We are completely immersed in the college testing this year. As a family, we have been trying to decide which test is better: the ACT or the SAT. I have come to the conclusion that the test must match your student's learning/personality style.
Huh? I said the same thing at first. Here is what I have learned.
What does each test cover?
ACT: Tests knowledge learned in high school. This test focuses on grammar and punctuation. If your student excels in memorization of facts either in or outside the context they were taught, the ACT may be the test for them. Again, this tests material already learned!
SAT: More of an aptitude test. It is better suited to the student who has good deductive reasoning skills, which will be used and developed throughout college. It also concentrates more on vocabulary than on basic grammar and punctuation. Students who are good test-takers usually perform better on the SAT.
How are the tests formatted?
ACT: All sections are multiple choice and contain four (4) tests covering: English, reading, mathematics, and science. An optional 30-minute writing test is available to measure the student's ability to develop and write an essay.
SAT: Multiple-choice tests consisting of two parts: Mathematics and Critical Reading (includes science, history, and literature). An optional writing section is available for the student to write an essay in 25 minutes. The Math includes a multiple-choice format and a section where the student works out the problem and writes their own answer.
How are the tests scored?
ACT: When the ACT is scored, all incorrect answers are discarded and only the correct answers make up the final score. A 36 is a perfect score. The essay portion is scored separately and a perfect will be a 6.
SAT: The SAT slightly penalizes incorrect answers on the multiple-choice questions but not on the written ones (in math). Each section is worth 800 points; so a perfect score, including the essay portion, will be a 2400. If you are only taking the Critical Reading and Math, a perfect score will be a 1600.
Our teens will be taking both tests this year as high school juniors. We are not submitting them to any college, even though a specific number can be forwarded free. The reason for testing this year is to allow us time to focus on any weak areas now. Then, they have next year to retest and increase their scores. If, by the grace of God, one or both do exceptionally well, then we will have the scores sent to some colleges.
For those of you with high schoolers, how are you navigating the college testing path?
Link up or add a comment below. I'd love to hear how others are handling this critical time in their student's life!
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