our main campus state school you would be extremely lucky to get in with a 28 let alone get any merit money.

 

[eliza61]

II'm also shocked at the ACT scores that are getting money for 28's. At Our main campus state school you would be extremely lucky to get in with a 28 let alone get any merit money.

I've heard more and more schools are looking at the "entire" package and moving away from standardized test as an indication of success. We toured two very well known university and they said standardized test schools are becoming a smaller and smaller percentage of what they look for in a good candidate. University of California is looking to abolish the scores totally from admission requirements.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I got you beet FD, when I went to school I don't think they even had the act, I don't recall anyone taking anything but the SAT.

Apparently it's a regional thing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACT_(test)

 

[smschex]

The College Board has a website that is very helpful in organizing the whole college search process. The site gives lots of scholarship/financial aid info and comparisons of various schools and their requirements.

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org

I got an email this morning with a helpful checklist for parents of juniors.

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/...rade?ep_ch=CO&ep_mid=10603171&ep_rid=73133835

We are working through the process for the third time and it doesn't get any easier!

 

[LisaR]

I think that must really vary by the region. My DD was musical and many of her friends even more so and NONE of them not a one got anything for it. Even the music majors. in fact her one friend who considered majoring in it had to pay for a course to be able to continue playing his viola at college. Only could be in an orchestra if you took a course and this was the "rec" orchestra. And he was valedictorian in HS. Her friend who is majoring in music composition-very gifted pianist didn't get anything scholarship wise.

I'm also shocked at the ACT scores that are getting money for 28's. At Our main campus state school you would be extremely lucky to get in with a 28 let alone get any merit money.

You may be right. In fairness, I don't actually know anyone that has received a music scholarship. I am just going by what I read on college message boards. "Junior is 1st chair and plays this and that instrument and he WILL be getting scholarships." Maybe it is just what the parents hope and not really reality.

Now I feel better that I don't have a collection of unused instruments lying around like Eliza.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Man, the scores have really zinged up over the years. In my day, 30 was almost unheard of. 27 + good grades could mean a full ride back then

Scores have gone up because schools are teaching to them. Many schools have ACT words of the day, problems of the day, or reading of the day in their classes.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

There are soooooooooooo many other factors than just ACT scores involved in scholarship awards-just an ACT -even of 26 or 27 many not net you any $$$$ in some places and a full ride in others-in a music or theater program if your student has a great back ground you will do well.

The scholarship I mentioned required a combination of things - 90th percentile on ACT, top 3% of graduating class, and then it was limited to 1 scholarship per 100 students. In my case, I was 8th in a class of 287, but only 1 of the top 7 scored high enough on the ACT to be eligible. #9 did as well.

In a top teir engineer school not only will that not get you any money it wont get you admited.

Again, just goes to show how much times have changed on the ACT. In 1985a 27 not only got me accepted to Purdue (I went elsewhere), but they were willing to throw a few bucks my way (not enough though ).

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I think that must really vary by the region. My DD was musical and many of her friends even more so and NONE of them not a one got anything for it. Even the music majors. in fact her one friend who considered majoring in it had to pay for a course to be able to continue playing his viola at college. Only could be in an orchestra if you took a course and this was the "rec" orchestra. And he was valedictorian in HS. Her friend who is majoring in music composition-very gifted pianist didn't get anything scholarship wise.

U. of Indiana made a run at me to play in their marching band. And, I didn't even plan to keep playing after HS

I'm also shocked at the ACT scores that are getting money for 28's. At Our main campus state school you would be extremely lucky to get in with a 28 let alone get any merit money.

I find that a little hard to believe. Despite the better scores one sees today, 28 is still quite good.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Scores have gone up because schools are teaching to them. Many schools have ACT words of the day, problems of the day, or reading of the day in their classes.

Yeah, I alluded to that in my first post. Kids actually study for it now as they have for years with the SAT's. There was none of that "back then"

 

[loricdietzel]

It really depends on the school, what program, and how much you make.
When I went to college I had a 29 on my ACT and a 3.5 GPA. (Plus was involved in a lot of activities and volunteer work.) I applied to 4 or 5 schools and although I was accepted, I got offered NOTHING from any of them.