SAT and ACT: Which is the Better Test?
Should your teenager take the SAT or ACT test?
Typically, students pick the test that their friends are taking. On the East and West coasts, students prefer the SAT test. In the Midwest and Rocky Mountains states, the ACT test is king. And in the South, teenagers split their allegiance between the SAT and ACT.
It's a shame, however, that geography determines which test most students choose. Teenagers are more likely to fare better if they select the test that plays to their strengths. What many families don't realize is that the two tests measure different skills, which can lead to very different ACT and SAT results.
Teenagers who earn high ACT scores are more likely to:
The ACT also tests a student's memory because, unlike the SAT, it doesn't provide the lines in the reading passages where answers can be found.
Just looking at the ACT's time constraints and memorization demands, you might think the SAT is the preferable test, but that won't be the case for everyone.
Some students like the ACT because it's more straight forward. The ACT, for instance, doesn't contain obscure vocabulary and the reading passages aren't tough. In comparison, the SAT reading section is loaded with tricky questions. Even though the SAT typically directs students to the very line in a reading passage where the answer can be found, pinpointing the correct answer can still be tortuous.
Unlike the ACT, the SAT also demands a strong vocabulary because it peppers the sentence completion section of the test and the reading passages with words like assiduous and inchoate.
Here's the bottom line: Taking the right test could be the best way to boost your scores whether you pick the SAT or the ACT.
SAT and ACT image by carolyntiry. CC 2.0.
© 2010 CBS Interactive Inc.. All Rights Reserved.
Typically, students pick the test that their friends are taking. On the East and West coasts, students prefer the SAT test. In the Midwest and Rocky Mountains states, the ACT test is king. And in the South, teenagers split their allegiance between the SAT and ACT.
It's a shame, however, that geography determines which test most students choose. Teenagers are more likely to fare better if they select the test that plays to their strengths. What many families don't realize is that the two tests measure different skills, which can lead to very different ACT and SAT results.
Teenagers who earn high ACT scores are more likely to:
- Possess a strong memory.
- Be fast readers.
- Process information swiftly.
- Possess a strong vocabulary.
- Be a strong reader.
- Enjoy test-taking strategies.
The ACT also tests a student's memory because, unlike the SAT, it doesn't provide the lines in the reading passages where answers can be found.
Just looking at the ACT's time constraints and memorization demands, you might think the SAT is the preferable test, but that won't be the case for everyone.
Some students like the ACT because it's more straight forward. The ACT, for instance, doesn't contain obscure vocabulary and the reading passages aren't tough. In comparison, the SAT reading section is loaded with tricky questions. Even though the SAT typically directs students to the very line in a reading passage where the answer can be found, pinpointing the correct answer can still be tortuous.
Unlike the ACT, the SAT also demands a strong vocabulary because it peppers the sentence completion section of the test and the reading passages with words like assiduous and inchoate.
Here's the bottom line: Taking the right test could be the best way to boost your scores whether you pick the SAT or the ACT.
More on CBSMoneyWatch:
Which Test Scores to Send: SAT or ACT?
5 Reasons to Stop Stressing About the SAT and ACT
Lynn O'Shaughnessy is the author of The College Solution, an Amazon bestseller and she also at TheCollegeSolutionBlog. Follow her on Twitter.SAT and ACT image by carolyntiry. CC 2.0.
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- At STAR Prep Academy, we have our students prepare for both tests by taking the PSAT and the Explore/Plan tests. We then ask all juniors to take both the ACT and SAT in the Spring to decide which test seems to suit them best. Rather than prepare for two tests, they enter the summer with an idea as to which test they will take in the Fall. It is amazing to note the discrepancy in performance between one test or the other depending on their particular strengths and or weaknesses.
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