<p>I know it's not required to take both for most schools but does it help you at all if you do?</p>
<p>By “both tests,” I assume you mean the SAT and the ACT?</p>
<p>My kids’ school has always advised them to take both tests. Apparently, some kids do better on one test than another. Supposedly, the ACT is easier for some kids and the SAT is easier for others. My kids have always taken both and their scores have always been comparable on both. But, according to the school, and some sources here on CC, there are kids who can do better on one over the other.</p>
<p>So that’s one reason you should take both.</p>
<p>Another reason to consider both is that you’ll be prepared to apply for any school down the road with both. Just about every school in the country will want you to report one or the other. If you take both, you’ll be all set.</p>
<p>And if you’re one of those kids who does better on one over another, you can send only the best scores to any of your schools that take either.</p>
<p>In those ways, yes, I think it helps you to take both.</p>
<p>There are some cases where you have to take both. If you are trying to become a National Merit Semifinalist, you are required to take the SAT to “confirm” your PSAT scores. If you live in a state where taking the ACT is mandatory, likewise, you are required to take the ACT to graduate high school.</p>