Do good colleges require you to take the ACT and the SAT?

Applying to College
1

<p>I was wondering this about Ivy League Colleges or MIT.</p>

<p>Do these schools need you to take the ACT and the SAT, or could you just take one of them?</p>

<p>I'm going to be taking the SAT II for sure, but I got a 36 on my ACT, so I was wondering if I needed to take the SAT.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Usually either one is fine.</p>

3

<p>Would having the ACT instead of the SAT hurt my chances at one of the colleges?</p>

4

<p>I don’t believe so. I would recommend trying to get a good SAT score as well, just to show how smart you are even more, however, I don’t think you HAVE to.</p>

5

<p>Most colleges will look at the SAT and ACT in the same light and just convert the scores, so it does not matter.</p>

6

<p>Oh, I see. So, it wouldn’t necessarily stop my chances if I don’t take the SAT, but it would help me if I took it?</p>

7

<p>Sorry, my last post was directed toward’s Dk’s post.</p>

8

<p>" but it would help me if I took it? " </p>

<p>No. Either is fine. One without the other is fine. Both are fine. Neither is not fine. </p>

<p>Simple, no?</p>

9

<p>Yeah. That’s pretty awesome.</p>

10

<p>@jsun365, MIT only requires either SAT or ACT (so do most other schools), along with a math and science subject test. Don’t worry about the SAT I.</p>

11

<p>You have three classes of colleges: (a) those that readily accept either SAT or ACT with no preference; (b) those that state a preference for one test over the other but still accept either; and (c) those that don’t require any test. To the best of my knowledge today, all but one college fall within group a or c. The one that is in group b is Cal Poly San Luis Obispo which about five years ago went from having no preference to stating a preference for the ACT. </p>

<p>You do not need to take both. Many do mainly to see if they can score higher on one over the other.</p>

12

<p>With a 36 on your ACT, there will be no need to sit for an SAT test ever. You are wise to still try SATIIs. High SATIIs, even if not required, tend to support an otherwise strong application.</p>

13

<p>Yeah, I would say that as long as you have good SAT subject tests, there’s no reason you have to take the SAT 1</p>

14

<p>Sleep in. Don’t bother with the SAT. Do look at whether the colleges require an SAT II or will accept ACT with writing.</p>

15

<p>Okay, thanks for all the help!</p>