Which score is stronger the ACT or SAT?

Test Preparation
1

I understand you need to submit whatever scores the colleges require.

My son is not concerned about super scoring because he took one shot at SAT and ACT in his junior and decided that’s good to go.

Now he is in the middle of applying to colleges and are unsure for those who asked for either ACT or SAT which one he should send, or should he send both?

SAT scores (old SAT taken in Nov 2015)
Critical reading 720
Writing 790
Math 800
Overall 2310

SAT subject scores (taken summer 2015)
Chemistry 760
Math level 2 800

ACT scores (taken Dec 2015)
Composite 35
English 35
Math 34
Reading 33
Science 36
Writing 24

So both tests he is in the 99th percentile. Technically speaking it seems a 35 in ACT is “better” then then a 2310 in SAT. But his ACT writing score of 24 is weak. He originally scored a 23 in writing and after a rescore request it went up to 24. He debated long and hard about retaking the entire ACT simply to try and improve the writing score, but at the end he didn’t because he was advised that many schools do not pay attention to the writing score in ACT and there seems to be some consensus that something went wrong with the writing test because so many people scored lower than expected.

So I guess the questions are:

(1) If given a choice, should he submit his ACT score or SAT score? Is the ACT score stronger even though the writing score may prompt some colleges to raise their eyebrows?
(2) Since he only took one shot at each test, is he at a disadvantage when compare to others who took multiple attempts and superscored? Would colleges look at one shot testers as may be a “fluke”? So is submitting both (if allowed) putting a better foot forward?

2

Is his planned major STEM or is he applying to STEMy colleges? If so, the 800 in math on the SAT is stronger than the 34 in ACT math.

I might lean toward submitting both.

I don’t think one-and-done testers are seen as a fluke. They are more likely seen as kids who didn’t need to do a lot of prepping.

But, I’m no expert. We have a similar decision to make, and I’m not sure in our case.

3

Sending both to every school can get expensive, and doesn’t seem necessary to me.
I would probably send the SAT officially since you can include the Subject tests with one send/payment, but definitely self-report the ACT on the CA.

4

Neither score will keep you out of a college.

5

Yes he is planning on an engineering track.

6

So may be the SAT plus subject tests show a better capacity in math with both math and math2 perfect score especially with them taken in sophomore and junior years?

7

One of his teachers felt the ACT 35 is a stronger score. When he mentioned the low writing score, they said “no one looks at that!” Is this accurate?

I know only some schools look at it, I don’t know what that means. Does it mean they consider it a potential weakness, if so then reporting the SAT scores showing a higher writing score may balance things out and suggest a consistent high mark. Too bad one cannot retake the ACT but just the writing.

8

That score is still 88th %ile. http://blog.prepscholar.com/new-act-writing-score-low-wrong-late
With the issues the new writing scoring brought up I doubt schools are looking at that right now.