Many high school students wonder whether they should take the SAT’s, ACT’s, or both. Some do not even know what the differences are between the two tests. Finding out the differences between the standardized tests is the first step in making your decision, and the next step is debating whether taking both tests is a good choice for your high school career.

The ACT’s have been around for years, according to Jennifer Dolan, Head of the Guidance Department, and is preferred by some students. She said, “it was perceived to be an ‘easier’ test, but in reality it plays to the strengths of some students’ academic abilities as compared to the SAT. In my opinion it is a student friendly test in terms of the actual test day experience for the student.”  Multiple colleges will accept either SAT or ACT scores, so students have to decide which one is best for them. If students find it worth while to take both tests, they can submit both ACT and SAT scores, or submit the higher of the two scores.

The SAT’s are aimed at reasoning and general problem-solving skills. It is designed to be an aptitude test, so studying is not necessary for a student to do well. On the other hand, the ACT’s are categorized as an achievement test, so it is curriculum based.  The ACT tests what a student has learned in school. The SAT questions tend to be more puzzling than the straightforward knowledge-based ACT questions. The ACT is comprised of 215 questions, lasting three hours and 25 minutes, including an optional 30-minute Writing Test.  The SAT’s are longer, taking three hours and 45 minutes, but they allow more time per question and have a mandatory Writing section.  Both tests cover English and mathematics, but there are some notable differences within the content. The ACT’s English section concentrates heavily on grammar and punctuation, whereas the SAT’s English section concentrates on vocabulary. In math, both tests have questions on arithmetic, geometry, and algebra, but the ACT’s also have questions on trigonometry too. If a student wants to stay away from science. then the SAT’s might be the better option for him/her.

The penalties for incorrect answers differ from test to test, also. For the SAT’s a student’s score is adjusted for guessing, so he/she gains a point for correct responses, lose a fourth of a point for wrong answers, and no points are deducted or added if he/she does not answer the question. On the ACT’s the scores are based on the number of correct answers, so there is no penalty for incorrect answers. A perfect score on the ACT’s is a 36 on all four sections, but on the SAT’s the best score is a 2400 (a sum of 3 sections with 800 points each). Based on all these differences a student may prefer to take one over the other. When asked about how a student should go about deciding which one is best for him/her, Mrs. Dolan said, “After consultation with their guidance counselor and reading the information on both the ACT and SAT websites the students can make an informed decision regarding which test is best for them.”

Some students choose to take both standardized tests in high school. One person that does poorly on the SAT’s may do much better on the ACT’s, and vice versa. If a student does well on both tests some colleges allow the student to send in both scores. The only question is, if it is worth the extra expense and effort. Mrs.  Dolan thinks it is worth it for students to experience both the ACT’s and SAT’s. She said, “they are two varied assessments in which a student may perform better given the format of the test.” To get an idea of how you might do on these tests taking the PSAT and the PLAN practice tests may give a student an approximation. Mrs. Dolan said that the guidance department are instituting the PLAN for the sophomores. The PLAN is a pre-ACT, in which students will receive their predicted ACT score. This is the ACT version of the PSAT. The guidance department then encourage juniors to take the PSAT, as well. With both results available for juniors, they can compare the pre-tests to determine which standardized test they should take. Taking both tests is not mandatory to graduate high school, but many students think it will help them when applying to colleges.

The 2011 ACT’s and SAT’s are on Saturdays during the year. The next ACT will be on October 22, but the test will also be held on December 10, February 11, April 14, and June 9. The next SAT will be on November 6 then December 3, January 28, March 10, May 5, and June 2. Typically, seniors tend to take these tests in the fall and winter; juniors, the spring. After careful comparison of both standardized tests any student can decide if the SAT, ACT, or both are the right tests for them to take.