On the ACT practice exam I took, my composite score was 28.
On the SAT practice exam - not the PSAT - I scored 1,490 (out of the new scale of 1600).
So, on the ACT, I got 28. On the SAT, I got an 34 (well, the equivalent to a 34 on the ACT, or at least near that score).
I also scored a 1,360 on the PSAT, but people told me repeatedly that the PSAT was much easier than the SAT, and that I should take the ACT.
People have been trying very hard to convince me that the ACT is much, much easier than the SAT. However, my scores do not reflect that at all.
I was sick both days I took the exam, so my physical and mental states were similar, meaning that didn’t have an impact on my scores.
Now I am trying to decide whether I should take the ACT, SAT, or both. Doing both seems unwise. So, how should I choose? Is the ACT really easier? I found myself much less frustrated while taking the SAT and PSAT than th ACT. None of my top choice schools prefer one over the other.
My son finds the practice ACTs to be much harder than the new SAT, however, because of the instability of the new SAT and the fact that we don’t know how it will REALLY be and when results will come out (SAT is predicting 2 months for the March SAT) its too risky to just ‘bet the ranch’ on the new SAT. So, he is prepping and studying for the ACT (Feb) and will prep for the new SAT after that- he’s sitting for it in March.
Depending on your testing schedule (are you taking subject tests in May? ) you really should try and fit in both tests before the end of the year so you can be done with testing for Senior year.
P.S. I’m not sure how ‘people’ know that the ACT is harder than the new SAT since we haven’t seen a real new SAT yet. Maybe these people are talking about the old SAT - which is done- ancient history now.