9.21 Should I take the SAT or ACT?
Are you using the summer to prep for standardized tests? Smart! Are you planning to prep, but somehow you keep getting stuck at the start line? Are you still wondering which test you should take: the SAT or ACT?
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Athena Advises
You can procrastinate for days, searching the internet for details about each test, comparisons between the two, evaluations of which type of thinker does better on which test--or, for all I know, which astrological sign corresponds to the SAT or the ACT.Here's my advice. Set aside a weekend afternoon to take a complete practice SAT. Take it from start to finish, under conditions that come as close to real test conditions as you can manage. On the following weekend, take a practice ACT.I recommend you use a free, self-correcting test online, because it is a time-consuming bore to grade these tests! Be sure to keep a copy of the diagnostic report, if the service you use generates an analysis.I would also write the essay, even though you may need to ask a teacher to grade the essay for you. The reason it's useful to include the essay, even though fewer colleges require it these days, is that the SAT and ACT are in part a test of stamina! If you do find that at least one of your colleges requires the essay, you'll have taken this into account.Convert your absolute scores into percentile scores, so that you can compare your results; or use a reputable conversion chart online. How do your scores compare? Do you have a clear winner?Also, ask yourself how you feel about what it would take to improve your scores on each of the two tests. Do you have more confidence in your ability to improve in certain ways than in others?If your results are comparable, I have what may be an unexpected recommendation. Look up the schedule of dates on which the tests are offered. Is one schedule more convenient for you than the other? Seriously! Does one set of test dates fit better into your school's schedule of deadlines or examinations?A final point: If you choose the SAT, you may have to take SAT Subject Tests as well. Check the requirements of the colleges to which you may apply!Good luck on the standardized tests!Dr. Marlena CorcoranFounder and CEOAuthor of Year by Year to College, on amazon.com, amazon.de and many national amazon sites