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The ACT vs. the SAT
The ACT
and the SAT are the two most prominent standardized tests
used for college admissions. Until recently, the ACT was required
by colleges and universities in the Midwest, while the SAT
was used by schools along the coasts and in the Northeast.
This no longer applies, and today nearly all colleges will
accept either test score for admission.
The ACT
is a content-based test, and includes sections on English,
Reading, Math, and Science. It has an optional Writing portion,
which is required by some colleges. Many experts believe the
ACT is a better measure of a student's retention of high school
curriculum because it is more content-oriented. The SAT, on
the other hand, is often considered to be more of an intelligence
test because it focuses on a student's problem-solving and
reasoning abilities. The SAT includes Reading, Math, and a
required Writing portion.
The following
chart diagrams the major differences between the two tests:
| |
ACT |
SAT |
| Guessing
Strategy |
No
penalty for wrong answers |
One-fourth
point penalty for wrong answers |
| Score
Reporting |
Only
specified scores sent to specified schools |
All
scores sent to specified schools |
| Math |
Tests
Algebra II and Trig |
Tests
basic Algebra II (does not test Trig) |
| English
|
Emphasizes
grammar |
Tests
grammar, usage, and word choice |
| Writing |
Optional
essay |
Required
essay |
| Science |
Required
science section |
Does
not test science |
| Reading |
Reading
passages in English, Reading, and Science sections; no
sentence completions |
Reading
passages in Reading sections only; sentence completion
questions |
| Question
Format |
All
multiple choice |
Multiple
choice and 10 “Grid-in” questions |
Most students
today are taking both tests multiple times. If you plan to
only take one test, we recommend that you do a bit of research
to determine whether that test should be the ACT or the SAT.
First, check with the colleges and universities to which you
plan to apply. The admissions department may require one or
the other, and may also offer scholarships based on scores
from a specific test. If the college accepts both tests, analyze
your strengths; students who are strong in math and science
typically do well on the ACT, while students who excel in
English and literature perform better on the SAT. You should
also take an ACT and an SAT practice test to see which test
plays to your strengths. You can download a free ACT test
from the ACT
website and a free SAT test from the College
Board website.
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