Should I take the ACT?
This time of year, one of our most frequently-asked questions is, “My student is already taking the SAT. Should s/he take the ACT as well? Or instead?” Our answer is that we evaluate each student individually, making recommendations based on their own strengths and weaknesses, but we also thought we’d answer the question more generally here.
First, the tests are in many ways “the same, but different.” They cover mostly the same material, but have different approaches. The math on the ACT can be a bit harder, but the questions are typically more straightforward — meaning, fewer tricks than the SAT. The reading comprehension section is more predictable on the ACT, but not necessarily easier. The “English” section on the ACT is very similar to the multiple-choice “Writing” sections on the SAT. And the ACT’s essay is optional and not included in the composite score, though it is about the same length as the SAT essay.
But that’s where the similarities end. The scoring on the ACT is quite different. There’s no wrong-answer penalty, and the test is scored on a scale from 1 to 36. Instead of adding the score for each section, they are averaged, so that each section is also scored from 1 to 36. This makes a student’s SAT and ACT scores hard to compare without a conversion chart, also known as a concordance chart, which gives roughly equivalent SAT scores for any given ACT score. You can find copies of these all over the internet: one example is here. Some schools interpret an ACT score on its own merits; others will simply use a chart to convert to an SAT score and use that as a basis for comparison. So if you do decide to take the ACT, you should use the chart to convert your score yourself. If one score is significantly better than the other, submit that one (and perhaps not the other). If they’re both the same, you can submit both.
Another difference in the two tests is the overall structure. The SAT is given as ten sections, none more than 25 minutes long. Typically, students change topics every section, i.e., they never do two sections in a row on the same topic. Some students like to mix it up, and that works well for them. Other students who prefer to stay on the same topic without switching might prefer the ACT’s approach, which is to give the test as four sections on four subjects (plus the optional essay). No section is more than 60 minutes long, and the entire test (without essay) takes just under 3 hours; including the essay, it is close to the same length as the SAT.
The biggest wildcard on the ACT is the Science test. This is a somewhat unusual section that is designed to test the skills required in the natural sciences (such as data analysis and interpretation) without actually requiring the student to have studied any particular science. That might be true, but it’s also usually the case that a student who has taken plenty of science courses will be better prepared for the ACT’s Science Test than a student who has taken the bare minimum of science.
If you really want to know whether your student should take the ACT, you can always take a practice test and see how it goes. Practice tests are available in bookstores, just as they are for the SAT. You can also contact us if you’d like to arrange a consultation. We’d be happy to discuss it with you over the phone or e-mail.