If you’re applying to colleges, sending schools your ACT scores—whether you’re using a single test date or your ACT superscores—is a big step toward achieving your college dreams. Finding colleges that superscore ACT could help you on your journey - and here we have a list of colleges that superscore the ACT.
Example Colleges that SuperScore ACT
Plenty of schools allow students to use their ACT superscore when applying. The process for submitting them, and the importance those scores hold in your overall application, may vary. Also, over time, schools may change their policies regarding ACT scores and how they process them. As such, make sure you ask your admissions counselors about this process to ensure that your information is up-to-date and accurate.
Below, we’ve listed several examples, to help you start searching.
Adelphi University
Adelphi University is located on Long Island, though they offer a range of online degree programs ranging from associate's to master's. Their campus programs are also supported by online course options. Adelphi’s online and blended programs are held to the same standards of quality that they hold campus programs, up to and including small class sizes.
Adelphi University has been recognized multiple time over the years for the quality of the education and overall experience they offer their students. US News & World Report, for example, ranked them on their lists for National Universities, Business Programs, Online Bachelor Programs, and High School Counselor Rankings for 2018. Similarly, in 2017, US News & World Report recognized them under National Universities, and Best Graduate Schools for a variety of programs. The Princeton Review also ranked them among the best of the Northeastern Colleges in 2018.
Colorado State University
Colorado State University, anchored in Fort Collins, Colorado, was founded in 1870. It was originally known as Colorado Agricultural College. Today, it’s a research university that serves more than twenty thousand undergrads, and more than three thousand graduate students. In addition to their robust campus-based opportunities, CSU offers a range of online degree options, including undergraduate degree completion, and online masters and PhD programs.
According to CSU, their students represent 30% of all STEM majors in the state of Colorado. In 2018, US News & World Report ranked them on several lists, including National Universities, Best Value Schools, High School Counselor Rankings, Top Public Schools, Business Programs, and Undergraduate Engineering Programs. Their online programs were similarly ranked on lists like Best Online Bachelors Programs, Computer Information Technology Programs, Graduate Engineering Programs, Business Programs (Excluding MBA), and Education Programs. The Princeton Review included them on lists like Best 382 Colleges, Best Western Colleges, Top 50 Green Colleges, and even the Best College Newspapers.
St. John’s University
St. John’s University—then known as St. John’s College—was founded in Brooklyn in 1870 by the Vincentian Community, with only six faculty members, and 47 students. They earned university status in 1906. Today, they’re represented by more than 1,400 faculty members, and over twenty thousand undergrads and graduate students. They also maintain six campuses, four throughout New York, as well as campuses in Rome and Paris. They also offer online learning options, including a variety of online graduate programs.
US News & World Report 2018 ranked St. John’s University in several categories These include National Universities, High School Counselor Rankings, Business Programs, Online Graduate Education Programs, Online Graduate Business Programs (Excluding MBA), and 13 graduate subject categories. St. John’s University was also ranked or listed in multiple categories by the Princeton Review, including Best Northeastern Colleges, Best 382 Colleges, and Green Colleges.
University of Delaware
The University of Delaware was founded as a private academy in 1743, and over the years that followed, has grown into the public research institution we know and love today. Their notable alumni include three signers of the Declaration of Independence, a signer of the Constitution, a Tony winner, Nobel Prize winner, and a US Vice President. In addition to the wealth of experiences offered on campus—including NCAA Division I athletics—UDel offers a number of convenient online programs, including both undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as professional development and individual courses.
US News & World Report 2018 ranked the University of Delaware in multiple categories. These include National Universities, Colleges for Veterans, Public Schools, Business Programs, Undergraduate Engineering and Chemical Engineering, and more. Their online programs were included in Best Online MBA, and Best Online Graduate Education Programs. Additionally, they were included and ranked on a variety of graduate-specific lists by subject area. Similarly, the Princeton Review has recognized UDel among the Best 382 Colleges, Best Northeastern Colleges, Study Abroad Programs, and Colleges that Pay You Back, among others.
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco is a private, Jesuit university founded in 1855. At its founding, San Francisco University was named St. Ignatius Academy. USF was also all-male until 1964, when it officially became co-ed. Today, they serve more than six thousand undergraduate students, with more than 100 different clubs and other activities for students to participate in. They’re even an NCAA Division I school. In addition to the many programs, services, and activities they offer students on campus, USF offers several online graduate programs, in nursing, public health, and public administration.
For 2018, US News & World Report included USF among their best colleges rankings, in the categories of National Universities, Best Value Schools, Business Programs, Entrepreneurship and Marketing, and High School Counselor Rankings. Their graduate programs also ranked several times in a number of subject-specific categories. The Princeton Review also included USF on their lists for Best 382 Colleges, Best Western Colleges, Best College Cities.
Colleges that SuperScore the ACT
While not all schools require that you send standardized test scores at all, or process them in exactly the same way, your ACT results, especially if you use an ACT superscore, could present an opportunity show your strengths in their best light.
Schools might process ACT scores in a few different ways.
- Some schools require that you send them all of your ACT results. In some cases, these schools might superscore those results automatically, but that’s not always the case.
- Some schools only want to see a single test date containing your best results overall.
- Some schools allow students to superscore ACT results, by sending whichever of the test dates contain their best performance.
If possible, it might be helpful to find out how the schools you’re applying to approach processing scores. That could help you decide how you want to prepare, and whether to send scores as you receive them, versus waiting until you’ve finished all your attempts.
How Do ACT Scores Work?
Unlike the SAT, the ACT uses a composite score. In basic terms, this is the overall average of each subject test, rounded up or down to the nearest whole point.
There are five total sections. Four are compulsory and multiple choice: English, Math, Reading, and Science. The fifth is an optional Writing section. Before you decide whether you want to sit for the writing test, make sure you follow up with your chosen schools to find out whether it’s required. ACT sends official score reports by date, meaning that if you choose to send scores from a certain session, the school will receive all of your section results from that date, including the writing, if you took it. In most cases, schools require official score reports in the application process.
But what if your best results were split up between two dates? Well, that’s where the superscore option might come in handy.
What Is The ACT Superscore?
Lots of colleges superscore the ACT. But what does that mean? Similar to the official score report, ACT Superscores are a composite of all the included sections. The difference here is that, with the superscore, you’re averaging the best results of each section across all test dates, rather than only looking at a single score report.
Taking advantage of the ACT superscore option could be an advantage if you elected to sit for the exam more than once. In fact, some students who know their schools process their scores this way may even factor it into their test prep. They do this by focusing their studying on one particular subject to pump up their chances of scoring well, and then they retake the test focusing on another section. That said, many students simply don’t want to take the ACT that many times. But even students who only retake one subject area could benefit from superscoring, as it still enables them to put their best foot forward. Incidentally, it also benefits the schools, as it could enable them to report a higher average score overall for their incoming students each year.
How Do I Send My ACT Superscore to Colleges that Superscore ACT?
Preparing your ACT scores for colleges? Strictly speaking, you don’t calculate your ACT superscore yourself; the college does. That said, you can still figure it out for your own reference. Here’s how to do it.
- Select your highest individual subject scores for English, Math, Reading, and Science, across all test dates.
- Add all of those scores together.
- Divide the result by 4.
- If you get a decimal point, round to the nearest whole number. If the decimal is .5 or higher, you can round up. If it’s less than .5, round down.
This method can be useful for you when you’re deciding where to apply, because it enables you to get an idea of where you stand against your chosen school’s typical range of scores accepted, and to evaluate your overall performance.
However, you can’t just send that number along to schools yourself. The process for sending ACT scores to colleges could vary. Most schools that ask for standardized test scores require that you send the official score report, which, as previously discussed, includes all of the section results from a specific testing date. That means, for schools to calculate your superscore, you have two potential paths.
- For schools that ask you to send all of your ACT test results, simply follow the instructions and send them the reports from all of your test dates. If that school calculates ACT superscores, they can then use the highest score from each section.
- For schools that give you more freedom in deciding which score reports to send, you can either send all of your results, or choose only the test dates containing your best scores for each section.
There’s one thing to keep in mind, whichever path you take: Make sure you find out ahead of time what the superscore process looks like at that school. Specifically, find out from your admissions advisor whether you need to do anything on your end to initiate. For example, you might need to request the superscore option verbally, or submit a formal request, such as by filling out a form. It’s possible that you won’t need to do anything, and that the school will do that automatically. Rather than make that assumption, play it safe and ask up front.
Search for Colleges That Superscore ACT
If you want to find colleges that superscore ACT, don’t wait too long! Knowing well in advance how your schools of choice process your ACT scores could be helpful as you prepare for your exams and to apply. eLearners.com can help you find a variety of schools that offer programs that you could attend with schools that Superscore the ACT. Fill out the form on this page to get matched with schools! And don’t forget to review their ACT score policy with your admissions counselor once you get in touch.