<p>I hate the ACT. Mainly because I don’t like the kid at our school who got a 36. But that’s alright, I guess he’s cool. The two tests are unbelievably different, save for perhaps parts of the writing portion, and yet schools “say” they accept them equally.</p>
<p>SAT: 2360
ACT: 35</p>
<p>Fairly comparable, my score range has never changed much, PSAT was 234. To be honest, I felt the SAT was easier, but then again, I took the ACT and the SAT under significantly different conditions. Took a Kaplan course for the ACT, biggest waste of time and money in my life ever, studied two days (took one practice test, skimmed Up Your Score) for the SAT. Probably got a little better sleep for the SAT, had a small headache on the day of the ACT and I crashed towards the end (31 Science, 10 Essay, worst essay of my life, perfects in everything else).</p>
<p>Ultimately, what I’ve heard, and this seems to be relatively true, is that if you feel stronger in reading and writing, go for the SAT. The math SAT questions are also almost exactly like IQ test questions (was based on the Army IQ test), whereas on the ACT they’re generally more straightforward and probably more like what you’re used to from class. Would have to say the reading is probably easier on the ACT (though I felt as if I had to guess more on the actual test), the writing is incredibly easy on the ACT, significantly harder on the SAT for me, had to guess a lot, the essay is probably much easier on the SAT as you can prepare beforehand more for it, but the ACT essay I can’t say much about because I was stoned by then. The science section is easy (no knowledge required - just learn how to read graphs quickly), but sometimes a crapshoot. Pretty sure I got all the questions right, I just ran out of time on the last section.</p>
<p>Overall, ACT definitely seems much, much, much more easy for everyone I know. Friend got under 1800 on her first try on the SAT, 32 on ACT. Granted, most people who take the ACT study for that and not the SAT, and that may very well play a part, but I hate the ACT, and it’s a wonderful test to take if colleges are willing to consider it seriously, which it most definitely seems as they are.</p>
<p>(The ACT isn’t even scored the same way as the SAT - if it were like the SAT and more accurate, they would sum the scores directly - 144, instead of averaging them for 36. Obviously, the advantage is evident in having your scores averaged as opposed to summed. You can get a “perfect” with a 35-35-36-36, or a 34-36-36-36.)</p>