SAT or ACT: Test Your Best

You might
wonder why you have to choose between the SAT and the ACT. Ten or twenty
years ago, choosing which test to take wasn't even an issue. Until
recently, the ACT was traditionally required by colleges in the Midwest,
and the SAT was the test of choice in the Northeast and on the east and
west coasts. But now an increasing number of students are taking the
ACT, and the majority of schools in the United States now accept both SAT
and ACT test results.

What's the Difference?

Admissions officers and
educators often describe the difference between SAT and ACT in these
terms: the ACT is a content-based test, whereas the SAT tests critical
thinking and problem solving. But the SAT and ACT reward different
attributes, so performing well on each test can boil down to what kind of
test taker you are. Many students embarking on the admissions process are
now considering both the SAT and ACT, to figure out which test provides
a better showcase for their abilities.

* The Verbal Sections

A good
vocabulary is definitely helpful on the SAT sentence completions and
analogies. But equally important is a student's ability to use their
reasoning skills on tough vocabulary. On the other hand, the ACT English
section tests student's understanding of standard written English through
a series of sentence and paragraph correction questions based on
reading passages.

The SAT Critical Reading section tests critical thinking
skills. Questions on passages revolve around interpreting the
underlying points of words, phrases, or examples, and relating these details to
the author's overall argument. However, the ACT reading questions often
revolve around student's ability to locate details and facts, and
making sure they picked out accurate information.

* The Math Sections

The
majority of the math material on the two exams is comparable, but there
are some differences. For example, trigonometry is tested on the ACT,
but not on the SAT.

SAT questions often combine several concepts, and
part of the challenge is figuring out just what you're asked to do. ACT
math questions require students to call on a particular concept or
formula. Also, each SAT math section contains some key math facts and
formulas. The ACT does not have this information.

Here are some of the
factors that make the SAT and ACT different

* The ACT includes a science
reasoning test; the SAT does not.

* The ACT math section includes
trigonometry.

* The ACT tests English grammar; the SAT does not.

* The
SAT tests vocabulary much more than the ACT.

* The SAT is not entirely
multiple choice.

* The SAT has a guessing penalty; the ACT does
not.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I start preparing?

Students
should prepare early (junior year or before) and test early - in the
spring of the junior year. This gives them the chance to retake the test if
they need a higher score, without delaying their college
application.

If I take the test more than once, will this count against
me?

Absolutely not. If a student's score improves, they'll improve their chances
of acceptance, and many admissions officers regard repeated testing as
evidence of the student's commitment.

Do colleges look at the highest
score, or average them out?

This varies from school to school. Some
schools average the student's scores. However, many just take the
student's highest score, taking into consideration how many times they've taken
the test.

Both the SAT and ACT are important parts of your
application. But they're only one of several factors, from your courses and
grades to recommendations and your personal statement, that colleges
consider.

Adapted from Kaplan's SAT or ACT? Test Your Best; 2/99