<p>I view myself as a more science/math person, and I seem to be very inept at hard literature (I am a non-native english speaker). When it comes to straightforward passages like those on the ACT, I tend to read much, much, much faster than those I encounter on the SAT.</p>
<li><p>For those of you who are math oriented persons, how easier did you find the ACT compared to the SAT?</p></li>
<li><p>Is the ACT more improvable because it is an achievement test, as opposed to the aptitude SAT test?</p></li>
<li><p>Why are there so few ACT courses/books out there? What would be THE best ACT course for those looking for significant improvement (from 28=>33-35)?</p></li>
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<li><p>The ACT Math is MUCH MUCH better for students who not only are math-oriented, but have taken difficult math courses and succeeded in them while in High School. If you've taken the SAT II in Math, the ACT is much more like that.</p></li>
<li><p>Yes</p></li>
<li><p>Good question. I guess the SAT is just more popular at this point in time.</p></li>
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<p>Ok to answer question 3, i honestly think that it's because well..........honestly, the ACT does not require as much strategy as the SAT. I dont even know what the princeton review for the ACT would say. As for courses, ACT dominates SAT in popularity here so i cant really say much there</p>
<p>Personally, I am a strong science person but a very weak math person, at least by standardized testing standards. I get good math grades, but I cannot seem to lock down the math sections. Critical reading and English has always been pretty easy for me. I thought that the ACT was a lot easier in the English sections, but harder in the math. But that might have just been a time issue for me...</p>
<p>EDIT: I forgot to mention, my SAT I math scores are a 730 (1st) and a 680 (2nd), and then a 29 on the ACT math. I guess a 730 actually isn't that bad, but the 680 looks pretty nasty.</p>
<p>I would not describe me as a "hardcore" math person, but I very solid in HS science/math (I basically get 98-100 average on honors and AP science/math). I'm more concerned that the reading will get me down.</p>
<p>If the ACT is more improvable, how did you guys get the practice tests to improve? I can't really find any "top" ACT testprep book, as opposed to the so famous SAT bluebook/11 PR tests.</p>
<p>ACT is much harder to increase score on. SAT test strategies may be learned - ACT doesn't have many 'tricks', so there isn't as much to learn. That's probably also why there are fewer test prep books for the ACT (another reason is that the SAT is more popular in the highly competitive Northeast and West coasts).</p>
<p>I think the ACT is better for math/science people, but you need to be a fast reader.</p>
<p>Well, fast reading is exactly what I could improve by actually taking a "reading" class, where they can teach you how to read diagonally, so that you read at ~400 words/minute. I found out that I somehow reached my SAT critical reading plateau score.</p>
<p>I consider myself a math/science person as well. I've taken AP Biology, AP Physics, AP Calculus and Honors Pre-Calc and done really well in them. As far as the ACT vs SAT is concerned, I have taken the SAT twice: got a 1710 (C:530 W:510 M:680 May 07) and a 1720 (C:520 W:560 M:630 October 07). I just recently took the ACT in October and got a 30 composite (equivalent to around a 2000 SAT). I did very well on the science (36), good on the math (31), and good on the reading (28). However, english, like it was on the SAT, was disappointing (24). But it was expected, since I haven't been done great on these kinds of tests dealing with strictly english. However, I found the ACT a lot easier for me. I got through all the questions (just barely!) for every section. The science section is basically interpreting graphs. If you have a solid background and understand it, you'll do fine. Math was easy although I got held up on one of them (#30 I think) and had to rush a little at the end.</p>