SAT, ACT, or both?

Test Preparation
1

<p>What do you think? </p>

2

<p>The answer is not the same for every student. It depends on your strengths and weaknesses.</p>

<p>The following traits would favor the ACT (don’t go by any one of these, take each onas a piece of the puzzle):
If you are good at science or a fast test taker (you have less time per question), you may prefer the ACT. </p>

<p>The ACT also has more straightforward questions while the SAT is far more “tricky.”</p>

<p>If you are great at vocabulary, but are a slower test-taker, or do not want to be tested on your science skills, those are all signs that the SAT could be the better test for you.</p>

<p>Two points that are probably not that relevant for most students shooting for a really high score:
The ACT essay is optional, but probably not for the more selective schools.
The ACT has no wrong answer penalty. If your score is really high that does not matter. I actually have my own theory on why it doesn’t matter anyway, but I won’t bore you with that.</p>

<p>My advice:
Ultimately the only way you can know is to do a practice test for both and see which test is right for you:</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.act.org/aap/pdf/Preparing-for-the-ACT.pdf”>http://www.act.org/aap/pdf/Preparing-for-the-ACT.pdf&lt;/a&gt; - if you’re not as familiar with the ACT, read the directions first before you start timing yourself - make sure to time yourself as the ACT questions will seem easier if you don’t factor in how quickly you must answer them.</p>

<p><a href=“Downloadable Full-Length SAT Practice Tests – SAT Suite”>The SAT – SAT Suite | College Board; - Note - make sure to do the printed (paper) version, not the online one. Doing it online will not measure how you would do on an actual test.</p>

3

<p>I agree with testadvice; best is to take a practice test from each and see which one you do better and/or can improve more on.</p>

<p><a href=“SAT vs ACT: Which Test is Right for You? | The Princeton Review”>http://www.princetonreview.com/sat-act.aspx&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>Take a few practices for both from difference sources, if possible, to see which one you do better. Some students do perform better in one test than the other one.</p>