Is a 25 on the ACT a good score for colleges?

A 25 on the ACT places you above the national average of 20.6, putting you in approximately the 79th percentile of all test takers. This means you scored higher than about 79% of students who took the ACT, making it a solid score for many colleges and universities.

For engineering programs, your ACT score of 25 will make you competitive at many good state universities, though top-tier engineering schools typically prefer scores of 28 or higher. At Michigan State University, a 25 ACT falls within their middle 50% range of accepted students, which is 23-29. For the University of Minnesota, this score is slightly below their middle 50% range of 26-31, but admission remains possible with strong grades and extracurricular activities.

Your ACT score is just one component of your college application. Admissions officers also heavily weigh your GPA, coursework rigor, extracurricular activities, and essays. If you're concerned about your score, focus on strengthening these other aspects of your application. Taking challenging STEM courses, maintaining strong grades, and participating in engineering-related activities can help offset an ACT score that's below a school's average.

If you have time before application deadlines, you might consider retaking the ACT, especially if you're targeting more selective engineering programs. Many students see improvement on their second attempt after becoming familiar with the test format and timing. However, if retaking isn't an option, remember that many excellent engineering programs at state universities and regional colleges will seriously consider applicants with ACT scores in the mid-20s, particularly when combined with strong academic performance in math and science courses.