<p>Why do some people take one and not the other? How do they choose what to take?
I had never heard of the ACT until these boards (well until we started looking at College Apps which coincided with joining these discussion boards. What is the difference between these tests (other than they are administered by different companies)? Why do some high schools only send home information about the SATs?
A college that accepted our S suggested he take the ACT? How does one go about signing up for them? Is there a website like collegeboard.com?
Thanks</p>
<p>actstudent.org this is the website for ACT, people usually pick one or another. I first took the SAT's i hated my score twice. i decided to go towards ACT, i received a much higher score not because it was easier, it was because of the wording of the questions. Here is a good review of what is exactly the difference
ACT</a> vs. SAT</p>
<p>The tests are totally different. Time wise, the ACT goes by a lot quicker and you have to be able to keep up. Students normally do better on one test than the other. For me, I wasn't doing so hot on the SAT so I tried the ACT and did so much better. I'd for sure recommend that your son give it a try.</p>
<p>Yeah, I did way better on the ACT than the SAT. But, then again, I have a friend who did way better on the SAT than the ACT.</p>
<p>Students along the East and West Coasts generally take the SAT, and those in the middle of the U.S. generally take the ACT. I took both, and I must say I thought the ACT was easier for me. I had to work a lot harder on the SAT to boost my score up. In the end, my SAT score and my ACT score were pretty close (2270 vs. 35), but my ACT was still higher (a 2340 is a 35 ACT equivalent). For some people, it's the exact opposite. It depends on how you think.</p>
<p>The SAT involves more reasoning and less of your absolute high school knowledge. It's a longer test, and you don't feel too terribly rushed on it. The ACT involves less reasoning and more of what you've learned in high school. It tends to go by more quickly, and students generally feel really pressed for time (especially on reading and science). It just depends on how your mind works (some are equally good at both; most people are better at one than the other).</p>
<p>thanks all</p>