I’m a junior in high school who has some lofty goals for college, and I understand that part of the process for really good schools is getting a good ACT score. I took it last summer and got a 34 composite, and I now have a 35 superscore. I thought that that was good enough, but I didn’t study that much for it (just took a practice test and reviewed some techniques). My worst section was math, mostly because the math on the ACT is from classes I haven’t taken in a few years, so I was a little rusty. However, I’m proud with my score and feel like it is more than adequate.

My parents, however, don’t think the same way. They think I need to take the ACT one more time, and put some serious study time into it. I don’t really want to (but am anyways) and expressed my frustration with them.

My logic: my score is still really good. The ACT is supposed to be an aptitude (predictor of future success) test rather than an achievement (test of learned skills) test, so studying for the ACT is learning to get good at the ACT and not good for what the test actually wants to test. I don’t want to take it again and take the time to study when I could do other things. Also, the other parts of my application are strong, so if my ACT is “weak” to my parents, they’re forgetting that I have other stuff as well. Also, I feel like if I took it again I’d be doing it for them and not for myself which makes me feel icky. I feel like I’d only be getting my score up so they could show off or something, which I know they wouldn’t but still feel like they would.

Their logic: I could improve my score. I know I could do better if I studied more, and one or two more points on the composite could possibly sway my results for college admission. There’s no harm in taking it again, and I’ll be happy if I improve anyways, even if I’m upset about it now.

AITA for being mad at my parents about retaking this test?