<p>D is in 10th grade and will be out of the country on an exchange next academic year. We would like to have a decent college board score in the bag before she leaves so that she will not have to worry about them during her exchange year. If you had to choose one test, which would it be, SAT or ACT?</p>
<p>Pertinent info:
She wants to go to State flagship which accepts either test
Not as strong in math as other subjects (gets As in regular, not advanced math)
Probably will not prep for this in any way</p>
<p>My D took both. She put it this way: The SAT scores you on what you can figure out and the ACT scores you on what you have learned. My S is planning on a PA State school (waiting on decision). He took ACT only. The jury is out on whether that was a good idea or not. D thought the ACT was easier and we have heard this from others. I think you will get more educated opinions than mine on this subject but based on my knowledge and your Ds seemingly unexceptional academics, I would say ACT.</p>
<p>You need to find out which test has the least questions about areas of math that she hasn’t had instruction on yet. But I also agree that you could have her take both.</p>
<p>She does need to practice. The ACT has a timed component to it that many students find difficult. She also needs to understand how each test is scored, as it is different.</p>
<p>Regardless of which test she takes, she needs to do some prep to understand the stradegies involved in taking the test and what is being tested. In either case she will want to review math prior to taking the test, even if she has already covered the math tested in school. It is so easy to forget some of the formulas and processes. If she is only in regular math I would think she would barely have covered the math tested for on the SAT, but she needs to review. Also, because the test is normally taken by 11th graders she will be compared (percentile wise) to 11th graders while she is just a 10th grader. </p>
<p>Have you looked to see if the SAT or ACT is given overseas where your D is going?</p>
<p>Your D should take both tests. No one can know ahead of time which one she’ll do better on. Many kids do SIGNIFICANTLY better on one test than the other. The difference can be as great as 99th percentile on one, and 85th percentile on the other (yes, I’ve seen it here on CC many times). That big difference can determine acceptance AND merit scholarships (if the school offers such).</p>
<p>Since your D wants to go to her state flagship, then getting the best scores can make a difference, since many offer merit scholarships. </p>
<p>I would have her test in the early spring, and then again in June. For each test, pay the extra for the full score report, so that she can see what she missed and review. By paying the extra money, she’ll get the test booklet and answer key.</p>
<p>At the very least she should go to the library, check out a practice book for each test (the kind that as a real test) and take one of each and see which she likes better. I agree that absolutely no practice is a bad idea, though neither of my kids did much practice. They have the advantage of being good at multiple choice tests and both took the SAT in middle school.</p>
<p>Both of my Ds did significantly better on the ACT than the SAT. They both also preferred the ACT format: subject matter grouped together once, rather than bouncing back and forth (this is what I remember them telling me - I have not actually looked at the tests myself).</p>
<p>I disagree with a number of the above answers. I did ACT “one and done” with no prep at all. Her HS curriculum should be all the prep she needs for the ACTs.</p>
<p>My S did almost exactly the same on both tests as a total score; however he did much better on the SAT math (760) than the ACT math (30) and much better on the ACT English (32) than the SAT English (670). (He did no prep for the math, and four tutoring sessions for the verbal SAT just to get the “tricks” down.) He did much worse on the ACT writing than the SAT writing…can’t remember the scores but I want to say like 28 versus 630. I don’t think any of this info will help you though!! I’d probably start with the SAT if she is not as strong in math, for the simple reason that the ACT has a science section which can cause <strong>some</strong> who are weaker in math to stumble.</p>
<p>Almost all schools except either, but certain schools prefer one over the other. If you live on the east coast, west coast, or Texas, the SAT is better. Elsewhere the ACT is better.</p>
<p>I’ll also back up the significantly better on one vs. another. I had an 1840 (85thish percentile) on the SAT and a 29 (95th percentile) on the ACT.</p>
<p>Beyond that I think SAT math might be slightly easier, but I’m not sure. I think ACT goes through trig while SAT only goes through Algebra 2.</p>
<p>rtr: happy new year! btw…I feel like I have a lot of CC catching up to do…</p>
<p>just some clarification needed…</p>
<p>anyway: ACT english is equivalent in nature to SAT writing so I’m not sure which you are comparing in your post…?</p>
<p>and, for what it’s worth, a 28 on the ACT is a 1200 ballpark (1800 new SAT) for the SAT and therefore, a 28 on a section of the ACT is supposedly similar to a 600 on any section of the SAT, soooo, if your son earned a 630 on the similar section of the SAT it’s kinda similar…no harm, no foul if you know what I mean…</p>
<p>to the OP: as a parent whose junior daughter has math as her weakest section, we have been advised to stick with the ACT because it is averaged in with three other sections (which are all verbal in nature, including science)…it is the rare school who breaks out each section of the ACT to record for their stats…</p>
<p>Maybe it was the ACT Reading I’m thinking of…I really need to go back and check! (Regardless, I imagine that our experience, or anyone’s, will have little bearing on the OP’s kids’ experience since all kids are so different in how they do on these tests.)</p>
<p>Few top 100 schools prefer one test over the other. S1 took the ACT got very high score and never took the SAT. His friend who went to Yale did the same.</p>
<p>rocket6louise: *I disagree with a number of the above answers. I did ACT “one and done” with no prep at all. Her HS curriculum should be all the prep she needs for the ACTs. *</p>
<p>Yes, you did…but you are BRILLIANT! The OP’s D may be brilliant, too, but just in case she’s not, taking both the SAT and ACT is a good idea (and may need to be taken more than once.) And, we have no idea of how strong her high school curriculum is. It could be weak in math or weak in English. Or, the OP’s D may be a slow reader, so some practice may help a bit. :)</p>
<p>qwertykey: Almost all schools except either, but certain schools prefer one over the other. If you live on the east coast, west coast, or Texas, the SAT is better. Elsewhere the ACT is better.</p>
<p>That is a myth. Just because certain areas get more ACT apps or more SAT apps, it still means nothing. Schools will accept whichever one makes you (and them) look best. Schools don’t want to screw anyone. It’s a win/win for you and them. They want to report your high score. :)</p>
<p>Test prep should include going over the free materials provided and doing the practice, timed, test in advance. I agree with her getting the testing done once before leaving. She should also plan to take one or both of them in the fall of senior year after she has had that extra year of schooling- who knows, maybe the math taken there will improve her abilities on the tests.</p>
<p>I’d agree with having her take each test one time. I have one DD who does better with the SAT format and another DD who does better with the ACT format. You never know until they try; and I’d say that the East Coast SAT bias is less than it used to be since the top schools are trying to have representation from all parts of the country. The South & Midwest are ACT strongholds and as long as the ACT score is strong I don’t think she’d be hurt by just submitting an ACT score.</p>
<p>*I agree with her getting the testing done once before leaving. She should also plan to take one or both of them in the fall of senior year after she has had that extra year of schooling- who knows, maybe the math taken there will improve her abilities on the tests. *</p>
<p>Very, very true. Usually the classes that are taken during Junior year have a significant impact of SAT and ACT scores.</p>
<p>I suggest your D plans to take the tests when she returns. I know you’d like to get them over-and-done-with, I think taking them early will be a disadvantage to her. That said, I think she should take the ACT because then she won’t have to take SAT IIs (and because the consensus here tells me it’s easier). If she took the SAT I, she’d likely have to also complete several SAT IIs as well.</p>
<p>My thought going into this was to have her take the ACT. Somewhere or another I heard that girls tend to do better on it. We’ll not report the scores until we see them. If we’re satisfied with the scores, then we’ll be done with it. The scores only need to be good, not stellar. Fortunately, we do not need to be concerned with snagging merit scholarships; the tuition will be very affordable.</p>
<p>My concern with taking SAT or ACT during the year abroad is that so much of her intellectual energy will be tied up in language acquisition. It remains to be seen how quickly she will understand what is going on in her classes. I was thinking that it would be advantageous to take the test while her current year’s instruction (Algebra II) is fresh in her mind.</p>
<p>With respect to preparation, I know it would be better if she prepared. I am just being realistic about my sociable, free-spirited daughter. She is a bright girl–I didn’t mean to imply otherwise.</p>
<p>*My thought going into this was to have her take the ACT. Somewhere or another I heard that girls tend to do better on it. *</p>
<p>I don’t think that’s true. Most of my nieces all did better on the SAT than the ACT, but a couple of nieces did better on the ACT. </p>
<p>I do think she should take the ACT and SAT before she goes abroad. I think that if she waits until senior year for her first tests, she’ll be too stressed out. She’ll feel like, “I’ve got to get top scores NOW.” However, if she takes them now, she’ll feel relaxed knowing that she’ll have later chances.</p>
<p>*Fortunately, we do not need to be concerned with snagging merit scholarships; the tuition will be very affordable.
*</p>
<p>But there could be other reasons to want the best possible scores - admissions to honors programs, admissions to impacted programs at the school, etc.</p>
The OP’s D may be brilliant, too, but just in case she’s not, taking both the SAT and ACT is a good idea (and may need to be taken more than once.) And, we have no idea of how strong her high school curriculum is. It could be weak in math or weak in English. 
Or, the OP’s D may be a slow reader, so some practice may help a bit. :)</p>