@homerdog and @HigherEdData We spent a lot of time over the past couple of years on the issue of SAT vs. ACT and old SAT vs new SAT. (My son is a current college freshman and daughter is a HS senior). We concluded:
-
Both kids took timed ACT practice tests and hated the exam. They felt it was much too US centric is what they were asking and how they were asking the questions. Therefore, son just took the old SAT.
-
For my daughter, we had a number of issues to consider last year. First, she is applying to Georgetown so needs 3 good SAT 2 scores. She focused on these in autumn 2015 and rocked her SAT 2’s. Also, I always assumed that she would do the SAT one last time in October 2016 so I didn’t think it was a good use of her time to have to prepare for both old SAT and new SAT.
-
DD is moderately dyspraxic and dyslexic and generally had trouble finishing school (essay) exams on time. She now gets extra time at school. In addition she is extremely well read and reads tons of classic literature. Therefore, I thought she would do better with the more difficult, less time pressured SAT. We have requested extra time for the SAT but she was turned down by the College Board. She had issues with time pressure on last year’s SAT (partly due to a screw-up by the proctor) but has done well thus far.
Overall, based on the kids here in London, it seems to be 50:50 between doing either the new SAT or the ACT. I am not aware of any of my son’s or daughter’s friends who has done more than one type of exam.