<p>I am from a state that really pushes for the taking of the ACT, so they offer much needed prep and classes for said test. However, my state is a very faulty one when it comes to academics, and I want to be the first person in my family to graduate from a top private school. My question is if I am able to take the ACT and still be accepted and not discriminated against when applying? My original hope was to only take the SAT. However, both schools started accepting both and I'm not sure if that would be a good idea or not. Should I do what everyone else is doing and take the ACT? Or should I take the SAT? </p>
<p>P.S. My projected score for the ACT is a 28-32 (my goal is a 33) and I have yet to take the PSAT, I want to prep for that so I can get 205+ and be a national merit scholar.</p>
<p>Concentrate on doing your best on whichever test seems easier to you or wherever your practice tests indicate you will have the best results. Note that testing requirements are quite variable from school to school. As examples, some selective schools require the ACT with writing and some don’t. Some require subject tests in addition to SATs, but the subject test requirement does not always apply if you submit ACT results. Regardless, your ACT scores will not be looked at as any less significant or impressive than would comparable SAT scores.</p>
<p>No matter I am taking the essay portion. My thoughts are I can focus my time on the ACT and take the SAT subject tests without having to sacrifice any test dates, because the SAT and SAT II tests are offered on the same days.</p>
<p>I only took the ACT and also took the subject tests. I definitely think that’s a good route to take, because of the SAT test date conflicts. Plus, if you’re from an ACT pushing state, chances are you’ve taken standardized tests that are much more similar to the ACT than the SAT. Good luck! (As for the percentages, I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure the percentages of students submitting the ACT is growing considerably each year, and the test certainly isn’t discriminated against!)</p>
<p>The answer to the question you’ve asked is, a pretty small percentage of ACT-takers are accepted at these colleges. </p>
<p>The answer to the question you didn’t ask is, a pretty small percentage of SAT-takers are admitted, too. That’s what makes these “top” colleges and universities selective.</p>
<p>The answer to the question I think you meant to ask is: No, really and truly, colleges and universities won’t have any kind of bias against you if you take ACT and not SAT. They haven’t done that in many years. The people who say otherwise are giving advice in 2013 based on information from 1988.</p>