<p>I've been prepping for the SAT, how exactly does the ACT differ fromt the SAT? If I signed up for the ACT for say november or whenver the next one is, would it be that difficult for me if I haven't prepped SPECIFICALLY for the ACT? I don't think I have enough time to go through an entire ACT book...</p>
<p>I haven't taken the SAT to compare/contast the two, but I've heard from a lot of people that they are pretty different, mostly in format. If you don't have enough time to go through an entire book (which should be okay, since you've probably been prepping for content), I would still look at how the ACT is formatted and some general tips.</p>
<p>ok i took both tests. and i will talk about both separately. (keep in mind that i am extremely bias because ACTs=my life. SATs=kiss of death)</p>
<p>SAT:
<code>essay--harder. you usually have to try and interpret an esoteric and ambiguous quote and prove it with history and literature. VERY hard to BS
</code>overall, when you take the SAT, you have to constantly switch brain gears from reading to math to reading to writing, etc. which can get EXTREMELY annoying.
<code>math: not really "math" involved, just simple algebra and geometry concepts. the main thing about SAT math is knowing the "tricks"
</code>reading: harder reading passages, and they are longer and more boring (like whoa, they practically put you to sleep). the questions are more about inference rather than what it explicitly says in the passage. you also have to deal with sentence completions.
<code>writing: not too bad. Error IDs are blahhhhhhh...those can get kind of hard
</code>overall, i hate...HATE the SATs</p>
<p>ACTs:
<code>essay: easier to BS. focused on topics that kids our age will have an opinion about. questions like "what do you feel about school uniforms/healthier school lunches/sports in school?"
</code>math: harder than SAT math, but definitely do able. there are only like 4 trig questions and they are so easy
<code>reading: a lot easier. the questions corresponding to the passages are not ambiguous at all.
</code>english: easiest thing in my life. i can finish 75 questions in 25 minutes
<code>science: personally, i like the science section, but it is all about the timing. all that you need to know about the different passages are given to you.
</code>overall, i like how when you have to take the test, you go one section at a time. once you are done with the english, you are done forever. you never have to do another english section</p>
<p>the ACTs are easier...when you take them and if you want to improve. you may think that you dont have time to go through an entire book, but if i were you, i would get one, so you would know what to expect. (i also said that to my mom a week before the test, but i am definitely NOT regretting that i got one so close to the test...it definitely helped) DO NOT GO IN COLD. you should get used to the structure of the test, which is totally different from teh SATs. with the ACTs, you can take it as many times as you want, and only report the scores that you want to. with the SAT, if you take it 3 times, no matter how bad, colleges see ALL 3. </p>
<p>so there is my totally bias opinion.
TAKE THE ACTS! </p>
<p>if you want anymore advice/comparisons between the two tests, you can always message me or talk to me online.</p>
<p>that's how I felt with ACT too...it concerns more about basic skills and knowledges learned in school...I couldn't understand why so many people taking the SAT while it's much harder than the ACT...</p>
<p>i think it is because a lot of high schools on the east coast dont advertise the "alternative" to the SATs. not once did my guidance counselor tell me about the ACTs, even when i told her my SAT scores. the SATs are more prevalent throughout the country, but now with all of the collegeboard controversies, i think a lot more kids are going to be taking the ACTs</p>
<p>I wish someone had told me about the ACT sooner. No one ever told me about it. I never actually tried a practice test until I came on here and "discovered" it. I went from my horrible, no prep (for some reason I thought colleges didn't see how many times you took the SAT/your scores.. oops) SAT score of 1950 to an ACT score of 34 on my first try with minimal prep. Definitely try both.</p>
<p>Man, am I glad I signed up for the ACT in October. I did fairly well on SAT (2220), but one of my colleges highly recommends ACT. Out here, in Cali, nobody even talks about this test and so when I went to sign up, I find out that you don't even have to show it to colleges if you don't want to. And now, I find out it's easier too. What an awesome test.</p>
<p>ACT > Collegeboard</p>
<p>And you have score choice with the ACT and as far as I know the ACT people have not misgraded anyone's test or lost AP scores</p>
<p>I didn't hear much about the ACT, but I know some friends took it and did a lot better. One of my friends is pretty smart, but didn't do so well on the SAT. She did really well on the ACT.</p>
<p>I only took the SAT, since I did well on it.</p>
<p>SAT - 1640/2400 or 1060/1600
ACT - 29 </p>
<p>Enough said.</p>
<p>first time i took each test...
SAT: 1910
ACT: 33</p>
<p>take the ACT, everything about it is better. esp the fact that they're arent so many pointless breaks every ten or twenty minutes. it prob helped that i didnt have to take it on a square foot auditorium pull out table like the SAT. Also, the science section, imo, is enjoyable. just dont be scared of it.</p>
<p>^you dont have time to be scared of it! haha</p>