How did you pick between the ACT and SAT here?

Test Preparation
1

Rising sophomore here. I will be starting to prep for either the ACT or SAT next year and do not know which one to pick. I took a practice SAT test and got 1250 (I know, it’s really bad), and took a practice ACT test two months later and got a composite score of 31 (math - 32, science - 31, writing - 32, reading - 32).

I love the math/reading portion of the ACT and find it so much easier and simpler than the SAT since the math portion allows you to use a calculator for everything, and the reading portion is based on more on modern texts that are simpler and easier to read, analyze, and comprehend. However, when I took the practice ACT test, I felt burned out by the math, reading, and writing portion, so I did not do well on the science (I got a 31). I found myself sometimes just guessing without thinking through the question thoroughly, which is why taking the SAT would be an advantage because there is no science section. Also, I plan on taking the essay portion for these tests as well. I don’t know which one to pick because they both have great disadvantages and great advantages!

My parents have been thinking to let me take a REAL ACT and SAT test because the experience of taking it is much different than taking a practice ACT/SAT test, which would impact my score significantly. Is this a good idea or a waste of money, considering that both tests cost like $90+?

Any advice would help! Thank you in advance!

2

Some students have a clear preference for one test or the other, and it sounds like yours is probably for the ACT since your practice score is so much higher.

One reason to take the SAT, either instead of or in addition to, is if you think you might make National Merit Commended or higher with your PSAT. If National Merit is important to you, you will need to prep hard for the SAT so you’re ready for the PSAT. To have a shot at National Merit Finalist, you will then need to take the SAT as well. NMF brings significant merit scholarship opportunities (up to a full ride), though mostly at state flagship schools.

Either way, doing some significant test prep has the potential to raise your scores. A 33 or higher might be possible on the ACT. My S went from a 1280 to a 1490 on the SAT and is now a National Merit Semifinalist.

For the SAT, I can recommend Erica Meltzer’s books for the two verbal sections, and PWN the SAT for math. No clue for the ACT, though, since we never tried it.

Good luck either way!

3

I think that the person above has a point with NMF. However, I am currently a National Merit Semifinalist and only one school that I am applying to gives a National Merit scholarship, for half tuition. Even if I wasn’t in National Merit, I could get half off for my ACT score so I honestly don’t think it matters that that much. The title of this award is nice, but if your ACT score is 34+, you sound equally impressive in my opinion.

I think that you should NOT take both tests officially. I disagree with what you said about the big difference between the real testing environment vs. a practice test, because I have found that there isn’t much of a difference. You know what you know, you have the same abilities in any room. Unless it is impossible for you to find a quiet place and set a timer for each section, and take entire tests in one sitting just like the real thing, you shouldn’t spend money on actual test taking for the sake of getting a baseline score. I spent all summer after sophomore year studying for the ACT. I got a 32 on my first practice test, then I took several more practice tests and worked my way up to a 36 on my first actual test (October 2016).

Back to national merit – I personally got national merit because I had spent so much time studying for the ACT before I took the PSAT. So if you study enough for the ACT, you could end up getting NM anyway (but again, it’s really not that important if you don’t unless you actually want to have that goal).

You seem to be better off with the ACT. I feel like from what you described, you have difficulty with content on the SAT and difficulty with timing and endurance on the ACT, and if it were me, I’d rather work on timing and endurance for the ACT, because chances are, on the SAT you would probably deal with the same issues AFTER dealing with content. Timing and endurance can be worked on through taking practice tests, and you have plenty of time to do that. I also recommend writing every question you missed, an explanation of the correct answer, and an explanation of where you went wrong either in thinking or in calculation, all in a notebook, then read through/re-solve everything in the notebook once a week.

When it comes to the essay, I found the SAT essay easier. But I also didn’t study at all for the ACT essay, so I was very thrown off by the style of that prompt. Most schools don’t care about the essay, but you should absolutely write practice essays for whichever test you choose.

Good luck

4

Hi there! I can’t really speak for the SAT, but I did take the October ACT. In essence, what the ACT seems to come down to more than anything else is time; if you think you can improve your time management on the exam, you’re golden. As for whether or not you should take an official exam, I wouldn’t. The ACT Red Book contains actual ACT tests from a while back, and the scores are incredibly accurate — I took two back in August, and the first nailed my scores in every section, while the second got my composite right and my scores in two sections correct as well. The only difference I noticed between those tests and the ACTUAL exam was time. I seemed to take longer during the official exam. Good luck!

5

Thank you! I got the ACT Red Book and Black Book since I read somewhere that they pair well together. I also got Kaplan’s ACT Prep Book, but I’m not sure if that’s too much. I’m trying to get a 36, so I need all the practice that I can get.

6

@needtosucceed27 Well, depending on how you do on your first Red Book test, you should be good. The curve is actually really accurate.

7

It seems to me that you should go for the ACT. Your ACT in SAT measurements is a 1380 which is considerably higher than your actual SAT

8

I would also suggest Peterson’s ACT practice book. To improve your ACT score focus on strategies for saving time - like in reading you don’t have to read the whole paragraph. Understanding the test is part of studying the test. Re: SAT the Reading and Writing section is not as straight forward - they intentionally try to trick is the best way I can describe it. ACT is much more straight forward just more time compressed. I also recommend a website called College Panda. This guy kept taking the SAT and ACT until he got perfect scores and perfected how to study for them. He, too, sells specific practice books. Half of the battle, is understanding strategies for taking the tests themselves. Congratulations for the great foundation you already have and the motivation to want to do better.

9

Seems like there are Red Book knockoffs – could someone tell me if this is correct (this is the 2018 version):

Series: Official Act Prep Guide
Paperback: 720 pages
Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (May 22, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1119386896
ISBN-13: 978-1119386896

10

Dont rely on a single practice test for decision. Try a few more and if you get the consistent difference, then you may focus on one. My D1 was thoroughly prepared for both and reached comparable practice scores, but she did better in ACT in the real test and recived a score same as her highest practice score. My D2 also practice for both and got her first first SAT score at her practise plateau but an ACT score 2 point higher than practice or equivalent to her SAT in the real test. Then she took the SAT again in a state mandated test and got even higher score. What we have learnt is that the preference may change over time and it is very hard to tell during early practice. If affordable, one should try both in the real test and that would give you more schdule flexibility.