SAT or ACT: five top points to help determine which test to take

 

It used to be a matter of geography: if you lived on either coast, or planned to apply to an elite college located there, you took the SAT. For everyone else, it was the ACT. As college admissions became even more selective, and students began looking for any and every advantage, that changed.  Since 2002, the number of east and west coast students taking the ACT has risen over 50%, and every 4-year institution in the country accepted ACT scores.

But here’s the question: just because you can take both tests, as many times as you like, should you? Do you have the time and motivation to prep for the SAT and ACT? How many Saturday mornings do you want to spend in a classroom with a proctor counting down the minutes you have left to fill in little ovals with your #2 pencil? If you are like most students, you’d rather figure out which test you’re more likely to score higher on, and stick with it. But how can you determine that?

Here are the top five points to consider:

1. Science and Math. There is a Science section on the ACT and not on the SAT. If you do well on a practice science section, strongly consider the ACT. And if you love trigonometry, the ACT is your test, too. The SAT doesn’t include it.

2. Timing. The SAT is 20 minutes longer than the ACT if you take the optional ACT Writing test (most selective schools require it); it’s almost an hour longer without the Writing. If you have trouble concentrating and sitting in a chair for hours, this could be an important distinction.

3. Gender. Take a look at statistics for both tests, and you’ll find the same conclusion. Boys tend to score higher on the SAT, and girls on the ACT. There are many theories about why, including one that says girls fit the model of the ACT ace: the over-achieving student who takes all the AP classes, asks the questions in class, and studies for tests for hours. The numbers don’t lie, so no matter what the theory, if you’re not sure, and you’re a boy, go with the SAT.

4. PSAT and PLAN. Your school might be one of the thousands that gives the pre-ACT and –SAT tests to sophomores or juniors. How accurate are they in predicting your score on the actual test? Not as accurate as you might think. Scores can range fifty or more points higher or lower on each section. But, those pre-tests can help you decide which test feels more comfortable to you, and, if there’s a serious disparity in performance between the two, you’ll know which one to go with.

5. Strategy. The SAT takes off a quarter point for every incorrect answer, making guessing an important test-taking element. Students who guess too often, without eliminating at least one answer choice, can end up losing many of the points they earned from correct answers. If working on and implementing a strategy for guessing turns you off before you begin, try the ACT, which doesn’t penalize you for incorrect answers.