What's up with the disparity b/w SAT and ACT scores?

Applying to College
1

<p>I might be mistaken, but there seems to be a disparity between the average accepted SAT score and average accepted ACT score (using the conversion chart). Why is this so? </p>

<p>Also, if you take the ACT coming from an SAT-dominated state, is there anything you should consider? Are you expected to score higher?</p>

<p>I'm a bit confused.</p>

2

<p>That might be because the ACT is typically taken in the middle of the country and students from that region are underrepresented at most East coast colleges, so they don't face as much competition and might be accepted with slightly lower test scores (or maybe they simply don't prep as much as some East coast kids do)</p>

3

<p>Oh...:/ So, do you think someone from CA, where the SAT dominates, would be expected to have a higher ACT score?</p>

4

<p>I live in the midwest, and the vast majority of people take the ACT. Counselors tell us that if we want to go to college on the east or west coast, we should take the SAT, and if we want to stay in the midwest, we should take the ACT.
I want to go to school on the east coast, but I think I'm just going to take the ACT.</p>

5

<p>I don't think the conversion chart is very accurate. The percentile scores are much different and probably better reflect performance. Schools might be looking at that too.</p>

6

<p>average SAT score: 515math, 504verbal (1019 combined)
average ACT score: 21</p>

<p>this conversion chart i have might be old but it's what i go by
<a href="http://www.spartanburg6.k12.sc.us/dhs/Guidance%20website/SAT-ACT%20Conversion%20chart.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.spartanburg6.k12.sc.us/dhs/Guidance%20website/SAT-ACT%20Conversion%20chart.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

7

<p>Isn't the ACT curve a bit harsher? So, if they are going by percentiles as well, wouldn't people with lower score benefit. By that, I mean that 34 is like in the 99% range. I'm not sure, though.</p>

8

<p>Exactly. Thus a 34 should equal closer to a 2400. Say 2350. The Man is trying to keep the ACT down.</p>

9

<p>According to the following website, a 34 on the ACT is actually in the 99.9th percentile:
<a href="http://www.thethousand.com/iqselect.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.thethousand.com/iqselect.html&lt;/a>
I don't know how accurate the chart is though.</p>

10

<p>2 years ago a 33 was equal to a 2400 in percent that scored it(per the counselor of my cousin).</p>

<p>So, the ACT is getting cheap shotted.</p>

11

<p>Take into account the strength of the people being tested. I'll go on a limb and say that the East and California have the best public education systems in the country. Massachusetts, New York, California, New Jersey, Virginia. All top notch.</p>

12

<p>Typically the states with the highest average test scores are the midwest and mountain states. California public schools are horrible.</p>

13

<p>I go to a great CA public school. It's amazing. :] So, I actually do agree with you Lurker. I'm sure some are rather...horrendous, though. </p>

<p>Wow. Thanks everyone for all the help. It actually does seem like a lower ACT score is equivalent to a higher SAT score. Conversion charts are off. >_< I wonder which one Yale/Stanford uses. Is there a way we can figure this out?</p>

14

<p>You could e-mail or call the admission office but I doubt you would get a straight answer.</p>

15

<p>Mid-West y'all. We all talk real slow too, so I guess our test scores should be slower.. I mean "lower" too.</p>

<p>;-)</p>

<p>I'm joking. It really depends on your school. Truthfully I can see an average student beat an all honors student on an ACT. It all comes down to test taking skills not knowledge and luck of the draw. I hate standardized test, personally. I increased by 4 points the second time I took the ACT and scored in the top 93% of the country!!!! It made me happy. I took the ACT my sophmore year too, so being my senior year I maybe should take it again and see if I can break 31 out of the 36 and raise another 4 whole points. The ACT will be harder now in later years to come, because the U.S. is changing something in the core classes for incoming freshman. Just a penny for your thoughts.</p>

<p>XD</p>

16

<p>
[quote]
I took the ACT and scored in the top 93% of the country!!!!

[/quote]

I don't want to be mean but scoring in the top 93% just means not being in the bottom 7% which is not such a great accomplishment for most people... :D</p>

17

<p>i think he meant he was the 93rd percentile. be nice.</p>

18

<p>Easiest to look at the Common Data Set and check the average SAT v ACT.</p>