<p>I am wondering why many people who take SAT don't take ACT?</p>
<p>If you take ACT and you get a horrible score you don't have to report it on your college app at all right?</p>
<p>Financial concerns aside, should I take the ACT along with the SAT?</p>
<p>Depends where you are applying. SAT is preferred on the East Coast and ACT is preferred almost every where else. Basically they are accepted at all colleges. You are right you only need to submit your highest score. Also I would say take it. I only scored in the 68th percentile or something like that for SAT but than got 90th percentile for ACT. Needless to say I decided to never waste my time on SAT again. Oh on a final note you can guess on ACT and not have it count against you.</p>
<p>The HS my kids attend recommends all students take the ACT & SAT to see how they do on each test. You have a choice as to whether to submit your ACT score. For SAT, if you want to submit any score, they will see all your prior scores for SAT I & II as well. Some folks really do score much higher on one test over the other format, like pilebay. Others, like my son, score about the same on both tests.</p>
<p>Actually, my perception is that most schools are happy with either the SAT I + several SAT IIs OR the ACT, but a few schools definitely prefer/require one format of test over the other.</p>
<p>HImom mentioned something that definitely has turned me to focus only to ACT. Some schools require SAT I + 3 Subject Tests OR the ACT. This said, I do not understand why anyone would prefer the SAT! The SAT, in my experience, requires tons of prepping, particularly for the Subject Tests. For the ACT, it really measures natural ability. You can get familiar with the test but there's no real way to prep for it. </p>
<p>That could be the very reason that schools will take either or. SAT can measure work ethic (studying, preparing), and ACT can measure more of a natural ability? I don't know, perhaps.</p>
<p>In any case, I'm from the midwest and I scored in low 90 percentile on ACT and about the 30 percentile in SAT. In other words, not many people take the SAT here, and the ones who do score very well lol.</p>
<p>wait so the ACT can suffice for the 3 SAT subject tests?</p>
<p>yeah ...... some colleges take the ACT to replace the 3 subject tests</p>
<p>I really think the ACT is more relevant to actual ability. I took the ACT and scored 97th percentile but on SAT i scored like 92nd percentile or something like that</p>
<p>Well, I meant that the ACT can replace the three subject tests as well as the SAT reasoning. I contacted Boston University and they said I can send in ONLY the ACT and that will be enough to fulfill the testing requirement, which in my mind is AMAZING!</p>
<p>The ACT is amazing... I don't know why I ever took SATIIs to begin with.</p>
<p>I agree the ACT is a better test.</p>
<p>Yeah, just take it and see how you do...you really have nothing to lose. I signed up for it & took it last June without knowing anything about the test, let alone having prepared for it. I scored 60-100 points better than what I got on my SAT (M+CR scores)...and that was after a prep course and way too much familiarity with the SAT.</p>
<p>How long does it take for scores to get in? Say if I have a Jan. 1st college application deadline and want to take the Dec. 10th test? Has anyone scored lower on the ACT, comparatively, than on the SAT?</p>
<p>Just remember, you may have to take the ACT with Writing. It is an additional fee. So when you sign up for the test, make sure you include the writing component fee too. Check with the college, as some may not require the writing section but most competitive colleges will. Syn- check with the schools. If you are taking the 12/1 test, I would think the scores would be available to the colleges by early January. You could probably do a rush score to the college so that they will receive it by end of Dec. as the Dec. scores (with writing) should be available in late Dec. Usually the 1/1 deadline refers to the application-essays-teacher rec's etc. I do not think any college will not accept the application because they received a test score in January.</p>