How ACT Superscoring Works and Why It Matters

by Tom Kleese | Apr 26, 2026 | College Planning Blog

According to the ACT organization, more than 300 colleges and universities now accept ACT superscores, and that number has grown steadily over the past several years. Yet many Wisconsin families still submit scores without knowing whether the schools on their list consider superscoring at all, and that gap costs students real opportunities.

The families who approach testing with a clear plan are the ones who consistently see better outcomes. Superscoring is one of the most overlooked pieces of that strategy.

Before scheduling a retest, understanding how ACT superscoring works and whether your student’s target schools recognize it is what separates a reactive approach from a strategic one.

What Is ACT Superscoring?

ACT superscoring is a score reporting method that takes the highest section score a student earned in each subject across multiple test dates and combines those scores into a single composite. The four ACT sections are English, Math, Reading, and Science. The superscore averages those best-in-class section results, often producing a composite higher than what the student achieved on any single test date.

This differs from a standard composite score, which now averages the English, Math, and Reading sections from a single test date (not Science). Here is a clearer example. On one test date, a student scores 28 in English, 24 in Math, and 26 in Reading, resulting in a composite of 26. On a later date, the same student scores 25 in English, 29 in Math, and 27 in Reading, resulting in a composite of 27. With superscoring, the highest section scores from both dates are combined—28 in English, 29 in Math, and 27 in Reading—producing a stronger overall composite.

That is the core idea, and it is where opportunity lives. Your student’s best section performances, even if they came from different test dates, are combined to produce the strongest possible score.

Do All Colleges Accept ACT Superscores?

Policies vary considerably by institution. Some colleges actively request a superscore. Others calculate one internally from submitted score reports. A portion still evaluates only single-sitting composites, and a small number use the highest single-sitting score exclusively regardless of what was submitted.

Because policies differ, checking each school’s testing page before retesting matters. Submitting multiple score reports to a school that does not superscore can work against a student if the admissions office reviews all results. Skipping a retest for a school that does superscore may leave a meaningful score gain on the table.

Understanding each school’s policy is not a bonus step, it is a foundational part of building a testing plan that actually works. For a quick check of who does and doesn’t superscore, Google the name of the college along with “ACT testing policy.” From there, skip past AI-generated summaries and click through to the college’s official website to confirm the most current information.

How Does ACT Superscoring Work Step by Step?

The process works across separate test administrations. Here is how it unfolds:

1. Plan to take the ACT at least twice. Superscoring only works when there is more than one test date to work from, and that is where strategy begins to take shape.
2. Review section scores across all sittings. After each test, compare English, Math, Reading, and Science results individually, not just the composite.
3. Identify peak sections. Note which sitting produced the highest score in each section.
4. Report scores to superscore-accepting schools. Send all applicable score reports to schools that superscore. Their admissions offices or internal systems will extract the best section scores and compute the superscore composite.
5. Confirm receipt. Some schools request that students self-report their superscore in an application portal and then verify it once official reports arrive.

The ACT itself now offers a superscore report through its official score sending service, which simplifies submission to participating schools. You can learn more about how this works through the ACT’s official superscore resource.

Why Does ACT Superscoring Matter for Students?

The most immediate benefit is higher score potential, but the bigger advantage is how it changes the entire testing experience. A student who improves in even one section on a retest can see their reported composite rise without needing a strong performance across all four sections on the same day.

That shift also changes the pressure around retesting. A student who scored well in Reading the first time does not need to protect that score on a second attempt. Preparation can focus on weaker sections without any risk of dragging down a strong result.

Superscoring rewards targeted preparation, the kind that actually moves the needle. Rather than treating each test as an all-or-nothing event, students can approach retesting the way athletes approach skill development. Work the weak spots, hold the strong ones, and let the best version of each effort count.

For families weighing whether a retest makes sense, superscoring lowers the risk considerably. The upside can be significant, especially when it comes to admissions positioning and potential merit aid. The downside is limited to preparation time when that time is used intentionally.

Should Your Student Retake the ACT for Superscoring?

In most cases, yes, but only with a clear plan. A retest makes sense when:

• One or two sections pulled the composite down significantly
• The student has not yet invested in structured preparation
• Target schools use or recognize superscores
• There is enough time to prepare before the next test date

A retest without preparation rarely moves the needle and often reinforces the same score patterns.. According to research published by the ACT, students who retake the ACT without additional study improve by an average of less than 1 point. Preparation changes that outcome meaningfully.

Retesting is not always the right call. A student who has already submitted applications to early decision schools, or whose composite already meets or exceeds the 75th percentile for all target schools, may not gain enough to justify the effort. The goal is not a higher score for its own sake; it is a score that opens the right doors.

How Should Students Prepare Differently When Superscoring Is an Option?

Targeted section prep becomes the priority. Once a student has taken the ACT at least once, score reports reveal which sections have the most room to grow. Preparation should concentrate there.

Practical ways to approach section-focused prep:

• English: Practice grammar rules, punctuation patterns, and rhetorical skills questions, which are predictable and teachable
• Math: Identify missed question types by category (algebra, geometry, statistics) and drill those specifically
• Reading: Build timed passage strategies; pacing is often the gap more than reading ability
• Science: Focus on data interpretation and chart reading, as content knowledge matters less than analytical skills

General test prep that spreads time evenly across all sections is less efficient when superscoring is in play. The better return comes from diagnosing weak areas first and building a study schedule around them.

Working with experienced ACT coaches can make this process significantly more efficient and far more effective.A structured approach using practice test data removes guesswork and concentrates preparation time exactly where it produces measurable score gains.

What Customers Are Saying

Families who go through a targeted ACT prep plan often describe the change less in terms of numbers and more in terms of clarity and confidence. When students know which sections to focus on and why, retesting feels purposeful rather than stressful.

One parent noted that after working with a focused prep plan, their student stopped dreading test day and started approaching each section as a specific problem to solve. Another described the superscore strategy as the first time the whole testing process felt logical rather than random.

Understanding how superscoring works and having a plan built around it is the difference between hoping for improvement and preparing for it.

Where to Get ACT Test Prep in Madison, WI

OnCampus College Planning, based in Fitchburg just outside Madison, works one-on-one with students on exactly this kind of targeted, strategic preparation. Their process starts with practice test data, identifies section-level gaps, and builds a prep schedule that fits around school and activity schedules.

With 98% of students improving their ACT scores and an average gain of five points, the approach is grounded in measurable results, not promises. has already taken the ACT once and target schools superscore, there is a clear opportunity to prepare with purpose, elevate your student’s score, and strengthen their position with target schools.

Start with ACT test prep in Madison to build a plan around your student’s section scores and testing timeline.

Ready to build a smarter ACT strategy, one that actually moves the needle?

Schedule a Free Consult or Contact Us to get started.

How Early Should You Start the College Search Process?

by Tom Kleese | Apr 25, 2026 | College Planning Blog

Most families assume the college search process begins in junior year. That’s when things feel real—ACT testing, campus visits, and conversations about applications start to pick up speed.

The problem is, waiting until junior year often turns what should be a thoughtful, strategic process into a rushed one.

According to the National Association for College Admission Counseling, the most important factors in college admissions—grades in college prep courses and strength of curriculum—are built over multiple years. In other words, the foundation for college admissions success is already in motion long before most families begin thinking about it.

So how early should you start the college search process?

The answer isn’t simply “early.” It’s about starting at the right time, in the right way, so your student can build clarity without unnecessary pressure.

What Does the College Search Process Actually Include?

Before talking about timing, it helps to define what the college search process really is—and what it is not.

It’s not just scrolling through rankings or visiting a few campuses junior year.

A strong college search process includes:

• Understanding your student’s academic strengths and interests
• Identifying social preferences (size, location, campus culture)
• Exploring academic programs and opportunities
• Evaluating cost and potential merit aid
• Visiting campuses with purpose
• Building a balanced list of colleges that are a true fit

At OnCampus, we often refer to this as building a personalized roadmap—what we call the University of You™ approach. The goal is not just to find colleges, but to find the right colleges.

Families who approach this process with structure and intention consistently feel more confident in their decisions and far less stressed along the way.

Is It Too Early to Start the College Search in Middle School?

For most families, yes middle school is too early to formally begin the college search process.

That said, exposure at this stage can still be valuable when it’s low-pressure and informal.

Examples of helpful early exposure:

• Visiting a college campus while traveling
• Talking about different types of schools (large universities vs. small colleges)
• Noticing what environments your student gravitates toward

The key is to keep it light. There should be no sense of evaluation or decision-making.

At this stage, the goal is simple: build awareness, not expectations.

Should Students Start the College Search in 9th or 10th Grade?

Yes but not in the way most people think.

Early high school is not the time to build a college list. It’s the time to build self-awareness.

Students should focus on:

• Taking appropriately challenging courses
• Exploring extracurricular activities
• Noticing what they enjoy and where they perform well
• Beginning to understand their academic strengths and gaps

This is where many families make a critical mistake. They either:

• Start too aggressively (jumping into rankings and lists), or
• Don’t think about college at all

The most effective approach sits in the middle.

When students enter junior year with a clearer understanding of themselves, the college search process becomes dramatically more efficient—and far more accurate.

Instead of guessing, they’re making informed decisions.

Why Junior Year Is the Most Important Year for College Search

Junior year is often where everything comes together.

This is when:

• ACT testing becomes a priority
• Campus visits become more intentional
• Students begin narrowing their college list
• Conversations about cost and merit aid become more concrete

This is also why junior year can feel overwhelming.

At OnCampus, we often describe junior year as the “heavy lifting” year. The difference is whether your student is building on a foundation—or starting from scratch.

Families who wait until junior year to begin the college search often feel like they’re constantly playing catch-up.

Families who start earlier are:

• Refining their list instead of building it from zero
• Making decisions with more clarity
• Approaching testing and visits with purpose

The timeline doesn’t just affect stress levels it directly impacts the quality of decisions your student makes.

Can You Start the College Search Too Late?

Yes and it happens more often than most families realize.

Starting late typically leads to:

• Rushed college lists based on familiarity instead of fit
• Missed opportunities for meaningful campus visits
• Increased pressure around ACT testing and timelines
• Limited ability to evaluate financial options and merit aid

When time is compressed, decisions become reactive.

Students may default to:

• Schools their friends are applying to
• Well-known names rather than best-fit options
• Last-minute choices that don’t reflect their goals

A structured, earlier approach creates space—space to explore, evaluate, and make decisions with confidence.

How Do You Know When Your Student Is Ready to Start?

Readiness has less to do with grade level and more to do with mindset.

Students are ready to engage in the college search process when they:

• Show curiosity about their future
• Are open to exploring different options
• Can reflect on what they like (and don’t like) academically and socially
• Are willing to participate in conversations about fit

Every student develops at a different pace, which is why a personalized approach matters.

The goal is not to rush the process. It’s to start when your student can engage in a way that is meaningful and productive.

Why Starting Earlier Leads to Better Outcomes

Families who start the college search process earlier consistently describe a different experience.

Instead of feeling rushed, they feel prepared.

Instead of guessing, they have a plan.

Instead of reacting to deadlines, they’re working ahead of them.

This leads to:

• Stronger, more balanced college lists
• Better alignment between student goals and school options
• More thoughtful campus visits
• Reduced stress during junior and senior year

Just as importantly, it creates space to connect other key parts of the process—like ACT preparation and application strategy—into a cohesive plan.

When everything is aligned, students are in a much better position to elevate their results.

What Customers Are Saying

Families who go through a structured college planning process often describe the experience in terms of clarity and confidence.

Parents frequently share that starting earlier:

• Reduced stress during junior year
• Helped their student feel more in control
• Made college visits more productive and less overwhelming

Students benefit as well. When they understand what they’re looking for and why, the process feels less like pressure and more like progress.

One student described it this way: “When we first started looking at colleges, I was really overwhelmed. But when we started working with Tom, I became so much more calm…It was really nice to work with someone one-on-one to find the ‘College of Claire”

That shift—from reactive to strategic—is where the real value lies.

Where to Start the College Search Process in Madison, WI

OnCampus College Planning works one-on-one with families in Madison and Dane County to guide students through a structured, personalized college search process.

Using the University of You™ methodology, students:

• Gain clarity on their strengths and goals
• Explore colleges that align with who they are
• Build a balanced list of best-fit and A+A (Accessible + Affordable) schools
• Develop a plan that evolves over time

This isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s a step-by-step process designed to remove guesswork and replace it with clarity.

For families who want a more intentional, less stressful path forward, working with experienced college planning coaches provides both structure and peace of mind.

Build a Smarter College Search Plan

The college search process doesn’t need to feel rushed or overwhelming.

With the right timing and a clear plan, it becomes a structured, manageable experience—one that helps your student make confident, informed decisions.

If you’re ready to move from uncertainty to clarity, the next step is simple.

Schedule your free consultation today.

The Right College Fit: A Parent’s Guide to Smarter College Planning

by Tom Kleese | Apr 24, 2026 | College Planning Blog

Most Wisconsin families start the college search the same way. They pull up a rankings list, circle the names they recognize, and start building a plan around prestige. It feels like the responsible thing to do.

But according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, the national first-year student retention rate hovers around 69 percent. That number tells a different story. A lot of students end up at schools that looked right on paper but were not a good fit for them.

The “best” college on a list isn’t always the best for your student. Finding the right fit is what actually leads to four years of growth, confidence, and a degree worth celebrating.

What Does “College Fit” Actually Mean?

College fit means finding a school where your teen can genuinely thrive, not just get accepted. At OnCampus College Planning, we call this finding your student’s University of You. Schools are the ones that match who they actually are, not who rankings say they should be.

Academic fit looks at how your student learns. Do they do their best work in small seminar-style classes or do they thrive in a larger university setting? Does the school offer strong programs in their intended major, and what does flexibility look like if they change direction?

Social fit is about belonging. Will your teen find their community on that campus? Does the culture, size, and location match how they want to spend four years of their life?

Financial fit is about what your family can realistically sustain. A school that requires borrowing far beyond your student’s likely earning potential in their chosen field is not a good fit, regardless of its ranking.

Personal fit covers everything else. Distance from home, campus environment, and whether your student simply felt right when they walked onto that campus.

Rankings measure prestige. Fit measures whether your student will actually be happy and successful at a particular school.

Why College Rankings Can Be Misleading for Families

College rankings focus on metrics that matter more to institutions than to individual students. They weigh factors like acceptance rates, alumni giving, and research output. None of those things tells you whether your teen will connect with professors, find their people, or feel at home.

A school ranked 50th might offer the exact engineering program your student needs, with smaller classes and more hands-on research opportunities than the school ranked 20th. The number does not tell that story.

Test scores matter too, and strong ACT prep can open doors to merit aid and more options. But scores are one part of the picture. Where your student will thrive is a different question entirely, and it is one worth spending real time on. Learn more about our ACT test prep approach if that part of the process is still ahead of you.

How Can You Identify the Right Academic Fit for Your Teen?

Start by looking at whether the college offers strong programs in your teen’s intended area of study and what flexibility looks like if they arrive undecided. Class sizes and student-to-faculty ratios tell you a lot about how much individual attention your student will actually receive.

Support services matter too. Tutoring centers, academic advising, and disability services are worth investigating early, not after your student is already enrolled and struggling. Graduation rates broken down by major give you a clearer picture than the institution-wide number.

Talking to current students in your teen’s field of interest is one of the most underused research steps. Ask about professor accessibility, internship connections, and what the academic culture actually feels like from the inside.

Good college search guidance helps you build a list of schools that fit your student’s academic profile from the start. Once that list is in place, college applications and essays become the next step in showing admissions offices exactly why your student belongs there.

How Important Is Social and Campus Culture Fit?

Social fit shapes whether your student wakes up on a Monday morning feeling like they belong or like they made a wrong turn. It is harder to measure than a GPA cutoff but it matters just as much.

Think about campus size and location honestly. Some students need the energy of a large university. Others do their best work in a smaller, more tight-knit environment. Neither is wrong. The question is which one fits your student.

Campus culture, the social scene, student organizations, and the values of the community your teen will spend four years in all deserve real attention during campus visits. A visit is not just a tour. It is a chance to pay attention to how your student feels when they walk around, eat in the dining hall, and sit in on a class.

How Should Families Think About Financial Fit?

Financial fit means choosing a school your family can realistically afford across all four years, not just the first year offer letter.

Run the net price calculator on each school’s website before getting too attached to any option. That number gives you a much clearer picture of what your family will actually pay after financial aid is applied.

Merit aid is worth comparing carefully. Some schools that are not highly ranked offer very generous scholarships to attract strong students. Your teen’s ACT score and academic profile can make a real difference in what ends up on the table. Factor in your student’s intended career path and likely starting salary when you are weighing how much borrowing makes sense.

What Role Should Parents Play in the College Fit Process?

Parents play an important role in this process, and the most effective one is asking good questions rather than steering toward familiar names.

Try asking your student what kind of environment brings out their best work, what they are looking forward to most about college, and what they are honestly nervous about. Those answers tell you more about fit than any ranking.

Visit campuses together and pay attention to what your student says afterward. Debrief over dinner. The details they bring up on their own are the ones that matter most to them.

Sharing concerns about finances and logistics is completely appropriate. This is a major family decision. The goal is to make sure your student’s voice leads the process, with your support and guidance alongside it.

What Customers Are Saying

Parents working with On Campus College Planning report feeling less anxious about the college search once they shifted focus from rankings to fit. “We were so focused on getting our daughter into a ‘top’ school that we missed what she actually needed,” one Madison parent shared. “The guidance helped us build a list of schools where she could genuinely succeed.”

Where to Get College Fit Guidance in Madison, WI

OnCampus College Planning has guided more than 1,000 Wisconsin families through the college search process. Tom works one-on-one with students to find their University of You, the school that fits who they actually are across every dimension that matters.

Every plan is built around your student’s academic strengths, personal values, financial picture, and goals. That means no one-size-fits-all list and no pressure to chase names your neighbors will recognize.

OnCampus serves families throughout Madison and the greater Dane County area. If the college search is on your radar for this year or the next, the earlier you start building a plan, the less stressful the whole process becomes. Explore our college planning services to see how the process works.

Ready to stop guessing and start building a real plan? Schedule a free consultation with Tom and take the first step toward finding your student’s University of You. Schedule your free consult here or book-a-15-min-call to get started.

What Colleges Really Look for Beyond Grades and Test Scores

by Tom Kleese | Mar 22, 2026 | College Planning Blog

Many families operate under a straightforward assumption: high grades and a strong ACT score are what colleges look for. In practice, what colleges look for beyond grades and test scores is a much fuller picture of the student. According to The Educators Room, 92% of colleges now evaluate applicants through holistic review, meaning admissions officers weigh far more than academic performance when building an incoming class. Understanding what actually tips the decision gives students a real edge.

Do Colleges Only Care About Grades and Test Scores?

No. Grades establish that a student is academically prepared, nothing more.

Once that bar is cleared, admissions officers turn their attention to what separates one qualified candidate from the next. At selective schools, most applicants already meet the academic benchmarks. The difference between an acceptance and a rejection often comes down to everything on the application that numbers cannot capture.

What Personal Qualities Do Colleges Value Most?

When admissions officers talk about what they want in applicants, the same themes come up: curiosity, initiative, resilience, and self-awareness. A student who brings those qualities is far more likely to contribute to campus culture, manage setbacks, and grow over four years than one whose application reads as a checklist.

Why Character and Mindset Matter

Admissions offices are not simply assembling a class; they are shaping a campus. A student whose application reflects genuine intellectual curiosity, shown through a research project, self-directed coursework, or an unconventional approach to a problem, gives admissions officers something to remember.

Setbacks matter, too. Students who can describe a real failure or a difficult stretch of time, and explain what changed because of it, tend to stay with a reader long after the file is closed. That kind of self-awareness is harder to fake than a polished list of accomplishments.

How Important Are Extracurricular Activities and Leadership?

Four years of focused involvement in one activity carries more weight than a resume packed with clubs the student barely attended. Admissions officers are not counting memberships; they are looking for evidence that a student showed up, took initiative, and built something.

What Admissions Officers Are Really Reading

When reviewing the activities section, admissions officers ask three core questions:

• What does this student care about? Genuine, sustained interest in an activity carries more weight than a roster of groups with minimal involvement.
• How did they grow? A title is not required. Coaching a younger teammate, organizing a fundraiser, or quietly taking on more responsibility at a part-time job all send the same signal.
• What did they build or contribute? Evidence of initiative and real impact, even on a small scale, tells a clearer story than participation alone.

The activities section is not a scorecard; it is a record of what a student chose to do when no one was grading them.

Why Do Essays and Applications Matter So Much?

The college essay is the one part of the application where a student speaks for themselves, without a rubric or a grade attached. Admissions officers read these closely, and the good ones are hard to forget.

Storytelling, Authenticity, and Voice

A strong essay goes beyond listing accomplishments. It shows how a student processes experience, what they find worth writing about, and how they think. Admissions officers read thousands of essays each cycle. The ones that hold attention are rarely the most technically polished; they are the most honest.

Essays also provide context that numbers alone cannot convey. A student whose GPA dipped during a difficult semester can use the essay or additional information section to explain the circumstances and demonstrate their recovery.

Families can access college application guidance through OnCampus from brainstorming through final submission, with coaching that focuses on voice and story, not just grammar. Families who want to understand the full scope of support available can review the college planning services to find a structured, end-to-end option that fits their timeline.

What Role Do Recommendations and Context Play?

Context matters more than many families realize. Admissions officers are trained to read applications alongside the opportunities a student had access to and those they did not.

How Letters of Recommendation Add Insight

A strong recommendation delivers something the rest of the application cannot: an outside perspective. Teachers and counselors can speak to how a student engages in the classroom, handles pressure, and treats people around them. Specifically, officers look for:

Context also applies to the school itself. A student who pursues the most rigorous courses available at their high school, even when those options are limited, earns more credit than one who coasts through an easier path at a resource-rich school. Admissions officers evaluate students in light of their circumstances, not against a universal standard.

How Can Students Succeed Without Perfect Stats?

Plenty of students with uneven transcripts earn admission to selective schools each year because of compelling essays, genuine leadership, and strong letters of recommendation.

Focus on Alignment, Growth, and Self-Awareness

Applications that work tend to feel consistent. When the activities section, the essay, and the recommendations all point toward the same strengths and interests, admissions officers get a clear picture of the actual person. The strongest candidates show three things:

• Alignment: Their academic interests, activities, and stated goals point in the same direction.
• Growth: They have taken on harder challenges over time, in coursework, leadership, or personal development.
• Self-awareness: They can articulate who they are, what they care about, and why a particular school fits their goals.

A student who had a rough start and turned things around is often a more interesting read than one with a spotless four-year record. Recovery and redirection say something about a person that perfect grades simply do not.

Starting early gives students more time to build an authentic record that reflects these qualities. For families who want a clear roadmap from the beginning, working with a college admissions counselor helps identify which experiences and strengths to highlight, and which gaps to address before senior year.

What Customers Are Saying

“I’m so excited about applying. I feel really confident in my application now, where I was literally a nervous wreck beforehand.”

— Annika H., Student

“We wanted to get this right from the start. It’s too big of a decision to go into it halfway. It’s a small price to pay for the comfort of knowing that in the end, you made the right choice.”

— Melissa N., Parent

Where to Get College Application Guidance in Madison, WI

OnCampus College Planning has guided more than 1,000 Wisconsin families through the admissions process with personalized, one-on-one coaching. The team understands what a holistic review looks like in practice and knows how to help students articulate the qualities and experiences that matter most to admissions officers.

For Madison-area students, that means working with a local team that knows the Wisconsin school calendar, state ACT testing requirements, and the types of stories that resonate with admissions readers. The goal is to help each student present who they actually are, not a generic version of a competitive applicant.

Ready to build an application that reflects your student’s full story? Schedule your free consultation and start with a clear, personalized strategy for college application help in Madison.

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