It is clear that higher ACT and SAT scores trend strongly with admittance to selective, highly-selective, and uber-selective schools.
“40% of officials at 130 colleges said a 20-point math increase or a 10-point reading increase would “significantly improve a student’s chances of admission” if all other factors in a student’s application were the same.”
What is much less well known is that high ACT and SAT scores are strongly linked to scholarships and merit-based financial aid.
There are two types of financial aid: Merit-Based and Need-Based. Merit-Based aid is largely determined by GPA and standardized test scores. Merit-based scholarships can range from $1,000 to sums in excess of $200,000, covering full tuition, room and board, books, and a living stipend. As seen in the examples below, students often need minimum SAT or ACT scores in order to be considered.
When weighing the financial investment of a test prep program, many families find it useful to compare the initial outlay against the possible scholarship dollars that might be won.
“Improving a student’s SAT score from 1200 to 1400 increased the probability of receiving a scholarship by 55%.”