Losing hope. Should I try the SAT?

Test Preparation
1

<p>Okay, well, I'll make this short, or attempt to. I took my ACT for the first time, along with all my school peers, in april. I recieved a horrid score. No, really, it's THAT bad. I was granted with the oh so pathetic score, a twenty. I know a handful of people who told me it was okay, but it really isn't, in my mind. I was to get into University of central florida (for summer; really don't believe my GPA is competitive enough for fall) but my ACT score is a draw back. I just took the ACT again yesterday, after studying since mid april, doing everything I could. I read numorous prep books, I tried to reteach myself three years of math I couldn't remember, and I took an overwhelming amount of practice tests. It got to a point where I, literally, shut down my social life. It was wake up, attend school, do homework, and do ACT prep until I went to bed, and repeat. After taking the test yesterday, I felt NO CHANGE. The test didn't come easier, especially the math. So, I'm considering taking the SAT. Maybe people have said it's muchmore difficult, but I suppose it depends what kind of individual you are. Here's a run down of me.
-I LOVE reading. I've been reading some classic books recently, and find I enjoy reading in my free time. I'm a fast reader, too, and can often comprehend at that speed. The most difficult book I've read is probably 'walden', but it wasn't TOO hard.
-I like english, and I enjoy writing. Whether it be creative writing, or a rhetoric essay, it does not matter to me. I was in Junior AP english this year, and passed with an A.
-I consider myself to have a decent vocabulary, though it has much room for improvement.
-Math, HATE IT. Enough said. I hate numbers, and I hate the fact that the ACT bases its math off of what I learned two years ago. I don't have the best memory, and if you asked me what I did a month ago in math, I cannot tell you. Math is my lowest on the ACT. If I had more time, and if it was straightforward math, I think I'd be okay.
-Essay portion. I LOVED the essay portion on the ACT, it allows me to voice my opinion. Though, the questions aren't usually challenging, and it's proven that ACT grades it's essay 'poorly' (in other words, not at all. There's been proof this year at my school, they don't even read more then the intro.)</p>

<p>So, based on what's stated, should I try for the SAT? And if so, where can I sign up for it? I'd like to send my transcript and such to UCF by early august (rolling admissions, take the advantage, in my mind) so I'd need the SAT score quick enough. Any advice would be great:)</p>

2

<p>While the next SAT’s aren’t until october, but, in my opinion, you seem as though you would do better on the SAT than the SAT. You don’t seem to be a quantitative learner, so the lack of a science section will probably help your score. It would help to know your ACT subscores. In my opinion, the math on the SAT is a tiny bit easier than the math on the ACT, but they are extremely similar. Here’s the breakdown:
SAT gives you more time per question than on the ACT; if you didn’t finish many or all of the sections on the ACT, aka time constraints were a problem for you, this would be a reason to take the ACT.
On the SAT, you get penalized for wrong answers, so if you should only guess if you have it narrowed down between two answers, and sometimes not even then. If you feel like there were a ton of ACT questions that you barely had any idea and just guessed on(not counting filling in the bubbles randomly for an unfinished section without looking at the questions) I would not recomend taking the SAT.
If you consider one of your strengths analyzing and interpreting graphs and information, aka the ACT science section, I would NOT suggest taking the SAT because there is no section like this.
The SAT writing/grammar is much harder than it is on the ACT. I would only suggest taking the SAT if English was one of your highest subscores on the ACT. If your english section was a 20 or below, I would not suggest the SAT.
Lastly, if the idea of having 3 short math or reading sections sounds more appealing to you than just having one big one, then you should take the SAT.</p>

<p>I would suggest that you take the SAT just because it depends on the person, some people score better on one than another, it couldn’t hurt to take both. I took the SAT and got a 2000 and then I got a 34 on the ACT, which is WAY better. I love math and science and i despise vocabulary. Also, time constraints don’t bother me and I prefer to take one huge math section to allow my mind to just be in a math “mode” and then switch to another subject. The ACT clearly was a better choice for me. You seem like the opposite of me, so hopefully you will do better on the SAT. Good Luck!</p>

3

<p>Thinks for the advice! I actually just found out that I won’t be able to take SAT’s over the summer. I’m just crossing my fingers that my ACT raised a bit higher, and I just hope UCF defers me, so I can have a chance at the SAT. It does seem like the SAT is a better fit for me:)</p>

4

<p>What math class are you in? The SAT has even more basic math than the ACT, and you are complaining that you learned the math on the ACT two years ago. That might be even more of an issue on the SAT. The ACT has trig, and the SAT does not. </p>

<p>Your vocab will help you more on the SAT.</p>

<p>I find ACT essay prompts are more ‘friendly’ than those on SAT. The grading is of similar scale though.</p>

<p>What’s your score breakdown?</p>

5

<p>TAKE BOTH tests! Take them 2 or 3 times

  1. SAT (General), plus at list 2 SAT (Subject Tests)
  2. ACT</p>

<p>Please,
Study hard for SATs and ACT, write good essays during the application process!
SATs and ACT score is very, very important extremely important for admission!</p>

<p>I did Princeton review lasses, improved my score by 200 +, but also i would HIGHLY RECCOMAND TAKING SAT CLASSES ESP FROM KAPLAN, OR PRINCETON REVIEW.</p>

6

<p>Right now, I’m in algebra 3-4. I’m pretty good at basi algebra, and algebra 1-2, but geometry, forget about it. Yes, it does seem like the essay for the ACT was too essay, I think they need to challenge us with a difficult question. Well, I’m not postitive about each subscore. I do know, however, that my reading and english was easily the highest, then came science, then came math. Math was my lowest, very low, if I remember.</p>

7

<p>Taking a class is not an option, nor do I plan on it. I find that an unfair advantage for many families. Some people do NOT have the option of taking a class, therefore those who do take the class are at an unfair advantage. Yet another reason why these tests shouldn’t be weighed as heavily as they are. They don’t need to be. Even a very well know school here in illinois, which is very compeptive to get into, completly threw out the test. The school is private, it’s called Depaul University, and you don’t need to send your scores. They’ve realized how inaccurate the test is. But I WOULD buy the book. I studied as hard as I could for the ACT, and I did my best.</p>

8

<p>you seem like your fighting all the advice and trying to do it your way which obviously isn’t helping…if your beliefs and morals too high for you to find a way to improve your score, such as invest in a program that can actually help you raise your score, then keep the 20 or 21</p>

9

<p>^ oh and also quit buggin about the score then</p>

10

<p>Those prep classes are WORTHLESS anyways. They are a total scam. The only way to truly get better is to take a bunch of practice tests and review your wrong answers.</p>

11

<p>My beliefes or morals have nothing to do with it. It’s just that some people cannot AFFORD the classes. I have a job, but almost all my money goes towards car insurance, gas, cell phone bill, etc. I pay for everything but food, and that doesn’t count if I want specific food. I would never ask my parents to pay for classes, either, because they’re a waste. Of all my friends that took prep classes, all have said it didn’t help. They give you ‘tips’ or ‘secrets’ and ‘methods’ that they later found online. Also, I don’t believe I was ‘bugging about the score’. I didn’t say anything related to, ‘omg, what am I going to do?!’. I merley stated my score, how I studied, and if SAT is a better option. I’d like to thank the other three people who did answer the question, though. If you’re going to post a response that does not answer the question, only critisizing my opinions, then please do not post. Thank you.</p>

12

<p>I agree, completly. The practice tests do tend to help, too, especially if the time your given is the main weakness. You can become comfortable and adapt to the time frame given. Thanks for the advice, I don’t plan on taking classes.</p>

13

<p>Why don’t you just try the SAT and see what happens? Studying by taking practice tests should work out fine. The best way to find out which you will do better on/prefer to take is to try both!</p>

14

<p>Thanks! I’ll try for the SAT. Problem is, I can’t take it until september (don’t offer for summer). But hey, that just means I can try some practice tests and prepair even more!</p>

15

<p>Im sorry if you found my post offensive, its just that people need a reality check…they’re so young and they’re trying to make their “own life” early by working and doing the crap you’re supposed to do when you’re older. Then they freak out when things don’t go right academically when they’re so caught up in being “independent.” You need to get your priorities straight, and stop complaining, im just trying to help you realize that if you really want a good score, it doesn’t come through magic, you have to work for months towards it, instead of wasting your time asking people things you already know the answer for…STUDY, When i was in your shoes, I saw kids next to me with jobs and crap and acted like they were the **** until the SATs and Acts came and they had no time and no tolerance, and ended up with the usual 1500 - 1600’s, Im not trying to be rude, Im just sick of people who complain and ask other people, when they’re obviously too stubborn to get up grab a book take some practice tests and focus.</p>

16

<p>Actually, if you saw from my answer above, I studied very hard. Very VERY hard. I tried to re-teach myself three years of math, just to do well enough on the math portion. I worked my ass of (sorry for crude language) but it’s the truth. I did not walk into the test, expecting my score to raise from ‘magic’. I worked for it, HARD. I had a countless amount of books, did an obnoxious amount of practice tests, and completly shut off my social life the month before the recent test. I don’t need a reality check, at all. I actually find that I see reality for what it is: An unfair place, often left falling on your ass, but you have to get back up. I have a pretty clear check of reality, being threw what I’ve been through. I have a job, and I got one young, because i NEEDED to. Not all of us had the option of ‘acting young’, some of us needed the money. My family has raised me on tough love, and it HAS made me independent, which prepairs me better for the future. Let me think of my priorities: Pay for car insurance this month, and the cell phone bill, start editing my college application essays, pick up my last letter of recomendation, start the conditioning camp for the cheerleading team I coach, go to work. Pefect summer, eh? Yeah, THIS is reality. Reality isn’t rainbows and flowers, reality is doing what you need to do. Simple as that. The question I asked (if you had read it correctly) was whether or not I should try SAT. I NEVER asked a question about studying. If you’re going to comment, again, at least make sure you have a basic understanding of the post. So, I think I about covered every assumption you made from the post above, which proves, easily, your assumptions are highly incorrect. Perhaps I’ve being a bit rude, but I don’t like when people critizie on a bad foundation. Only critisize of any of the flaws you pointed out where actually correct.</p>

17

<p>haha, well if you read my post clearly, you’ll notice where i said you keep “arguing with people” and trying to make an excuse for every suggestion, if you CAN’T take the SAT which you clearly said afterwards, then why are you asking if you should, sounds stupid to me if you think about it, if you can’t then why ask if you should…</p>

18

<p>I just realized I couldn’t take it, I wasn’t aware when I originally posted. Perhaps we should end this? It would be the mature thing to do. Have a great day.</p>

19

<p>I think you should find out about your most recent ACT score, and then make a decision off of that. From the information you’ve provided, I think you’d be a good fit for the SAT. The math should be easier, as it does not include trigonometry. The vocabulary section of the critical reading section is hard, and not too many people can answer all of them correctly. The writing section has a section where you are given 25 minutes to do 35 questions, which can get scary when you make it to the “improving sentences/paragraphs” part.</p>

<p>Oh, and if you’re prone to guessing on hard questions, I’d suggest you train yourself to refrain from that. Incorrect answers will hurt. A lot.</p>

20

<p>Ignore that other poster - my niece did great on the SAT - around 1900, but her ACT score was low. The test just wasn’t for her. I think you should try the SAT. Her two scores did not even compare. Also, you are to be admired for studying, working, and caring.</p>