Will January ACT affect regular college decisions?

Taking the January ACT for regular decision applications is typically cutting it very close, and the timing may be problematic for many universities. Most regular decision deadlines fall between January 1st and January 15th, while January ACT scores usually become available in late January or early February. This means your scores might arrive after the application deadline has passed.

For highly selective universities like Stanford and Berkeley, January ACT scores often arrive too late for regular decision consideration. Stanford's regular decision deadline is January 5th, and Berkeley's is January 3rd. These institutions generally require all testing to be completed and scores submitted by their application deadlines. Waiting for January ACT scores could put your application at a disadvantage or result in your scores not being considered at all.

Your best approach is to check each university's specific testing policies and deadlines. Some schools might accept January scores if you indicate on your application that they're forthcoming, but many competitive universities require all materials, including test scores, to be submitted by their stated deadlines. Contact the admissions offices directly to verify their policies regarding January test scores, as requirements can vary by institution.

If you're planning to take the January ACT, consider also submitting your current scores with your applications to meet deadlines, then following up with the new scores if the schools allow updates. However, be prepared that many selective universities may not consider these later scores for regular decision admission.