<p>I'd love to hear inspiring stories of improvement on the ACT. Anybody out there had significant score increases taking the test multiple times? Know of any inspiring stories of rags-to-riches ACT test score results? </p>
<p>My daughter took the ACT for the third time last weekend... She raised her score three points between the first and second take; don't know about take three. I'm wondering if there's a point of diminishing returns...or are there really stories out there of people who have raised their scores more than once? I've heard of kids who have taken the test 4 times and hit the exact same score each time (I'd like to buy stock in the ACT corporation!). I'd like to hear of others who have taken it multiple times and seen significant increases...</p>
<p>Share your inspiring stories!</p>
<p>Also, lots of folks on these forums talk about SAT all the time, not as much the ACT. Is SAT the only test the elite ivy type schools take, or is this pushed at the high school level? Seems the ACT is an easier test and would tell the college more...</p>
<p>ivy league schools seem to prefer the sat; most coast colleges prefer the sat
the act is no easier
and neither test is really much better at predicting freshman year gpa (which is what the tests are supposed to do) despite the act having more sections and whatnot</p>
<p>Practically all schools now take either test and have no preference. Many people continue to take the same test as those in their geographic area have traditionally taken or they take the test that USED to be the one explicitly required or preferred by the schools they are interested in. They don't do the research to see that things have changed.</p>
<p>Colleges have no reason to lie about what they want. There is no legal impediment to requiring or preferring a particular test but colleges have moved away from that. The only name school I know of that still is saying only the SAT is Harvey Mudd. Princeton now is telling people either test, and Wake Forest next year will be taking both from what I've heard on CC. These are the only selective schools I've heard of (in many years of confronting this issue) that have specified a preference in recent years.</p>
<p>There is a conversion chart for translating scores, in cases where the college is more used to one test or the other.</p>
<p>Definitely ask colleges you are interested in. But I asked every single place both my kids were interested in (including coast schools and Ivy League) and they always said they didn't care. We live in SAT country, but my daughter took only the ACT and attends an Ivy. I've come across a number of people on CC who submitted only the ACT (or whose kids did) and have gotten into Ivies as well.</p>
<p>I don't know why SAT talk predominates on CC. It must be a function of the geographic location of participants. Also, I suspect that it has something to do with the national media -- people based on the east coast will talk about what is going on there. </p>
<p>Another possibility is that parents, teachers, GCs and the like are offering advice based on what selective coastal schools USED to require and are not aware or have problems accepting that things have changed. I can't remember how many times I or my daughter were told that she was doing something incredibly risky by taking only the ACT. Folks saying this could never really explain how, other than to state that they had "always heard" that selective schools had a preference and that everybody else in our area was taking the SAT so it must be the right thing to do.</p>
<p>My son, who just finished his first year at Notre Dame, took the ACT twice and the SAT once. We are smack in the middle of the Midwest, and ACT is big test. The high schools offer ACT prep, and we had two ACT test locations within 6 miles of our house. My son traveled 35 miles to take the SAT (I drove him, because I figured the last thing he needed on a test day was to be a 16 year-old driver navigating in places he'd never been--and I got lost on my way to the SAT when I was his age...only time I recall driving 75 miles per hour on roads built for 40!) Only reason he took SAT is the guidance counselor pushed it for kids who standardized tested at or above a certain range. Waste of money. Waste of time. Only silver lining was an apparently very cute girl from a very elite high school sitting behind him, who was very conversational...he, being somewhat shy in the womanizing department, appreciated this. </p>
<p>His ACT score got converted by the admissions office to an SAT equivalent, which was 150 points higher than what he got on the SAT--this when the top possible score was a 1600. We were told they all get converted by admissions to the SAT scale--so why not take the easier test? This time around, we saved the time and money and have stuck with the ACT. Given the eyebrow-raising scandals by the SAT folks, we have no regrets. I've yet to read anything in these forums, or hear of anyone's experience, that the SAT is easier than the ACT. </p>
<p>If I can take a test that is easier, at least in terms of how it scores, and have it converted to the scale of the harder test--can't imagine why I'd still take the harder test....</p>
<p>You're probably right, Shazilla. People have different learning and testing styles, so it would make sense that people would do better on the tests that are more suited to their styles. It still seems to me, though, that when ACT scores are converted to SAT equivalents, in the case of those who have taken both tests, the converted ACT scores are higher than the SAT scores from the actual SAT exam. </p>
<p>Quite frankly, these things are all done statistically. It's bound to be an inexact science, kind of like the consumer price index or unemployment rate. I have to wonder if the current conversion formula tilts a bit in favor of the ACT. Sure seems to be the case!</p>
<p>My understanding is that the conversion chart is premised upon a study of students taking both tests. If the average person found the ACT easier, that would already be reflected in the numbers.</p>
<p>I've read on CC of people doing better on the SAT than the ACT, not just the reverse. It seems like the SAT has trickier questions, while the ACT is more time-pressured.</p>
<p>Then there are plenty who do equally well on both. My son was in this category as I was.</p>
<p>I think it's best to take practice tests of each. I don't know that it is possible to predict in advance which test you'll do better on, if either one.</p>
<p>I think the SAT is more for people who can think "outside the box". Ie, the math is more abstract and less direct than the ACT. SAT tries to trick you.
The ACT is a direct and standard test. I bet if I had all the time in the world, i could get 100%. However, there is the issue of time...
SAT/ACT dumb acronyms.</p>
<p>Out in these parts, kids tend to take the ACT as second semester juniors. As it is somewhat of a curriculum-based test, I'd imagine the improvement in scores could be quite dramatic upon completion of such subjects as trigonometry, chemistry and physics. </p>
<p>The state of Missouri is considering changing its achievement testing format for high school from the teacher-designed format it currently is, to the ACT. One of the reasons is the belief that having students take it statewide for four years of high school will improve the state's mean test scores. </p>
<p>I'm wondering, for those of you who talk about taking tests like the ACT as early as sophomore or freshman year, is it a schoolwide or statewide practice in your case, or are counselors recommending it for highly gifted students? </p>
<p>I'm still astounded at the vast amounts of revenue and power held by the ACT and SAT companies. It's a good gig, I guess, if you can get it started!</p>
<p>We managed to get the scores the first day of the June window. Latest installment was a 31 composite. This follows a 26 and 29 on the first and second tries, respectively. I've read lots of students posting on here all bummed out with "just a 33", but I can tell you my daughter was quite pleased with a 31, which puts a lot of things in reach.</p>
<p>yeah, multiple times is good, I suck at taking test because I freak out and can't think, so it calmed me to take it more than once. I went from 26 to 31 to 33, then quit taking it because I didn't feel like showing up to the fourth time... haha I think I was accepted to my ideal school by then, so it wasn't worth it. same thing happened with the SAT, went up 130 points between the first and the third times, didn't show up for the fourth. so definitely take it a lot! good luck to yall with it</p>
<p>Um... on my plan test i got a 24 (which is equivalent to a 26) and on the real test a year and a half later i got a 31. However, my math score went down! (i think it's because i took calculus junior year and didn't review basic math stuff). So yeah. Just remember on science, don't second guess your self and keep moving! Don't stop!</p>