I am looking to prepare for the ACT/SAT for December/January. Giving myself say 2 solid weeks work, what test is easiest to prepare for in short time period and also achieve successful ivy league applicant standard scores.
60 views and no responses come on guys!
Personally, for me it was the ACT. I think it’s more based off of what you should be learning in class, and therefore takes less time to simply review old material. The SAT, on the other hand, is forcing me to think more about logic and how to solve potential types of problems and learn new vocabulary.
- Disclaimer: This only applies to the current SAT, not the new revision.
The tests are more similar than in the past but I would say ACT simply because there is a lot more good prep material .
Take a timed practiced test of each - focus on the one you score better on.
went from 26 to 30 in act; took sat once got a 1740 and never tried again
SAT is about to switch format, so I would advise studying for ACT. If you do poorly, consider switching tests.
If only because the grammar is not so difficult, there isn’t vocabulary, Math is straightforward if pressed for time (my worst score however), and I never found the reading analysis challenging. The hardest part for me (although oddly enough, it was my best score) was Science, if only because of how pressed for time it is. Do multiple practice sciences and get a feel for each part of that section. Writing is pressed for time (30 minutes) so practice how well you can formalize your thoughts.
Guessing is not penalized. There are no fill in the blank sections as on the SAT Math.
The moral of the story regarding ACT is pressed for time. You’ll know most of the material already (review some basic grammar and math regarding geometry) but you won’t know how fast you can write it down.
I had limited prep (about 2-3 weeks) and got a 33 on my first try. You can do better!
If you’re referring to the pre-2016 SAT, I would say the ACT takes far less time to prepare.
Anyone who has taken the SAT would know that a lot of questions (Minus the writing section) seem to be measuring something far deeper than mere knowledge and academic achievement.
The ACT is strictly a shallow knowledge-based test. The math problems on the ACT may test more subjects than the SAT math section, but all of the questions require merely regurgitating formulas.
The SAT math questions place less emphasis on knowledge and more emphasis on raw talent.
Now if you’re referring to the 2016 - beyond SAT, I do not know, since I have not taken it.
Guys thanks a lot for your comments. In the UK I have taken double maths and triple science for my AS levels and am predicted 4A*s for my A2 (Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Physics). I achieved 1950 on SAT first time but I found the critical reading just ridiculously hard - so do you think that the ACT is much easier?
@Nedcone How much work did you do each day for the 2-3 weeks, I have got to handle A levels, prep for Oxbridge exams and hopefully interview.
@Jimbus89 Not alot. I did a few questions from each section every day and then took a total of one practice test. Also reviewed grammar and mathematics, particularly geometry (as for me it had been awhile). As a former user said, there is a lot of necessary knowledge of formulas, but nothing you never learned in class (assumedly, given my assumption of you in the United Kingdom).
I would advise doing a bit more than that, but you won’t be in rough shape if you do “2 weeks of solid work.”
In my experience the ACT was definitely easier to prepare for, at least content-wise: no vocabulary, easier grammar questions, more straight-forward math (although time can be more of an issue)…
@Nedcone Year, in the UK go into a decent level of mathematical depth and except for knowledge of formulae and strange circle geometry the maths is relatively straight forward for me. The science and reading are very high for time, did you find that you overcame that issue with practice?
@Jimbus89 As for time I would say yes. I never felt particularly pressed for time on Reading (although I didn’t have more than 5 minutes after finishing to look back on it), but Science definitely. Practice is needed so you get a feel for how quickly you can skim read and analyze (and make sure you at least glance at the opening paragraph for information). I felt I was able to overcome it yes, but I still never had more than 1-2 minutes spared at best after finishing the Science section.
@Nedcone how many practice papers/sections did you do?
@Jimbus89 An individual section of each test (English passage, 5-10 math questions, reading passage, and one science section) meaning that I worked on each test every four days. At the end (On the day before the test) I took one full practice test.
This worked for me, but you naturally may want to do more work.
So you done literally less than an hour a day?