The SAT vs. The ACT: Which One Should I Take?
Many parents and students ask me about the differences between the ACT and the SAT, most of them trying to figure out which one of these standardized college entrace exams will show their children and themselves in the best light. First of all, I'd like to tell you a little bit about the background if these tests, after which I will explain, in both general and specific terms, how the two tests differ from one another. I won't be able to tell you which test is more appropriate for the student for two reasons: first of all, the best way to figure that out with certainty is to take a practice test of each type; and secondly, because I think it makes sense, these days, to study for and take both tests, because different schools prefer one over the other. However, if a student is determined to pick one of these tests and to devote him or herself fully to that test, then knowing the details and distinctions of and between the tests will be helpful.
Twenty years ago, the decision between the SAT and the ACT was largely based on geography, and the selectiveness of the school. Students from the East and West coasts and those applying to the more competitive schools tended to take the SAT, while students in the South and the Midwest usually opted for the ACT. On the whole, the SAT seemed to represent the dominant testing ethos, even though the difference in the number of students taking each test was fairly marginal. In fact, by 2012, the number of ACT-takers finally surpassed the number of SAT-takers (though by only a few thousand). The popularity of the SAT is not shrinking, but the popularity of the ACT is skyrocketing. Not everyone has the resources to register and prepare for both tests, so having sufficient information to help choose between the two can be important.
The SAT and ACT have extremely different philosophies regarding which abilities are central to testing. The SAT is intended to evaluate a student's logic and reasoning abilities--essentially one's skills as a problem-solver. It claims to assess a student's "innate" reasoning ability--and it does this by deploying complex and occasionally confusing phraseology to assess one's ability to to take standardized tests. Test-taking ability tends to be a combination between one's ability to focus and apply reasoning in a high pressure situation, as well as one's skill at identifying the crux of the question and information being sought. By contrast, the ACT claims to test a student's mastery of the high school curriculum. This distinction can be misleading, because the ACT seems to be testing a broader set of information. The SAT seems to deal with less advanced topics, but it does so in a way intended to confuse the test-taker.
As far as the differences in format go, they are not as big as they first appear. The ACT takes 175 minutes (205 including the optional writing test) and tests a total of 4 topics (plus writing)--always in the same order: English, Math, Reading, and Science. The SAT takes 225 minutes (250 including an unscored experimental section), and it tests three separate areas (in ten randomly ordered sections): Critical Reading, Writing, and Math. Both tests demand a tremendous amount of focus for an extremely long period of time, and the marginal difference between the two doesn't seem to be the main factor in how students to on each test. For a simple and complete chart of the differences in format between the two tests, see the chart below, from the AceTheTest website:
Twenty years ago, the decision between the SAT and the ACT was largely based on geography, and the selectiveness of the school. Students from the East and West coasts and those applying to the more competitive schools tended to take the SAT, while students in the South and the Midwest usually opted for the ACT. On the whole, the SAT seemed to represent the dominant testing ethos, even though the difference in the number of students taking each test was fairly marginal. In fact, by 2012, the number of ACT-takers finally surpassed the number of SAT-takers (though by only a few thousand). The popularity of the SAT is not shrinking, but the popularity of the ACT is skyrocketing. Not everyone has the resources to register and prepare for both tests, so having sufficient information to help choose between the two can be important.
The SAT and ACT have extremely different philosophies regarding which abilities are central to testing. The SAT is intended to evaluate a student's logic and reasoning abilities--essentially one's skills as a problem-solver. It claims to assess a student's "innate" reasoning ability--and it does this by deploying complex and occasionally confusing phraseology to assess one's ability to to take standardized tests. Test-taking ability tends to be a combination between one's ability to focus and apply reasoning in a high pressure situation, as well as one's skill at identifying the crux of the question and information being sought. By contrast, the ACT claims to test a student's mastery of the high school curriculum. This distinction can be misleading, because the ACT seems to be testing a broader set of information. The SAT seems to deal with less advanced topics, but it does so in a way intended to confuse the test-taker.
As far as the differences in format go, they are not as big as they first appear. The ACT takes 175 minutes (205 including the optional writing test) and tests a total of 4 topics (plus writing)--always in the same order: English, Math, Reading, and Science. The SAT takes 225 minutes (250 including an unscored experimental section), and it tests three separate areas (in ten randomly ordered sections): Critical Reading, Writing, and Math. Both tests demand a tremendous amount of focus for an extremely long period of time, and the marginal difference between the two doesn't seem to be the main factor in how students to on each test. For a simple and complete chart of the differences in format between the two tests, see the chart below, from the AceTheTest website:
For a more detailed comparison of the actual content of the two tests, see this other excellent chart, also from the AceTheTest website:
As you can see, this is a topic with which I have some experience, and about which I have a lot of opinions. If you have any further questions, or would like to set up an appointment to discuss which test might be right for you or your child, please do not hesitate to contact me.
For your convenience, please find below the links to register for either test:
Register for the SAT here: http://sat.collegeboard.org/register
Register for the ACT here: http://www.actstudent.org/regist/
For your convenience, please find below the links to register for either test:
Register for the SAT here: http://sat.collegeboard.org/register
Register for the ACT here: http://www.actstudent.org/regist/