Taking ACTs as well as SATs

Test Preparation
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<p>We live in London, and my son, currently in Year 11 (10th Grade) will be taking his SATs in the autumn after he receives SAT tutoring this summer. Assuming that we does well on the SATs, he will be applying to highly competitive East Coast Universities and LACs. I was under the impression that we also somehow need to find the time to have him take the ACT exam as well so the schools can consider both scores. Does anyone have a view on whether he needs to take the ACT in addition to the SAT I and II's? He will probably end up applying to some of the schools ranked by US NWR in the top 30 Unis and top 20 LACs. Thanks, Jack</p>

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<p>You do not need to take both. Colleges regularly accept either the SAT or ACT. Many (although it is a minority) take both to see if they can get a better score in one than the other or take one, and then if it is not good, take the other to see if they can do better.</p>

<p>The one possible advantage of also taking the ACT has to do with SAT subject tests. Some of the colleges, e.g., Yale, Penn, and Brown, which usually require SAT subject tests will take the ACT in lieu of both the SAT and SAT subject tests.</p>

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<p>Thanks. I think that we will probably go with the SAT and SAT Subject tests as those will be more consistent with overall aptitude as well as the British school curriculum. Jackuk</p>

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<p>Hahahahahahahahahahaha.</p>

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<p>cjgonc - What does that mean?</p>

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<p>OP, some people just don’t like the SAT. It is a different kind of test than the ACT which is generally viewed as more subject/content based. The SAT is known for having “tricky” questions.</p>

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<p>I don’t want to answer for cjgone but I suspect the wild laughter has to do with the fact there is absolutely no connexion between SAT subject tests and the national curriculum here in the UK. A student who gets A starred on GCSE Latin should not go into the Latin subject SAT expecting to do well. (But you’ll be able to find a Latin master at one of the top public schools in London available to do a bit of SAT tutoring on the side…) Also not sure there is that much of a connexion between the SAT and ‘natural aptitude. But if you’re having your son tutored this summer, should be fine.</p>

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<p>Yeh, we have a British relative who wanted to go an American university, but couldn’t even get his score up to 600 on the math SAT. He ended up studying History at Oxford. He said the UK system didn’t prepare him at all for the SAT’s.</p>