1. ACT/SAT Concordance What You Need to Know Speakers:
Jeff Allen, Ph.D., Director of Validity and Efficacy Research, ACT
Stephen J. Handel, Executive Director, Higher Education, The College Board
Timothy Moses, Robert L. Brennan Chair of Psychometric Research, The College Board
Kenton Pauls, Director of Higher Education Partnerships, ACT
Kenton
Speak to the collaboration
Recognizing sponsors
Focus on Q&A

2. Thank you to our co-sponsors!
National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACACnet.org)
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (aacrao.org)
Kenton
Speak to the collaboration
Recognizing sponsors
Focus on Q&A

3. Agenda Background, materials, and roll out
Concordance tables and explanatory notes
Go over key considerations and limitations
Q&A

4. Tell us a little about yourself…
Please take a moment to tell us about your background via the polling function.
Higher education admission/enrollment
K12 (counselor, educator, and administrator)
Independent education consultant
Student or parent
Other

5. Concordance Study: Background and Context  
Researchers from the College Board and ACT collaborated to conduct a new concordance study to compare scores between the ACT and the new SAT.
ACT and the College Board agreed to:
Use good psychometric standards
Produce three concordances
Standard language for documents, presentations, and communications
Joint webinars on using the new concordance tables
June 2016:
College Board and ACT agree to collaborate on a new ACT/SAT Concordance
June 2017:
Concordance study gets underway with psychometricians from ACT and SAT leading the charge.

6. Concordance Tables Guide and Explanatory Notes
   
ACT and the College Board have produced this guide to house the concordance tables and accompanying public explanatory material.
Download the Guide and Resources:
collegeboard.org/concordance
act.org/concordance
Tables also available via .xls

7.     
What is Concordance?
The term “concordance” refers to establishing a relationship between scores on assessments that measure similar (but not identical) constructs.
Concordance tables allow students, teachers, counselors, and higher education professionals compare scores between two tests that measure similar but not the same things.
A technically sound concordance allows students and professionals to compare scores from similar assessments to inform decisions.
A concorded score is not a perfect prediction of how a student would perform on the other test.
Concordance tables allow students, teachers, counselors, and higher education professionals compare scores between two tests that measure similar but not the same things.
A technically sound concordance allows students and professionals to compare scores from similar assessments to inform decisions.
A concorded score is not a perfect prediction of how a student would perform on the other test.
ACT and the College Board periodically produce ACT/SAT concordance tables to show how scores on each test compare. With the redesign of the SAT in 2016, researchers from the College Board and ACT conducted a new concordance study to produce concordance tables for students and institutions to use with these tests going forward.

8. Which Concordance Tables are Provided? ACT score to SAT score
     
Which Concordance Tables are Provided?
Tables are provided in both directions (SAT-to-ACT and ACT-to-SAT).
ACT score to
SAT score
ACT Composite
SAT Total
ACT Mathematics
SAT Math
ACT English + Reading
SAT ERW
Notes:
Concordance tables for the ACT Composite were derived from concordances of the ACT sum score.
ERW = Evidence-Based Reading and Writing.
Each ACT score is related to a range of SAT scores (or vice versa). For users who want to concord an ACT score to a single SAT score point (or vice versa), the most appropriate score point within the range is also provided.

9. How were the tables developed?
      
ACT and the College Board periodically produce ACT/SAT concordance tables to show how scores on each test compare.
With the redesign of the SAT in 2016, researchers from the College Board and ACT, in collaboration with the NCAA Technical Advisory Board, developed updated concordance tables that will serve the needs of students and institutions going forward.  
The tables are based on data from 589,753 students who were graduating seniors in and who took both the ACT and the new SAT tests between February 2016 (for the ACT) or March 2016 (for the SAT) and June 2017.
The sample was statistically weighted to reflect the demographics, school attributes, and high school grade point average (GPA) of all students who are likely to take the ACT, SAT, or both tests.
The sample was statistically weighted to reflect the demographics, school attributes, and high school grade point average (GPA)
ACT and the College Board periodically produce ACT/SAT concordance tables to show how scores on each test compare. With the redesign of the SAT in 2016, researchers from the College Board and ACT conducted a new concordance study to produce concordance tables for students and institutions to use with these tests going forward.

10. Potential Uses of Concordance Comparing SAT and ACT scores
       
Comparing SAT and ACT scores
Helps institutions/stakeholders when they need to compare scores from either test
Establishing a policy using comparable scores from both tests
An institution, scholarship, or program may use a specific test score as one factor to establish eligibility
Converting scores for use in a predictive model or index
Helpful for colleges and universities with indices or models that predict application, enrollment or student success
A variety of stakeholders use concordance tables to compare scores across the ACT and SAT to inform policies, processes, and decisions. College counselors, students, and their families use concordance tables to inform college searches and explorations. Policymakers, researchers, and K-12 educators use concordance tables to aggregate scores across tests to measure college readiness for groups of students. Colleges, universities, scholarship organizations, and athletic conferences also use concordances in a variety of ways including determining eligibility for a program or scholarship.
Compare SAT scores to ACT scores.
Enrollment officers often compare SAT and ACT scores to identify a student’s highest scores or to understand how a student’s scores relate to factors like GPA and courses taken and compare to other applicants.
Determine a policy or “cut” score on the SAT that is comparable to a current ACT policy score (or vice-versa).
Many institutions have set policies requiring a specific combination of high school GPA and test scores within a certain range to qualify for holistic admission review or for placement into a major or program. Colleges should avoid making decisions based on small variations in scores.
Convert an SAT score to an ACT score (or vice-versa) for use in a predictive model or index.
Many colleges and universities have built statistical indices or predictive models to predict the likelihood of a recruited student to apply and the likelihood of an admitted student to enroll. These models may incorporate a variety of factors such as distance of college from home, grade point average, and SAT and/or ACT scores. Research shows that using concorded scores in these models yields the same or similar results.
New research from the College Board studied the effect of using concorded scores in these reporting models that predict GPA or college completion and the results showed that using concorded scores in these models yields the same results as using earned test scores.
Remember: for models that use aggregate or average scores, institutions should concord individual scores first, then average.
Compute comparable scores to use in internal and external reports.
Institutional researchers may also use ACT and SAT scores in their reporting. This could include internal reports to presidents or provosts on emerging dynamics of a given class or reports to faculty and staff on issues related to course placement; or external reports like U.S. News and World Report or IPEDS.

11. Key Considerations and Limitations
        
The ACT and SAT are different tests. The ACT and SAT measure similar, but not identical, content and skills.
Concordances are used to compare individual scores, not aggregate scores. Users should avoid converting aggregate scores (e.g., mean, median, ranges) using concordance tables, as this could introduce additional sources of error.
Users should avoid making decisions based on a single concorded score. Admission and enrollment professionals should use multiple reliable and valid measures when making decisions.
Using SAT and ACT scores in a consistent, psychometrically appropriate way as one component of a holistic admission process will help ensure all students are treated fairly in the admission process. While the concordance tables can be used for a variety of purposes, higher education professionals should keep the following considerations and limitations in mind: .
Concordances are used to compare individual scores, not aggregate scores. Users should avoid converting aggregate scores (e.g., mean, median, ranges) using concordance tables, as this could introduce additional sources of error.
Users should avoid making decisions based solely on a concorded score. Admission and enrollment professionals should use multiple reliable and valid measures when making decisions to account for the many factors that impact academic performance in college.
Note the prediction error (more details below). Users should consider this when using the concordance tables to predict how a student would have performed on the ACT or the SAT.
Concordances are sample-dependent. While concordance results can vary by sample, the ACT/SAT concordance sample was statistically weighted to more closely reflect the demographics, school attributes, and high school GPA of the national population of students who take the ACT, SAT, or both tests.
Institutions should not superscore across the SAT and ACT tests. Superscoring across two different tests is an imprecise way of understanding whether a student meets a certain academic threshold. Combining scores from the ACT and the SAT in a single superscore is strongly discouraged.

12. Key Considerations and Limitations
         
Note the prediction error. Users should consider this when using the concordance tables to predict how a student would have performed on the ACT or SAT.
Concordances are sample-dependent. The concordance tables are based on scores from a sample of students who completed the SAT and the ACT within a specific timeframe.
Institutions should not superscore across the SAT and ACT tests. Superscoring across two different tests is an imprecise way of understanding whether a student meets a certain academic threshold and is strongly discouraged.
Using SAT and ACT scores in a consistent, psychometrically appropriate way as one component of a holistic admission process will help ensure all students are treated fairly in the admission process. While the concordance tables can be used for a variety of purposes, higher education professionals should keep the following considerations and limitations in mind: .
Concordances are used to compare individual scores, not aggregate scores. Users should avoid converting aggregate scores (e.g., mean, median, ranges) using concordance tables, as this could introduce additional sources of error.
Users should avoid making decisions based solely on a concorded score. Admission and enrollment professionals should use multiple reliable and valid measures when making decisions to account for the many factors that impact academic performance in college.
Note the prediction error (more details below). Users should consider this when using the concordance tables to predict how a student would have performed on the ACT or the SAT.
Concordances are sample-dependent. While concordance results can vary by sample, the ACT/SAT concordance sample was statistically weighted to more closely reflect the demographics, school attributes, and high school GPA of the national population of students who take the ACT, SAT, or both tests.
Institutions should not superscore across the SAT and ACT tests. Superscoring across two different tests is an imprecise way of understanding whether a student meets a certain academic threshold. Combining scores from the ACT and the SAT in a single superscore is strongly discouraged.

13. Concordance Tables ACT Composite to SAT Total
          
ACT Composite to SAT Total
Note: Concordance tables for the ACT Composite were derived from concordances of the ACT sum score.
Explain structure of the tables, what the * means, and how to read both directions.
Explain the range of SAT scores to one ACT score and mention that in the ERW table, there’s a vice versa.
*Use this SAT score when a single score point comparison is needed.

14. Differences between 2016 and 2018 Concordance
Differences for policies set on ACT Composite scores
Comparable Single Point SAT Total
SAT Total Range
ACT Composite
2016 Concordance
2018 Concordance
Change to SAT Total
Different SAT Range? 36
1600
1590
-10 Y 35
1570
1540
-30 34
1500
-40 33
1460 32
1470
1430 31
1400 30
1370 29
1360
1340
-20 28
1320
1310 27
1290
1280 26
1260
1240 25
1220
1210 24
1180 N 23
1140 22
1110 21
1070
1080 10 20
1030
1040 19
990
1010 18
950
970 17
910
930 16
870
890
           
The concordance tables the College Board released in 2016 were based large-scale concordance studies conducted in This study resulted in concordance between the old SAT and the new SAT, and what is known as a derived concordance between the new SAT and the ACT.
The derived concordance information was based on the last SAT-ACT concordance, completed in We would expect to see differences in a new concordance since both the College Board and ACT have made changes to their tests in the past decade.
We would also expect that the college-going population has changed since the last concordance was completed.
The biggest variation in score points between the derived concordance and these new tables is +/- 1 ACT point, and +/- 40 SAT points, which is less than the statistical standard error for the concordance in general.

15. Differences between 2016 and 2018 Concordance
            
Differences for policies set on ACT Composite scores
Comparable Single Point SAT Total
SAT Total Range
ACT Composite
2016 Concordance
2018 Concordance
Change to SAT Total
Different SAT Range? 29
1360
1340
-20 Y 28
1320
1310
-10 27
1290
1280 26
1260
1240 25
1220
1210 24
1180 N 23
1140 22
1110 21
1070
1080 10

16. Differences between 2016 and 2018 Concordance
             
Use this table for policies set on SAT scores 
 Comparable Single Point ACT Composite 
SAT Total
2016 Concordance
2018 Concordance
Change to ACT Composite
1600 36
1470 32 33 1
1340 28 29
1590 35
1460
1330
1580
1450
1320
1570
1440 31
1310
1560
1430
1300 27
1550 34
1420
1290
1540
1410 30
1280
1530
1400
1270 26
1520
1390
1260
1510
1380
1250
1500
1370
1240
1490
1360
1230 25
1480
1350
1220

17. Differences between 2016 and 2018 Concordance
              
Differences between 2016 and 2018 Concordance
Use this table for policies set on SAT scores 
 Comparable Single Point ACT Composite 
SAT Total
2016 Concordance
2018 Concordance
Change to ACT Composite
1310 28
1300 27 1
1290
1280
1270 26
1260

18. Q&A

19. Tell us what you think
               
Please use the polling function to provide more information so we can better serve your needs.
What best characterizes how your organization is likely to respond to the release of the new concordance?
No changes planned
Plan to change some but not all related policies
Plan to change all related policies as soon as possible
Not sure

20. Thank You.
Stay tuned for more information on a second ACT/SAT concordance webinar opportunity later this fall!