Should I take the ACT or SAT?
While the ACT is currently more popular than the SAT, colleges have made it clear that they do not prefer one or the other. Before getting into the weeds about ACT vs. SAT, it’s important to know that the two tests have become more similar.
A good first step in making your decision between studying for the ACT or SAT is to take a practice test of each and see how your scores stack up. If your score for the ACT or SAT is significantly higher than the other, you should study for the test on which you did much better. If your scores are somewhat close, consider the following factors:
In favor of SAT
More time per question: If you struggle to complete tests on time, the SAT may be the right option for you.
Less geometry: The SAT has about a third of the geometry questions that the ACT does.
Less science: While the SAT does not have a dedicated science section, science concepts do appear throughout the exam.
Easier to navigate questions involving reading passages: The SAT usually provides line numbers corresponding to various questions and lists questions in order. The ACT lists questions in random order.
In favor of ACT
Less challenging vocabulary: The SAT includes more advanced vocabulary words and more vocabulary questions overall.
Fewer evidence questions: The SAT often tests your ability to refer to certain parts of reading passages to answer questions correctly. The ACT, on the other hand, requires far less effort in trying to “explain” how you arrived at your answer.
Subject matter is clearly separated across sections: On the ACT, science questions appear in the Science section, and so on. On the SAT, you may encounter, for example, science passages in the Reading section.
You like science: The ACT has a science section, whereas the SAT does not. If you enjoy nerding out about experimental design in addition to questions incorporating charts and graphs (the SAT tests only the latter), you may prefer the ACT.
Allows calculator use throughout the exam: If you don’t like or feel comfortable doing calculations by hand, the ACT may be the way to go. The SAT has a no-calculator section, though the calculations you’d be required to perform by hand for that section tend to be fairly simple.
Studying for both exams is one of the most common ACT/SAT mistakes we see students make. The amount of time you have to prepare is limited, so choose the one that most plays to your strengths and minimizes your weaknesses.
When should I take the ACT or SAT?
Most students should take the ACT or SAT during junior year. US News reports that students should take the ACT or SAT during their junior or senior year of high school in order to have completed the most relevant classes. We have also found that taking the test in your junior year is ideal (if you’re prepared), as this will give you plenty of time to retake the test if you don’t get the score you’re aiming for on the first try.
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How many times should I take the ACT or SAT?
There is evidence that shows taking the ACT or SAT more than once results in higher scores. Therefore, we recommend choosing one of the exams, studying very hard for it, and taking it during consecutive administration dates.
Beyond your first two attempts, you’ll have to consider whether you can really score significantly higher to justify taking the test again. Studying hard for each administration comes with a significant opportunity cost, that is, it takes time away from other important tasks, such as developing a unique extracurricular profile or writing exceptional college essays.
What is superscoring?
Superscoring refers to the process some colleges use to take the highest section scores from the ACT or SAT, regardless of administration date, to come up with your “super score,” as opposed to simply taking the highest overall score, averaging scores, or treating all scores equally.
For example, a student who received a 1520 on her first SAT attempt (720 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing [EBRW], 800 Math) and a 1560 on her second SAT attempt (800 EBRW, 760 Math) would have a 1600 super score (800 EBRW from the second administration + 800 Math from the first administration).
On the other hand, a school that considers a student’s highest single-administration score would only be interested in the 1560 when making admissions decisions.
Whether a college superscores SAT or ACT test results should also factor into your decision of which scores to send to the schools that allow score choice.
What are test-optional colleges?
Test-optional schools do not require you to submit your ACT or SAT results The movement is led largely by FairTest.org, which maintains a frequently updated list of test-optional colleges and universities.
FairTest’s stated mission is to “end the misuses and flaws of standardized testing and to ensure that evaluation of students, teachers and schools is fair, open, valid and educationally beneficial” and they actively campaign schools to adopt a test-optional approach to college admissions.
Is it really OK to not send test scores to test-optional colleges?
This is where things get interesting with test-optional colleges. Just because a school classifies itself as test-optional does not necessarily mean that school is test-optional for you.
It’s no secret that studying for the ACT or SAT can significantly increase your score. However, despite the proliferation of free test prep materials (most notably through Khan Academy), students with means still have access to more high-quality and individualized test prep.
In addition to the expectation to do well on the ACT or SAT, a student with significant means and opportunities will be expected to send their score reports to selective test-optional colleges because their peers will.
Therefore, make sure to honestly evaluate your context—your means, opportunities, and peers’ behaviors—when deciding whether to send test scores to various test-optional schools.
