Imagine, if you will, a situation you might soon find yourself in (or maybe this is already your current situation!):
You’ve chosen between the ACT and the Digital SAT;
You’ve taken a diagnostic test, and thus have a baseline score; and
You have a general sense of which colleges you want to apply to.
Alrighty! Now it’s off to the races—you can actually studying for your chosen test. Right?
Hold up just a sec, buddy.
There’s one more box you’ve got to check before beginning the marathon—not sprint—of test prep. I know you’re eager to dive in, but trust: this step will save you lots of time and stress in the long run.
It’s very important that you establish a specific studying/testing goal. Sticking with the marathon analogy, you need an objective “finish line” so you know when you’re almost finished—and when you can finally give yourself a high five, shut your SAT/ACT books for good, and move onto other commitments (college essays, homework, practicing that clarinet solo for the school recital).
So what kind of “finish line” applies in test prep? It’s not just your actual test date! You need a number that you can aim for, one that helps you pace your studying. You need something clear and objective. In other words…you need a target score!
And lucky you: this article (and accompanying video) are going to walk you through the process of calculating yours.
Article Contents
A. Video Version of this Article
B. Why Should I Find My Target Score?
Watch this article as a video:
Why Do I Need a Target Score?
Many students, parents, and other test prep companies think that “more” and “higher” is always better. But I’ll let you in on a little secret: running yourself ragged with enormous amounts of test prep and 6+ test sittings in pursuit of a literally flawless score…STILL does not guarantee you’ll get into your dream college!
That’s right: hundreds, if not thousands, of students with perfect 1600’s and 36’s get rejected from top schools.
On the other hand, I’ve helped students snag early admittance to Ivies with ACT scores of only 28 or 29! (I’ll admit it’s unusual, but it does happen.)
Over the course of my 15 years (so far!) as a test prep guru, I’ve become an expert in efficiency. Working “smarter, not harder” not only makes the best use of your time and mine, but it helps keep you rested and calm during your busiest years to date!
Because the truth is, you don’t need to score 100% in order to get into your fave college.
What you do need is to achieve a score within the RANGE that is acceptable to your college list. Basically, you need to hit a score that opens the door to admissions, so that the rest of your application and who you are can do the “talking” and get you through that door. This “threshold” is what we call our target score!
In addition to opening the doors to the colleges on your list, figuring out your target score will ALSO make your junior and senior years of HS way more tolerable—even, dare I say, enjoyable!
Test prep can be exhausting and stressful. But you know what’s even MORE stressful? I’ll tell you: gnawing your fingernails down to the quick because you’ve fixated on goals that are too high (i.e. “perfect,” which is the unstated target score of everyone who doesn’t actually have one). When you know, on some level, that you’ll never reach these goals (or not without throwing a metric TON of time into prep), it has a harmful effect on your mental health. Why even try?, you mutter, frustrated, as your stare at your prep book at midnight for the fifth night that week.
That’s a situation that’s ALL downside, and I want you to avoid it.
Here’s the alternative, much happier scenario: once you calculate an appropriate target SAT or ACT score, you may discover that you’re already much closer than you thought to your dream admission! Instead of demoralizing you (like the quest for a 1600), that would be an inspiring motivator. And if you’re still scoring lower on practice/real tests than the target than you’re hoping for? Well, that’s ok—because now you have the info you need to create a plan and put in the work to get there.
“Ok, I’m with you so far, Kristina: it makes sense why I need a target score. But how do I figure out what mine should be?!” Here’s my watertight strategy.
How to Calculate the Score You Need to Hit for the SAT or ACT
List out all the colleges and universities you think you’ll apply to.
Get ready to geek out: it’s research time! Go to CollegeBoard.com, the colleges’ own websites, or use a guide like the Fiske Guide to colleges or CollegeData.com. Look for information called things along the lines of “median SAT scores” or “median ACT scores” or “mid-range test scores” or “25–75 percentile test scores.”
Write down the score range you find for each college. These typically are meant to be the middle 50% of students who made up that college’s freshman class. This means that a fourth (25%) of the students scored below that range, and a fourth (25%) scored higher than that range.
Once you’ve completed your research, look at all the ranges side by side. Your goal is for your highest SAT/ACT score to fall WITHIN, or even on the higher end or above, all the ranges in your college list. What is the lowest score you could achieve and be within or above range for ALL your schools? THIS IS YOUR TARGET SCORE!
Conclusion
Woohoo! Once you’ve got your target score, studying gets so much easier, as you know precisely how much you need to improve. The best part? With your goal score in mind, you can start tuning out all the unproductive “advice” you may hear from well-meaning classmates (and their parents!) about taking it AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN for “just one more point.”
When you hit your target score, you can celebrate, chill—and cancel any further test sittings you’d signed up for!
As always, if you need help finding your target score, this is a crucial part of the Ace the Test: Game Plan. In our session, I’ll set your target score FOR you, based on your unique needs and profile, then map out your path to hitting it…and getting into that top-pick school!
