Deciding Between the SAT and ACT Which Test is Right for You

Choosing the right standardized test for you can make an enormous difference to your college application experience: working with subjects you’re more comfortable with and being tested on a skill set that better matches your own strengths, can greatly ease your study burden and boost your chances of a strong score. The SAT and ACT  are structurally and functionally similar, but their content differs in significant ways that can be used to a student’s advantage. Here are a few things to consider when choosing between the ACT and the SAT: Similarities Between the SAT and ACT Lets start with what these two tests have in common. They take about the same amount of time to complete, and are equally popular test choices in the United States. They require both qualitative and quantitative skills, and each have four sections plus an optional essay. Colleges weigh the ACT sand SAT equally you wont be penalized for choosing either exam  over the other, so many students choose to take both and submit whichever test they perform better on. All U.S. colleges accept scores from both tests. Differences Between the SAT and ACT The main difference between the SAT and the ACT is their content choose the exam  that tests your strongest skills. The SAT is more qualitatively oriented in that it has Reading, Writing, and Math sections, while the ACT is more quantitatively oriented in that it has English, Math, and Science sections. ACT English passages tend to be at an easier reading level than SAT Reading passages, but ACT Math typically contains more trigonometry questions than SAT Math. The ACT also includes a science section, although ACT Science questions focus on a students ability to comprehend and evaluate given scientific information and hypotheses, rather than on his or her outside knowledge of scientific concepts. You wont  need to remember everything you learned in Biology, Chemistry, or Physics class for this exam, but you will  need to know how to understand those concepts when they are explained to you using common scientific vocabulary words. The Optional Essays Both tests include an optional essay, but these take very different forms. The ACT essay asks you to evaluate and analyze a complex issue. You are given three perspectives on a worldly, relevant question like the implications of automation for history and asked to discuss your own perspective on the issue relative to at least one of the given perspectives. The ACT essay favors those with strong logic, debate, and discussion skills. Test-takers are  also asked to use reasoning and outside examples to support their  arguments, so a strong knowledge of history, literature, and/or current events can come in handy. The SAT essay, on the other hand, tests comprehension of a source text, and is a good choice for those with strong reading comprehension, interpretation, and critical analysis skills. Test-takers are  given a passage to read and asked to examine the author’s use of evidence, reasoning, and stylistic or persuasive elements. Strong SAT essays typically include references to and explanations of literary concepts like allusion, rhetorical language, and anecdote, so a strong knowledge of English literary components and concepts is also useful. How to Decide Whether to Take the SAT or ACT The best way to determine which test is better for you is to take at least one official ACT practice test, and at least one official SAT practice test. (Ill emphasize official   you want to ensure that your practice session is as representative of the real thing as possible, and a copycat practice test wont achieve that.) If you still cant decide between the two exams, or if you take one and realize you might have done better on the other, recognize that theres no penalty if you officially sit both the SAT and the ACT. The SAT and ACT are operated by different organizations, so reporting your SAT scores to colleges wont automatically send  your ACT scores to them too, and vice versa. If you take both tests, you can choose to report scores for just one exam   whichever one you do better on. (Keep in mind, though, that some colleges require you to submit all scores youve received from each test, so if youve officially sat three SATs, youll have to report all three scores, not just your best one.) It’s best to devote your energy to just one test out of the two, but ultimately, you cant really go wrong when choosing between the SAT and the ACT. Apart from the test fees and studying time spent, there is no cost to taking both exams. Play to your strengths by choosing the test with content that better fits your skills, but dont worry about choosing wrong you can always change your mind later on! The best option is to start your test prep early in your high school career, in order to give yourself time to explore both tests and to switch to the other one if you need to. Still need help deciding whether to take the SAT or ACT (or both)? Check out Veritas Preps free  SAT vs. ACT Comparison Tool to determine which exam is right for you. And as always, be sure to find us on  Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter! By Courtney Tran, a Veritas Prep college admissions consultant and 99th percentile SAT and ACT instructor. Courtney Tran is a student at UC Berkeley, studying Political Economy and Rhetoric. In high school, she was named a National Merit Finalist and National AP Scholar, and she represented her district two years in a row in Public Forum Debate at the National Forensics League National Tournament.