Solid ACT x Solid SAT. Would these be looked at differently at most top colleges?

Waitingfor2013 · 02-10-2008, 01:37 PM

I am under the impression that most--if not all--top school will accept scores from either test. DS just took the ACT. Let's say he gets an outstanding score (wishful thinking) should he still take the SAT? He is signed up for the SAT, but why go through another 5 hours of testing? He plans to apply to top colleges and a couple safeties. He hopes to get some financial aid. TIA for your comments.

asdfjkl1 · 02-10-2008, 01:39 PM

No. The reason why you would take either is to get the score. Don't bother unless it's with subject tests. Technically, if you take the ACT, you don't need subject tests but they might help. Colleges take either and they can convert the ACT to SAT if they're much more SAT focused.

Congrats to your DS!

wjb · 02-10-2008, 01:43 PM

With an outstanding score on the ACT, there is no reason to take the SAT I UNLESS a student needs it to confirm PSAT scores for National Merit Finalist purposes. (National Merit Semifinalists cannot advance to Finalist status without an SAT I.) But that confirmatory (is that a word??) SAT I can be taken as late as December of the NMSF's senior year.

And while it is correct that some colleges accept the ACT in lieu of both SAT I and SAT IIs (Subject Tests), some colleges require both ACT and 2 or 3 SAT IIs.

MidwestMom2Kids_ · 02-10-2008, 01:51 PM

Georgetown, for example, requires SAT II's with your ACT score. The UC's do, too, if you are looking at UCLA or Berkeley.

curmudgeon · 02-10-2008, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OP

Let's say he gets an outstanding score (wishful thinking) should he still take the SAT? He plans to apply to top colleges and a couple safeties. He hopes to get some financial aid. TIA for your comments.

By "financial aid" do you mean merit-based aid? If so , send the great ACT score . Then take the SAT , if it's just as great send it , too. If better certainly send it. If it is not what he hoped for don't send it. Then take the ACT again to see if he can top his already great score. If he tops it send it. If he doesn't , and that school doesn't superscore ACT (few do), don't send it. If they do superscore and any section is higher (and the rest does not suck), then send it. Whew! That wasn't as easy as I thought to type. Good luck.

That being said , if he hits a 35 or 36 it would be really rare to need anything higher , but we are taking historically the top 2000 scorers out of 1.2 million seniors taking the test. (This year was odd with 2700 kids scoring 35 or 36 out of 1.3 million.)

gbesq · 02-10-2008, 02:05 PM

^Correct. Virtually all colleges and universities view the tests equally, so doing well on one is sufficient. Many will also accept the ACT in lieu of the SAT I AND the SAT II subject tests, but it may still be necessary to take the SAT II subject tests if a particular college or program requires them for placement. If your child hasn't taken the ACT previously or had a prep course, beware of the time crunch. While the general view is that the questions on the ACT are more straight forward (i.e., not designed to trick the test taker like some SAT questions), there is serious time pressure on the ACT and being able to finish is often the difference between a good score (25-29) and a great score (30-36).

2blue · 02-10-2008, 02:14 PM

If he knows to what top colleges he is going to apply, he might consider checking on whether they require SAT subject tests from ACT test-takers prior to taking the SAT. Whenever you request that College Board send SAT scores, they send all scores of tests taken. So if he is happy with his ACT score and needs to take SAT subject tests, he might want to take the subject tests and have those scores sent to colleges prior to taking the regular SAT. If he then takes the regular SAT and is happy with his score he could have it sent at that time, but if he feels it isn't as strong he has the option of not sending it.

Sometimes you feel like Tim Russert with a whiteboard figuring all the possible ways things could play out. "Ohio, Ohio, Ohio!"

wjb · 02-10-2008, 03:02 PM

Bingo, 2blue. That is the precise strategy my son used, thanks to his clever mom and CC. Took ACT back in fall 2006, scored well, and decided not to retake. Took SAT IIs in winter and spring of 2006-07 because several of his schools required them in addition to the ACT. Submitted only ACT and SATIIs to colleges. Took SAT I in winter of senior year in order to confirm for NMF. Felt very little pressure. Did not send that score to colleges. ALthough it was a fine score, it was just not necessary.

Waitingfor2013 · 02-10-2008, 05:29 PM

Thanks, everyone. And here is one more question: DS has already taken the math SAT subject test; I am telling him to take French as well --just in case the school he goes to has a foreign language requirement, which happened to his older sibling. With a good SAT II score in French, older sibilig was able to fulfill his school's language requirement. So DS was thinking about taking the SAT Physics subject test--a strong subject for him, and biology. Because of French, he would then have 4 subject tests. 3 is enough, right? Do you think it is okay if he has math and physics as his subject tests or should he choose bio for variety? Does it matter which ones you take?
As for the SAT, since he will have to do it for NMF, I am thinking he might as well do it now, since he is signed up anyway... Bummer. DS tests well, but I just hate to see the kids sitting through those long things...

CountingDown · 02-10-2008, 05:35 PM

Check the colleges he's applying to. Bio and physics may be overkill -- unless he's heading in that direction in college and applying to very competitive schools. Both of my kids will have taken three SAT-IIs -- both Math Level II, then a history and a science (different ones for each).

Most schools want only two SAT-IIs -- but DS added one school late that wanted three (the only one on his list), so we were glad he had done three and didn't have to worry about taking one at the last minute.

wjb · 02-10-2008, 05:41 PM

waiting: No college requires more than 3 SAT IIs. I think it's a good idea to take a combination of math/science and humanities-based SAT IIs. French, Math, and either Physics or Biology sound like a well-rounded roster to me. My son did what CountingDown's son did: Math II, a history, and a science. But I think math, a foreign language, and a science is just as balanced.

mathmom · 02-10-2008, 07:07 PM

I think Math, Physics and a language would be fine. My son did Math, Physics and US History - the latter required no extra prep as he was taking AP US history at the time. He got out of the language requirement with AP Latin, but some schools (Harvard anyway) only require a 600 on the SAT2 while they require a 5 on the AP. I think they also give a placement test that is similar to the SAT2 to freshman if they haven't taken the SAT2 or an AP. I don't think anyone needs to take more than three unless they are homeschoolers who want to validate their curriculum.

2blue · 02-10-2008, 07:11 PM

I've always been puzzled by the kids here who don't homeschool and take five or so SAT subject tests. It seems like the time would be better spent on ECs.

wjb · 02-10-2008, 07:23 PM

I don't get that either. Scalp collecting?

runnersmom · 04-17-2008, 05:40 PM

Just be sure to carefully read each school's admissions website and clarify if they require 2 or 3 SAT Subject tests IN ADDITION to the SAT or ACT. A good sampling of the most selective schools (most of the Ivys) do just that. Also check carefully if your S or D is applying to a specific program (generally engineering or 6-7 year med programs) to see if they require SPECIFIC SAT Subject tests. They may require Physics of Chem, or Math IIc as opposed to Math Ic...Read carefully.