Is it Better to Take the ACT or the SAT?
"Should I take the SAT or the ACT?" This is a common dilemma for many high school students. The easy answer to this question is to talk to your college or university of choice and see if they have a preference. Here are some other pointers.
- Most schools do not have a preference or one that they would require over the other.
- Many Ivy League schools want students to take the SAT.
- Some colleges require a student to take SAT II subject tests for placement into college courses or for college admission.
- Students can (if they are able to) take both exams. The two exams differ from each other in certain areas and many students do better on one rather than the other.
- Ask the colleges that you are applying to if they will combine scores from different administrations to come up with a highest possible composite. In other words, some schools will take your highest math score from one SAT and combine it with your highest verbal score from another SAT to come up with the highest possible composite. Keep in mind that not all universities will do this.
- Keep in mind that all students have a "ceiling" when they take these exams. To put it another way, no matter how many times they take it, there will be a score that individually they will not be able to go above.
- As difficult as these exams are for some students, they are a part of the admissions process and decision at almost every school. Different colleges and universities put different weight on this importance, but it still exists.
- For students with learning disabilities, there is an un-timed version of the exams that can be administered.
- Some colleges offer a residual exam directly on their campus. This score is only good on the campus on which it was taken.
Always try to get a good night of sleep before and breakfast the morning of the exam. Relax and do the best that you can. Try to take an exam at least once during your junior year of high school, and plan to take another one in the fall of your senior year. Good luck!
Posted: 9/2/2001