I’m going into my junior year, and I know I will have to take one of these tests. I wanted to know the key differences between them, and if either test is better for different types of learners. I have taken the PSAT last year and I got an 1100, and recently took a SAT practice test and got a 1250. If anyone could tell me if that’s a good score, that would be great!
Look at the percentiles for your SAT. Does it correspond roughly to your GPA? If you are an A student and you scored in the 94% or above, then that is probably a good reflection of your ability. If your test scores are significantly lower than your GPA, you might want to study and try again, or try the ACT to see if you do better.
You can also compare your test scores to the middle 50% of accepted applicants for schools that interest you. This is information that is easily found by googling. If your SAT/ACT falls in the upper half of students that apply to that school, it should be good enough. If you are trying for merit scholarships, it should fall in the top 25%.
Our observation is that most students will score lower on the actual test than on the practice tests, at least on the first time. If time and money permit, I would plan on taking both the ACT and SAT to see which one you do better on this fall, then re-take the one you like one or two more times until you get the score you want (usually spring of junior year and Sept/Oct of senior year (if necessary) . The first test should be to familiarize yourself with the format and experience with a little less pressure.
Aim for the 75th percentile at your desired schools.