<p>I already took my SATS and I got a 1390/2070. I don't think I could do better on the SATs, so I'm going to take the ACTs. For those that have taken both, which did you do better on? What's the difference between the ACTs and the SATs(besides the obvious, i.e. science section)?Any study tips for the ACTs?</p>
<p>I got 1920 on SAT and 34 on ACT...</p>
<p>I think the main reason I scored this way is that you don't really need to study for the ACT (which I didn't for either), whereas being familiar with strategies is more advantageous on the SAT. The ACT is very straight forward, you answer the question to the best of your ability, no penalties to think about.</p>
<p>The ACT English is grammar based, not vocabulary, which I think is far easier. The reading is pretty similar, just all at once.
The math is pretty similar too.
Science is all graph/chart based analysis.</p>
<p>From my experiences, people who score high on both tend to score higher on the ACT.</p>
<p>Heh.</p>
<p>I was so excited when I found out about the whole "no penalty for guessing" thing on the ACT. </p>
<p>I got a 1670 on the SAT and I got a 26 on my practice ACT. I'm taking the real thing in October, I'm going to look over all my old math notes before then so hopefully I'll do better.</p>
<p>Just out of curiosity, I just bought the Peterson's book(the one that has the real ACTs). Which books did you use, if any?</p>
<p>What are the pros and cons of taking both exams (aside from the possibility of getting a higher score over the other)?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>s1lver, that is the only pro. Some people do better on the ACTs than on the SATs since it is so much more straight forward.</p>
<p>And the con would be that since there's only a finite number of opportunities to take the tests, if you concentrate on taking just one over and over you might be more likely to achieve a higher score. All things considered, I'd say the pros outweigh the cons.</p>
<p>I got a 2210 on the SAT, but I only took it once. I took the ACT and got a 36, so I don't plan on retaking my SAT =P.</p>
<p>Anyway, I found the ACT a piece of cake because 1) It has no vocab, which is probably one of my worst parts. 2) I'm a much stronger math/science student (I got 800 M and 36/36 on math and science with 35's in reading and english). </p>
<p>The SAT was pretty easy too, but I wasn't as confident coming out of it.</p>
<p>I got a 1960 on SATs, but a 33 in ACT. In my opinion, the ACT had much easier reading/writing sections because it was less about analyzing and more about the facts (you could find the answer in the text, you didn't have to infer). You don't have to have a great vocabulary to do well on the ACT (just know the basic grammar concepts), and I didn't even bother studying it (it's not necessary, just maybe take the ACT test out of the free booklet). </p>
<p>Also, on the SAT math section, there are specific types of problems that you normally don't see anywhere else BUT on the SATs. The ACT has more straightforward math concepts (stuff you actually learned in school). The science section is all about common sense and good elimination. You don't need to know hardly anything about science. </p>
<p>However, if you know/have studied the types of questions on the SAT, have a good vocabulary, and are good at analyzing reading passages, then the SAT might be the best for you. </p>
<p>Pros/Cons of taking both exams; Pros: you get to find your strengths/weaknesses. If you suck at one, then you can submit the other to colleges. Even if you submit both, the college will most likely look at your best score and convert it to whatever necessary format they like. Cons: taking tests are really lame. They waste your valuable time, and they cost a lot. Other than that, taking both tests never hurts (but it will hurt your wallet, if that's an issue for you).</p>