<p>Is there any advantage in taking both the SAT and the ACT? I am pretty good at taking standarized tests, and I'm confident I can get fairly high scores on both of them. Would good scores on both tests be an advantage over just taking one of them? I got a 232 on the PSAT, which I wasn't exactly ecstatic about. I'm more accustomed to the SAT format - I haven't really looked at the ACT before. I live in Louisiana, but I plan to apply to top-tier schools such as Stanford, MIT, and Rice. Thanks.</p>
<p>I doubt doing well on both will mean anything to colleges. Doing well on one is completely sufficient. </p>
<p>There are still advantages to taking both, though. The two tests really are substantially different from one another. Often people find one very doable and the other much harder. If you try the SAT, for example, and really suck on it, then you might try the ACT--it might be more your kind of test.</p>
<p>Good scores on both will not hurt you. You can take the ACT multiple times and shop (read make the ACT rich) for which score you want to send. </p>
<p>On the other hand, given that you are applying to "top-tier" schools, you will need to submit SAT II scores for most, which means that your SAT I scores will be reported. </p>
<p>By the way, it is my understanding that Louisiana tends to be more of an ACT state than a SAT state.</p>
<p>If you do better on the SAT (and based on your PSAT score, your SAT score would probably be really good), then you should take that. The ACT's different because the questions are more straightforward and the sections are longer. I would think just one test would suffice, but if you still feel that you want to take both, then you should go ahead and do it.</p>