<p>Take a look at what these people had to say.</p>
<p>In case you don't want to read that, here are the comments that I wish to point out.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>I think Kevin's point is valid - it's the customer base of the SAT vs the ACT.</p>
<p>I took the SAT, I grew up on the west coast, I went to a prestigious, if not well known, private university.</p>
<p>My spouse took the ACT, grew up in middle america, and went to a non-technical, public, state college.</p>
<p>Her college was even less prepared than my high school, so... Perhaps there is more than ancedotal information here.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Kevin, most of the states that love the ACT are blue states... MN, WI, MI tend to lean Democrat. MN hasn't voted for a Republican since what, Hoover? They were the only state (and DC) to vote for Mondale/Ferraro.</p>
<p>The truth is the SAT is being dumbed-down, since it is designed to compare students to the average of their peers. Therefore the average just keeps dropping. The ACT is based on actual knowledge needed for college, and so if an entire generation is undereducated, the ACT will reflect this with low scores. That's why the ACT is so popular near Iowa, where it was created. The coasts just can't accept that the ACT is far superior since it was invented in "fly-over country."</p>
<p>Nonetheless, the reason that the <em>average</em> scores keep dropping is that more disadvantaged students are taking the tests, which is actually a good thing. If you look at SAT scores <em>within</em> each major racial/ethnic group (White, Black, Hispanic, Asian-American), you find that <em>within</em> each group, SAT scores are on the rise. However, the average scores for Black and Hispanic students are lower overall (although rising annually), and since Black and Hispanic test-takers are increasing in percent, the OVERALL average drops while test scores for each race is rising. In reality, EVERYONE is getting smarter, but changes in the proportions of different sub-populations skews the average and makes for confusing results.</p>
<p>Bottom line: lower average test scores is actually a GOOD thing. Averages can lie.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>My thoughts were the exact opposite; I believed that, in general, the SAT was the "blue" test, and that the ACT was the "red" test. I was convinced I was wrong when I read this:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.arthurhu.com/99/06/satact.txt%5B/url%5D">http://www.arthurhu.com/99/06/satact.txt</a></p>
<p>Yes, it's outdated by about six or seven years. The point is that the coastal Southern states, which are generally Republican, prefer the SAT, whereas the Upper Midwest states, which are usually Democrat, favour the ACT. </p>
<p>There is one minor anomaly, and a glaring one: Arizona and Indiana, respectively. The former is technically within the Rockies, but unlike them, it leans towards the SAT. (Must be the California transplants.) The latter is completely surrounded by ACT states, and is somehow inclined towards the Republican party. </p>
<p>In addition, it seems that the most populous states use the SAT more. California, New York, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, but not Illinois (nor Ohio nor Michigan). Really, if there is to be a logical consistency between population and SAT/ACT preference, Illinois and Indiana should switch places. Or perhaps it's because Illinois houses Chicago, "the most American city of all". (I'll explain what that means in the next paragraph.)</p>
<p>Basically, the reason I used to think the SAT was for donkeys and the ACT was for elephants was that the Dems stress globalisation, and that the GOP insists on nationalism. Non-Americans have free access to the SAT, whereas that is (generally?) not the case with the ACT. Of course, it is called "The American College Test" for a reason.</p>
<p><em>takes a deep breath</em></p>
<p>Here's one more link:</p>
<p>So, what are your thoughts on this?</p>