Should I Take the SAT or ACT?
Should I Take the SAT or ACT?
One of the most common questions we’re asked here at Hillview Prep is whether or not a student should take the ACT or SAT. Students and parents have heard “good” and “bad” things about both tests and want to make sure that they or their student takes the one that is best tailored to their strengths. So, which test should you take?
There are a few pieces of criteria to consider before deciding, but before we give any advice, we want to make it clear that any decision you make should be done with a lot of careful consideration. Don’t make this choice on a whim. Also, we’ve heard of some students in the past going ahead and just taking both without any preparation, seeing how they score, and then making their decision based on which test they did better on. Lots of schools will take a look at every score you’ve gotten, so this approach could actually work against you. There are plenty of places where you can find SAT and ACT sample questions, so make sure you sit down—under similar conditions!—and take both practice tests using the respective allotted times for each one.
Besides that, there are a few things to consider about each test before going ahead and taking one:
1. The SAT Does Not Emphasize Very Challenging Vocabulary Words Anymore
While older versions of the SAT were notorious for how difficult their vocabulary sections were, the newer version is no longer like that. These days, you will still have to answer a few “vocabulary in context” questions, but you don’t have to worry about pure vocabulary studying anymore. Nowadays, it’s all about learning the right strategy for the vocabulary section.
2. The ACT Math Section Is a Bit More Advanced
Yes, the math section on both tests are pretty much identical, but the ACT generally tests a greater depth of math. About 15% of the ACT deals with advanced math that isn’t tested on the SAT. Another way of thinking about this is: The SAT makes sure you know what “SohCahToa” is, while the ACT makes sure you know how to use it properly. So, in general, if you do not believe you’re a strong math student, you may find the ACT harder than the SAT.
3. Both Tests Have Similar Writing and Grammar Difficulty Levels, but the Required Essays Are Slightly Different
Both the ACT and SAT cover the same writing and grammatical concepts, but the essay sections are slightly different. This doesn’t mean that one is harder or easier than the other, they’re just difference. With the ACT, the essays presents you with a few arguments and then asks you to pick the best one and explain why. On the SAT, you have an already-written essay which it asks you evaluate.
4. The ACT Science Section Doesn’t Have Much Science
Many students are scared away by the science section of the ACT, but few really understand what it entails. Instead of presenting takers with questions regarding specific branches of science, the ACT actually makes the taker interpret information from graphs and charts. So, to ace this section, you don’t need to know any actual science, you just need to be able to gather information and create an opinion from what’s being presented to you.
5. The ACT is Faster Paced
The SAT and ACT present you with the same information in a similar fashion, but the ACT gives you less time per question. In addition to give you less time to answer the questions, the ACT also makes you solve more questions. The easiest way to think about it is this: On the SAT, managing your time is important. On the ACT, managing your time is integral.
Should I Take the SAT or ACT?
The answer is simple: whichever one you think is better tailored to your skills. Colleges make it very clear that they do not prefer one test over the other—the only thing they prefer is enrolling students who have high test scores. So, take the test that you’re going to be better at taking!
Our tutors can help you decide which test is better for you. Head over to our Registration Page and get started today!
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