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

[Gumbo4x4]

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.

This too - though I was able to get a full tuition scholarship, it was through any University of Missouri campus. Also had a full tuition AND room & board offer from wherever it was Reagan want to college (and I didn't even apply there). Everywhere else I went looking, there was either a much smaller amount available, or nothing at all.

 

[LisaR]

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"

And to show you how much things have changed, you now need to upload a current picture of yourself onto the ACT/SAT website, and bring a picture ID with you to match up to the uploaded picture on test day. No picture = no test. Apparently this is to squash the cheating epidemic. In my day, cheating was the furthest thing from our minds because there wasn't the emphasis put on the test like there is now. Not saying cheating didn't happen because I am sure someone did, but I guess parents are paying other people to take the test for their kid now. Can you imagine our parents doing that?

 

[jrmasm]

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"

I took an SAT prep course in the mid 80's.

I wonder if higher scores are because scoring has been changed. At least is has with SATs.

And to show you how much things have changed, you now need to upload a current picture of yourself onto the ACT/SAT website, and bring a picture ID with you to match up to the uploaded picture on test day. No picture = no test. Apparently this is to squash the cheating epidemic. In my day, cheating was the furthest thing from our minds because there wasn't the emphasis put on the test like there is now. Not saying cheating didn't happen because I am sure someone did, but I guess parents are paying other people to take the test for their kid now. Can you imagine our parents doing that?

That's brand new. My DD who is senior, took SATs twice last year and didn't have to do that. She did have to bring picture ID but then again, so did I. I think. That was a really long time ago.

 

[Green Tea]

Completely depends on the school. A top tier place like Williams or Washington & Lee, probably a 35. A low tier school might award merit at 24. There is no single answer.

 

[Green Tea]

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 did not find this to be the case at all. Two of mine were awarded large merit scholarships and we have never filled out a FAFSA.

 

[Christine]

I took an SAT prep course in the mid 80's.

I wonder if higher scores are because scoring has been changed. At least is has with SATs.




That's brand new. My DD who is senior, took SATs twice last year and didn't have to do that. She did have to bring picture ID but then again, so did I. I think. That was a really long time ago.

The picture thing just started this fall. My son took the SAT and ACT in April/May 2012 and the requirement to upload the picture was not there.

 

[jrmasm]

The picture thing just started this fall. My son took the SAT and ACT in April/May 2012 and the requirement to upload the picture was not there.

Thanks, that's what I figured.

 

[Casperina]

Thank you, wonderful people, for saying that a score higher than what I scored is horrible.
Guess I should go make some tea and add extra honey.

 

[jrmasm]

Thank you, wonderful people, for saying that a score higher than what I scored is horrible.
Guess I should go make some tea and add extra honey.

Huh?

 

[LisaR]

Huh?

Glad it wasn't just me that didn't get that.

 

[Casperina]

Huh?

Sorry, I just took away from a few posts that "anything under XX wont get you anywhere in life". But, moving on to a positive morning!

 

[Christine]

Sorry, I just took away from a few posts that "anything under XX wont get you anywhere in life". But, moving on to a positive morning!

Remember, the score is all relative.

When did you take the ACT? Scores have steadily risen over the years. I never took the ACT but I took the SAT in 1980. It was a good score then. By today's standards it's very mediocre.

My DD took the ACT. IMO, she got a HORRIBLE score, but it's slight above what the OP is looking for merit aid with. So, maybe for *some* schools, in *some* areas my DD's score wouldn't be considered horrible, but for the area we live in and the schools she was applying to, it was pretty bad.

 

[Andtototoo]

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

I looked up the average SAT and ACT scores for our flagship state campus and one needs an ACT score of 23 or higher, generally, for admission. It's also true that the higher the ACT score, the less likely the student is to attend that university. So if they were cutting students off at the higher score levels, class sizes would be much smaller.

 

[daughtersrus]

The problem is that nothing in uniform. The school district where we live, has a different grading system than most of the others in our area. Ours is 92 is the cut off for an A, 84 for a B , 76 for a C but the others use 90 for an A, 80 for a B and 70 for a C.

Our high schools are rather large (about 800-900 kids in a graduating class). The only electives that are offered as honors/AP classes are band related so unless you take band classes, it's impossible to place in the top 10-15 students in your class.

Looking at GPA and class rank isn't always a true representation of how "smart" the student is. There are plenty of "smart" kids that just don't qualify for merit based scholarships because of differences like these.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Andtototoo]

The problem is that nothing in uniform. The school district where we live, has a different grading system than most of the others in our area. Ours is 92 is the cut off for an A, 84 for a B , 76 for a C but the others use 90 for an A, 80 for a B and 70 for a C.

Our high schools are rather large (about 800-900 kids in a graduating class). The only electives that are offered as honors/AP classes are band related so unless you take band classes, it's impossible to place in the top 10-15 students in your class.

Looking at GPA and class rank isn't always a true representation of how "smart" the student is. There are plenty of "smart" kids that just don't qualify for merit based scholarships because of differences like these.

Just my 2 cents.

Similarly, my dd's school doesn't do weighted GPAs, nor is it possible to get over a 4.0 GPA. Last year there were more than 10 students with 4.0 GPA, which is fairly common. So they don't do class rank (or valedictorian).

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Similarly, my dd's school doesn't do weighted GPAs, nor is it possible to get over a 4.0 GPA. Last year there were more than 10 students with 4.0 GPA, which is fairly common. So they don't do class rank (or valedictorian).

Even if they do not do class rank, which is becoming common, they will still provide the decile percentage to the school for scholarship/merit aid/grants/etc. for qualification if needed.

That being said my dd's HS does not do "class rank" however the kids figure it out anyway by comparing their GPA's.

OP it really depends on the school, money available, what program your child is applying to, etc....

OP, I would certainly have your child retake the ACT.

 

[runwad]

Thanks all, we are going to retake the ACT. We just always figured she'd go to the community college and transfer to our local university her jr year. Now we've got some news from her track coach that there were some DII schools interested in her last year at regionals, he said for sure she'd be getting some letters this year. So now we're getting a little excited that maybe she'll get some ahtletic scholarship money and possibly could go away. We'll see. Plus maybe with a higher ACT score she can get some academic money too. We're going to try our best. Just keep your fingers crossed that she gets enough that would bring it in line with our instate school. We're very much against taking out tons of money in loans, plus we have 2 more to educate so I hope it works out for her. Thanks for all the insight you've all provided and the links from the one poster.

 

[nchulka]

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

This I can't believe the scores I'm hearing on this board. Virtually no one got 30 or above. I was thrilled to get a 27 (early 90's) and had my first year paid for at a private university! I had my 2nd and 3rd years pretty taken care of too. I only had 6,000 or so in total loans after 3 years, and this was with my parents and I contributing nothing. My 1st year was completed with college credit classes in high school.

 

[LisaR]

This I can't believe the scores I'm hearing on this board. Virtually no one got 30 or above. I was thrilled to get a 27 (early 90's) and had my first year paid for at a private university! I had my 2nd and 3rd years pretty taken care of too. I only had 6,000 or so in total loans after 3 years, and this was with my parents and I contributing nothing. My 1st year was completed with college credit classes in high school.

My DH and I have said for years that based on our test scores and gpa, we couldn't get into college today. Things certainly have changed.

 

[cornflake]

I think the uptick in ACT scores is from the kids on the coasts. A few years ago when the first kids started trying it here it was like 'whoa, I'm taking that! I only got a mediocre score on the SAT but my friends took the ACT and blew it out, and everyone accepts it, so...'

It still has some stigma, I know some kids/families who won't consider it, but a lot do because it's just easier and thus, higher score if someone had been prepping for the SAT.