<p>While building my college list I noticed that the 25th to 75th percentile test scores for almost every school do not seem to correlate correctly for ACT and SAT.</p>
<p>For example:</p>
<p>Northwestern University</p>
<p>SAT: CR:670-750
M:690-780
W:670-750</p>
<p>ACT: 30-33</p>
<p>So, if we convert everthing into SAT using the official conversion charts we get:</p>
<p>SAT: 2030-2280
ACT: 2000-2180</p>
<p>Am I missing something here? Almost every school I look at has a similar trend. I get that less people submit the ACT (about 54% vs 80% in the case of Northwestern) but I don't get how that would make such a huge difference.</p>
<p>Anyone care to comment/enlighten me?</p>
<p>The 25th and 75th percentiles of the overall SAT score are respectively higher and lower than the sum of the 25th and 75th percentile values of each individual section.</p>
<p>The ACT’s score is consolidated into one score so, with applicants’ general propensity to report to universities only requiring one of the two only the better one which is more frequently the SAT (until very recently) in mind, I’m going to guess the discrepancy might not be as wide as you suggest.</p>
<p>This is pure speculation on my part… but here’s some possibilities…</p>
<ol>
<li>More midwestern students take the ACT than the SAT; obviously this is changing but at this point it’s still central U.S.-dominated. Northwestern probably gets more applications with ACTs sent than most NE elites.</li>
<li>Super-scoring is offered on the SAT far more often than the ACT. Very few schools actually super-score the ACT, so there may be some consideration on that end.</li>
</ol>
<p>^^ Ohhh okay, I see your point. I think it would be helpful if schools posted an average score instead of, or in addition to, a 25/75 percentile range.</p>
<p>^ Do you know if the SAT ranges on the College Board are superscores? Also (I have never understood this) do you know why so few schools choose to superscore the ACT? I personally see no difference in the concept between the 2 tests.</p>
<p>The SAT ranges on Collegeboard are likely from a single test date but I haven’t seen info one way or another. I listed it as a possibility because of the actual schools who will report SAT ranges differently due to super-scoring. As for the ACT being superscored less often, I can’t really tell you. I’d imagine it has something to do with how much the composite would change with superscoring; score changes be more significant than the SAT and easier for students to test with the intention of doing so IMO.</p>
<p>Maybe it goes by percentile- on the act a 30 is around a 95ish and a 33 is 99 percentile. and the SAT is around the same</p>
<p>
The difference lies not in concept but rather in finance.
For one price, SAT takers can send all the scores they want to one destination.</p>
<p>In contrast, an ACT taker must pay X dollars to send his or her October 09 taking, and another X dollars his January 09 taking, and so on. That’s why few schools require applicants to send the entireties of their ACT history; the costs could rise to insurmountable levels.</p>
<p>Obviously, superscoring requires at least two takings, but nobody in his or her right mind would send any ACT but the best one.</p>
<p>@antonioray - that’s actually good to know. Only took the ACT once so I never knew it cost more to send multiple scores.</p>