2. Big IDEAS you should know about ACT and SAT
ACT measures student achievement in English Composition, Writing, Social Sciences, College Algebra and Biology
ACT sets benchmarks for student achievement that are empirically derived based on the actual performance of students in college.
The ACT definition of college and career readiness is widely accepted as the industry standard.
Kershena
Before we begin, there are a few things that we thought may help you in understanding the full suite of ACT assessments.

3. Some students score substantially higher on the SAT.
Colleges will accept either the SAT or ACT.
So which should you take?
Some students score substantially higher on the SAT.
Others do better on the ACT.
The Princeton Review offers a free assessment to help you determine which test is best for you.
Many colleges take both college entrance exams. Therefore, it is to a students advantage to take the entrance exam that best fits their academic background.

4. New SAT Overview Structure Timing Scoring Category Features
Evidence-based Reading & Writing
Math
Optional Essay
Structure
Timing
3 hours + 50 minutes with Optional Essay
Now scored on a scale of 1600
New optional Essay scored separately
No more guessing penalty
Scoring

5. Test & Cross-Test Scores
Scoring Details
Composite Score
Sum of the two Area Scores
Range of
Area Score
Math
Range of
Area Score
Evidence-Based Reading + Writing
Range of
This section is complicated but important! There are significant changes to scoring
The Composite score - most similar to the score we know and love - is a sum of two area scores
One Area score for Math, one for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
The two area scores are translated from three test scores - Math, Reading, and Writing & Language - these tests are scored on a scale of
Test & Cross-Test Scores
3 Test Scores: Math, Reading, and Writing & Language
2 Cross-Test Scores: Science, History/Social Studies
Range of

6. Updated ACT Overview Scoring Math Reading Category Features
No changes to 1-36 scoring
New scores reported
ELA
STEM
Career Readiness
Text Complexity
Scoring
Math
More probability & statistics
Reading
New paired passages

7. Average of four test scores (No writing)
ACT Composite Scores
The test maker then averages your four test scores for the composite, or overall, score. This is also scored using the 1-36 score range.
Composite
Average of four test scores (No writing)

8. Reading Skills Tested Words in Context SAT Words Words in Context
Evidence-based
Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension
Evidence-based
Words in Context
Reading Comprehension
Current SAT
New SAT
ACT

9. Math Skills Tested Data Analysis/Problem Solving
Number & Operations
Data Analysis/Problem Solving
Geometry
Algebra
Algebra
Geometry
Geometry
Algebra
Trig
Trig
Current SAT
New SAT
ACT

10. Writing Skills Tested Grammar/Usage/Mechanics Rhetorical Skills
Essay
Current SAT
New SAT
ACT

11. New SAT and ACT: 5 Key Differences
The New SAT has a greater focus on History & Social Studies passages
Both focus on Algebra, but the New SAT has a greater emphasis on Data Analysis & Problem Solving
The ACT requires more Science reading
The New SAT requires more mental math
The New SAT has grid-in questions, and an extended thinking grid-in question
ACT?
New SAT?
What’s the Difference?

12. Essay (subsection of English Test)
Average ACT Scores by Test
Average Test Scores by Subject:
Test
Score Range
Average Score
English
1-36
20.1
Math
20.6
Reading
21.3
Science
20.8
Essay (subsection of English Test)
2-12
6.9
Test
Score Range
Average Score
English
1-36
20.1
Math
20.6
Reading
21.3
Science
20.8
Essay (subsection of English Test)
2-12
6.9

13. ACT Scores of accepted students
20.8 Average Score
Here’s an approximation of what the distribution of score percentiles could look like:
What do all those numbers mean? In short, the middle-scoring 50% of incoming students scored within this range. 25% of incoming students scored below the lower number, while 25% of incoming students scored above the higher number. Everybody else (the middle 50%) scored between the two.

14. The 50th-percentile SAT composite score—the average SAT score—is 1080.
What is the average SAT Score:
The 50th-percentile SAT composite score—the average SAT score—is 1080.

15. In the Middle (Average Score)
Here’s a chart with the most recently-released ACT percentiles for composite scores:
ACT Percentiles for Composite Scores:
ACT SCORE
Percentile 16
Bottom 25% 20
In the Middle (Average Score)
24+
Top 25%
28+
Top 10%
30+
Top 5%
PERCENTILE 99 98 96 95 92 90 87 83 79 74 68 63 56 50 43 36 30 24 18 12 7 4 1
Top 1%

16. In the Middle (Average Score)
Here’s a chart with the most recently-released ACT percentiles for composite scores:
SAT Percentiles
Composite Score (Out of 1600)
SAT SCORE
Percentile
Bottom 25%
1080
In the Middle (Average Score)
1410+
Top 5%
1510+
Top 1%
1250 80
1190 71
1130 60 50
PERCENTILE 99 98 96 95 92 90 87 83 79 74 68 63 56 50 43 36 30 24 18 12 7 4 1

17. A strong ACT/SAT score can put you in the running for scholarships.
What is a Good Score For Scholarships?
A strong ACT/SAT score can put you in the running for scholarships.
Every 10 points a student earned above the average SAT score was worth around $115 in additional funds per year.

18. Merit Scholarship: GPA Geography Demonstrated interest Major
Colleges award scholarships based on academic performance and other non-academic criteria such as:
GPA
Geography
Demonstrated interest
Major
Community service, and more
Not based on a student’s financial need

19. Better Scores Can Earn You Big Rewards
Higher scores can increase a student’s desirability
It can increase the size of the aid package that student is offered.
In fact, standardized test scores (along with GPA and rigor of coursework) may determine who will receive merit scholarships.
Some schools even give out guaranteed scholarships to students whose scores meet a minimum threshold.

20. New SAT (starting March 2016)
The SAT Features
ACT
New SAT (starting March 2016)
Old SAT (before March 2016) 36
1600 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20

21. Scholarships applying for School you hope to attend
What does that look like?
ACT Score
Percentile 30
10th Percentile
Mid 20’s
Above 50 percentile
You can still get a scholarship even if you are scoring in the mid-20’s
Factors to Consider:
Scholarships applying for
School you hope to attend
GPA

22. What does that look like?
SAT Score
Percentile
1330
10th Percentile
Mid 1000’s
Above 50 percentile
You can still get a scholarship even if you are scoring in the mid-20’s
Factors to Consider:
Scholarships applying for
School you hope to attend
GPA

23. How Much Money Will You Get?
Nothing can change a student’s fortune faster than a big increase on the SAT or ACT.

24. No extra application or paperwork needed Based on:
Many Colleges Offer Automatic Scholarships based on SAT/ACT Scores
No extra application or paperwork needed
Based on:
ACT/SAT
Class Rank
GPA

25. School Name
SAT Scores*  (concordant)
ACT Scores**
GPA
Admit Rate
Merit Award***
Albion College
1140 23
3.37
72%
$18,800
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
930 20
3.56
88%
$16,240
Dickinson College
1350 31 NR
43%
$17,042
Illinois Wesleyan University
1100 24
3.75
58%
$15,636
Juniata College
1080 22
3.71
75%
$18,672
Le Moyne College
1150 25
3.45
65%
$18,839
Quinnipiac University
3.40
76%
$17,000
Rollins College
1200 27
3.32
61%
$19,085
Santa Clara University
1380
3.67
48%
$18,680
Saint Louis University
1070
3.89
$18,041
Texas Christian University
1230 28
38%
$17,824
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
3.97
62%
$17,107

26. Florida Gulf Coast University
So if you have at least a 3.0, a 2-point ACT increase gets you $1,000 more dollars. Read more about scholarships on FAMU’s admission website.
Florida Gulf Coast University
President’s Gold
Florida Resident
$5,000 per year
3.9 + GPA, SAT, 28+ ACT
President’s Silver
$3,000 per year
3.5 – 3.89 GPA, SAT, 25+ ACT
Blue and Green Scholars Award
Non-Florida Resident
$15,000 per year
Blue and Green Directors Award
$10,000 per year
3.5 – 3.89 GPA, 1220 SAT+, 25 ACT +
Florida Gulf Coast University
FGCU has scholarships based on GPA and SAT/ACT score, but you have to apply by November 15th to be considered.

27. So if you have at least a 3.0, a 2-point ACT increase gets you $1,000 more dollars. Read more about scholarships on FAMU’s admission website.
Florida A & M
Scholarship
Test Score Requirements
Math Score Requirements
FAMU GPA
Amount Per Year
George W. Gore
ACT 26/SAT 1170
ACT 26/SAT 550
3.5
$6,000
3.0
$5,000
Presidential Special Scholarship
ACT 24/SAT 1000
ACT 24/SAT 500
$2,000-5,000 (varies)
If you have at least a 3.0, a 2-point ACT increase gets you $1,000 more dollars. Read more about scholarships on FAMU’s admission website.

28. University of Texas at Arlington
So if you have at least a 3.0, a 2-point ACT increase gets you $1,000 more dollars. Read more about scholarships on FAMU’s admission website.
University of Texas at Arlington
Scholarship
Criteria
Award Amount Per Year
President’s Charter
1300 SAT / 29 ACT and top 10% of class or 3.5 GPA
$8,000
Outstanding Freshman
1200 SAT / 26 ACT and top 10% of class or 3.2 GPA
$6,000
Freshman Honors
1100 SAT / 24 ACT and top 20% of class
$4,000
UTA Top 10%
Top 10% of your high school class
$2,000 - can be combined with Charter, Outstanding, or Honors
UTA Top 50%
1200 SAT/26 ACT and top 50% of your high school class
Scholarship
Criteria
Award Amount Per Year
President’s Charter
1300 SAT / 29 ACT and top 10% of class or 3.5 GPA
$8,000
Outstanding Freshman
1200 SAT / 26 ACT and top 10% of class or 3.2 GPA
$6,000
Freshman Honors
1100 SAT / 24 ACT and top 20% of class
$4,000
UTA Top 10%
Top 10% of your high school class
$2,000 - can be combined with Charter, Outstanding, or Honors
UTA Top 50%
1200 SAT/26 ACT and top 50% of your high school class

29. College
School
Score
Amount of Scholarship
Baylor University
36 (perfect score)
$42,000 29
$29,000
Oklahoma State 24
$7,000 30
$12,500
Academic Classes, GPA and application requirements affect amount of distribution.