Brandon Huggins Period 3 ACT versus SAT Brandon Huggins Period 3

About the SAT The SAT is the nation's most widely used admissions test among colleges and universities. It tests students' knowledge of subjects that are necessary for college success: reading, writing, and mathematics. The SAT is typically taken by high school juniors and seniors.

More About the SAT… It tells students how well they use the skills and knowledge they have attained in and outside of the classroom. Each section of the SAT is scored on a scale of 200-800, with writing scores for multiple-choice questions and the essay. It’s administered seven times a year in the U.S. and U.S. territories, and six times a year overseas.

SAT Questions The SAT includes several different question types. Such as: a student-produced essay, multiple-choice questions, and grid-in responses. In addition to the nine scored sections of the SAT, there’s one 25-minute section that’s not scored.

Facts About the SAT Last year, 1.5 million of students in the class of 2008 took the SAT. Average scores for the class of 2008 remained stable at 502 for critical reading, 515 for mathematics and 494 for writing. Most universities require the SAT on the East & Western coasts.

About the ACT The ACT consists of four multiple-choice subject tests covering English, Math, Reading, and Science, and the optional writing section at the end of the test. The writers of the ACT pride themselves on the regularity and predictability of their tests. They claim that every test has the same breakdown of question types. The ACT writers believe that it’s very important to maintain these numbers. They will not vary.

ACT Questions There’s 75 English, 60 Math, 40 Reading, and 40 Science questions. The test questions you on the following subjects: English, Reading, Math, Science, and Writing(optional).

Facts About the ACT About 1 in 3,300 of 2008 graduates who took the ACT had scored 36. In 26 states, more than 50% of high school graduates take the ACT. The top five states in numbers of ACT-tested high school graduates are: Illinois, Michigan, Florida, Ohio, and Texas. (In order) All of the Ivy League schools accept ACT scores.

Different Formats The two exams have different formats and test different subject matter. These differences are significant enough that you might feel much more comfortable taking one test rather than the other.

Different Philosophies The SAT tries to assess “innate ability.” By using tricky and confusing phrasing to determine your test-taking skills. The ACT strives to assess the knowledge you’ve acquired. It mainly focuses on subjects and skills taught in high school. The ACT writers want to test your knowledge by letting you know precisely what you need to know and then see how well you can learn it.

What to Consider… Your strengths in comparison with the subjects tested by both tests. Since the ACT has a high-level Mathematics section, those who are weaker in English should consider it over the SAT. If you feel you’re at a higher level in English than Math, you should take the SAT.

College Requirements The majority of colleges, particularly those on the East and West Coasts, still require an SAT score as part of the application. But depending on the schools to which you are applying, you may have a choice between the ACT and the SAT. If you do choose to take the writing test, your writing scores will be sent to all schools regardless of whether or not they require the writing test.

ACT or SAT? After doing this project, I’ve come to the conclusion that there is no one right answer. Each student has to make a tough decision, which gets even tougher in the intense competitive environment every student faces in the quest to get into a well-known and respected college.