Hi, I am a sophomore and plan to take tests next year. I am quite sure which test I do well. Is it too much to take both tests?
Sorry, I meant I am NOT quite sure which test to take.
Try them both, then decide where to focus.
@Erin’s Dad. When you say “try”, did you mean take real tests, or try practice tests?
I would recommend real tests, but certainly practice both. Also make sure your practices are timed. I’ve seen students posting here that were not ready for the test due to time constraints despite practicing.
If you are going to spend a lot of time prepping, and will use real materials, go with the ACT. There are few real SATs available and very few up-to-date guides that are worthwhile. There are numerous ACT tests available and a handful of very good guides.
I would take a timed practice test of each format at home with no advance preparation (a sample of each is downloadable on the respective websites). See how you do. If there is a meaningful difference in % terms in your scores, then go with the test that works best for you and do some prep/practice with that format.
I would not take a real test “just to see” because some colleges and universities require submission of your entire testing history. A practice test as a sophomore might not reflect your capabilities. Also for the ACT, you pay a separate fee for each test taken and that can add up.
The other thing you should know is that there has been considerable debate about how the new SAT format scores compare with the old SAT and the ACT. The ACT has been a fairly stable format for the last several years, although there have been some minor changes to the science section and the essay format and scoring in the more recent past. So if you don’t have a strong preference for one format over the other, the ACT might be a safer bet. Also as @CHD2013 has commented, there are more prep materials available, although the College Board is in the process of releasing more official tests for practice.
@mamaedefamilia Thanks so much for your advise! One concern is that my grade of geometry in 9th grade is only B+, and I found myself is not that good at geometry. Does ACT have much more geometry questions than SAT?
Both tests include geometry but to be honest I’m not sure about the proportion of geometry questions for each one.
The pace of the ACT is quicker than the SAT but the math problems are worded in a more complex way on the SAT. I would do a sample math section for each test and see which format works better for you.
Great! Thanks again!!
Does your school offer the PSAT and PLAN for Sophomores? I had my son’s take both of these tests Sophomore year, to see which test they did better on and then focused on the better scoring test which was the ACT.