Welcome! SAT and ACT Information Session Presented by Lynn Johnson College Tutors

Why are there two different tests? Common Questions Why are there two different tests? Why do most colleges require an SAT or ACT Does my student need to take both tests? Think coke and pepsi -- battle for market share Give colleges a tool that indicates possible college readiness All schools will accept either test 90% of students score similarly on the two tests

Does your student need to write the essay? Common Questions Does your student need to write the essay? Do you need to send all scores to every school? What is a good score? My recommendation is yes, write the essay Some schools demand the essay be completed (UT) Incase student adds a school late in the process that wants the essay, error on safe side It Depends….some schools require this (Rice) some schools will Super Score (Baylor) SAT designed so that average come in around 1000 ACT designed so that average comes in around 20 The bell has steep sides: ie for the SAT nearly 40% of all test takers fall between 950 and 1150 Nearly 65% fall between 850 and 1250 Less than 20% score above 1250 Less that 10% score above 1350 What score are your schools looking for? What scores can help you scholarship $$

This test is unlike anything else students have done Why All The Stress? This test is unlike anything else students have done Marathon, 4 solid hours, with time limits Broad range of topics, tests both memory and understanding

Day to day school performance is still #1 piece To Reduce The Stress Students should keep in mind, these tests are only ONE piece of the admissions puzzle. Day to day school performance is still #1 piece

GPAs have risen in the last 25 years, test scores have remained same Interesting Note GPAs have risen in the last 25 years, test scores have remained same In 1991 less than 30% of seniors applying to college had an A average In 2015 almost 50% (48%) of seniors applying had an A average During the same time period, test scores remained consistent That being said, test scores are still only 1 piece of the admissions puzzle. They are NOT the #1 piece

Let’s Compare: Similarities Both tests have 4 sections Both tests take close to 4 hours to complete SAT 3 hours 50 minutes, including the essay ACT 3 hours 35 minutes, including the essay Both test have NO penalty for wrong answers Both tests are about how many questions you answer correctly SAT Reading, Writing & Language, Math (no calculator), Math (w/calculator) and optional Essay ACT English, Math, Reading, Science and optional Essay SAT no longer has a penalty for wrong answers (student should leave NO blanks on either test) It may sound counter intuitive, but slowing down can often help a student improve their score. The goal is to answer more questions correctly, not just answer more questions.

Let’s Compare: SAT Writing&Language/ACT English Most similar section of the 2 tests SAT 35 minutes 44 questions ACT 45 minutes 75 questions Both test basic grammar and punctuation SAT has more complex passages SAT has more emphasis on rhetorical skills ACT Writing The reading level on the SAT is slightly higher. The SAT will ask some main idea type questions in this section The material on the ACT looks like peer tutoring (as if it were written by a high school student) As will all sections of the test, the SAT allows more time per question

Let’s Compare: SAT/ACT Reading SAT 65 minutes 52 questions SAT typically has more complex passages SAT has more inference/evidence questions ACT 35 minutes 40 questions ACT more emphasis on basic reading comprehension ACT is a speed challenge ACT Reading questions. Reading level on SAT varies from high school level to early college level reading SAT test for a deeper understanding of what is being read SAT has 2 part questions where the student had to ID the lines upon which they based a previous answer Reading level on ACT stays in the high school level ACT test a more basic reading comprehension ACT gives less time per questions, again speed is a big factor SAT Reading

Let’s Compare: SAT/ACT Math Both tests cover Pre-Alg – Trig SAT 60+% Algebra ACT 30% Algebra SAT has 2 Math sections (formulas provided) No Calculator Section 25m/20q Calculator Section 55m/38q 13 Grid-In questions (not multiple choice) Requires deeper understanding of fewer concepts Math section has some of the biggest differences

Let’s Compare SAT/ACT Math ACT has 1 Math section (NO formulas provided) Calculator allowed 60m/60q Covers extensive range of concepts Questions are more straight forward than SAT Time is a challenge ACT has more straight forward questions, but gives few clues You either know it or you don’t

Let’s Compare: SAT/ACT Science ACT Science is another reading section 40 questions 35 minutes ACT does not test Biology, Chemistry, Physics ACT is “technical” reading / charts and graphs SAT does not have a stand alone science section Incase a student is leaning toward the ACT because the reading section is shorter, Surprise Science is just another reading section…just a different type of reading

Let’s Compare: SAT/ACT Essay SAT – Rhetorical Analysis Emphasizes understanding and analyzing how arguments are crafted 3 scores 2-8 (Reading, Analysis, Writing) ACT – Argumentative Essay Emphasizes crafting and comparing arguments Allows more creativity 4 scores 2-12 (Ideas & Analysis, Development & Support, Organization, Language Use and Conventions) While some colleges are requiring student write the essay, I do not know any that publish a required or desired score range

Let’s Compare: SAT/ACT Essay Both tests are looking for a clear thesis Both tests are looking for strong structure, clear writing, good support for thesis, and proper spelling, grammar and punctuation. Rubric for grading each essay can be found on the respective websites. The Essay score is a stand alone score on both tests Stand alone score means it does not figure into the SAT Reading/writing&Language Score Of the ACT English score

Tips to Improve Performance Write in the test booklet Remember Easy and Hard questions have the same point value Know when and how to use your calculator Learn to recognize question types Use a two pass approach Read actively and do not skip straight to the questions (Reading Section) Do the questions as you read the passage (ACT English/SAT Writing & Language sections) Work backward using the answer choices (Math Section)

Parting Shot The single biggest thing a student can do to improve their score on any standardized test is READ. Questions?