ACT Scores lower than SAT for college admissions?

Daniel591992 · 11-10-2009, 06:55 PM

Hey,

So I've always heard people in my school say that the ACT is much easier than the SAT. Well, I got a 28 on the ACT and a 640/610/700 (R/M/W) on the SAT. Using the online conversion, they come out to the same thing.

Why is it that when I look at the average SAT scores for some schools they are higher than mine, but when I look at the ACT scores, I'm a perfect fit (or even in the top 50%)? Is it just that the ACT is less competitive or am I overlooking something? Thanks.

rodney · 11-10-2009, 06:59 PM

The SAT average you are looking at is superscored to record for college board....the ACT is not superscored and that is why it appears as if you are a better fit...you are not overlooking something....

edit: clearer explanation: colleges report the 25-75% average of math SAT and 25-75% average of verbal separately.....ACT 25-75% is not dividedup for recording...

sweetdreamzzz · 11-10-2009, 07:02 PM

what schools? for the schools i've looked at, ACT and SAT are pretty much the same...

Daniel591992 · 11-10-2009, 07:54 PM

Okay, that makes sense. Thanks!

Do colleges look at the ACT by section? Or do they just take the composite score?

I know Binghamton doesn't look at the writing section of the SAT (my highest...). Does that mean they would ignore the writing section for the ACT? That could help me a lot for some schools.