ACT details o__o;;

SAT128
Sun, 23 Dec 2012 21:30:48 +0000

Yeah I agree with the above poster on basically everything. The SAT tends to emphasize more critical thinking and problem solving, while the ACT seems to be more content-based. The SAT has been generally considered more of an ‘aptitude’ test – testing reasoning and verbal abilities (not really learned in school). The ACT is generally thought of as more of an ‘achievement’ test – more concrete info learned from school. However, they are not as black and white in their differences as you may think.

The most noticeable difference is probably the inclusion of a science portion on the ACT, and to answer your question it includes some of each of the sciences (bio, chem, and physics). However, you require virtually no prior knowledge or background for the science section, as all of the answers can be found via short passages, charts, and graphs. It is a required part of the test, but as long as you aren’t caught unprepared and you know how to manage your time wisely, you’ll be fine. The first time I took the ACT, I had no idea what to expect from the science portion and I ran out of time (ended up with a 31S). You need to make sure to analyze and connect the information efficiently to what they’re asking.

I’ve found the essays on both the SAT and ACT to be similar in the sense that they give you practically the same amount of time to write about a broad topic. The essay portion on the ACT is not required, however many colleges require it. The big difference between the SAT and ACT in regard to essays, is that the ACT essay has no effect on any of your section scores nor your composite. The SAT essay on the other hand will directly effect your writing score section. So no, the ACT essay is not mandatory for a 36, and actually will not effect your score at all. I’ve seen several people on these forums with 36 composites but ‘low’ essay scores like an 8. Basically, if you are a horrible essay writer, the ACT will be more kind to you. The SAT writing section on the other hand is heavily influenced by your essay score.

Different people think the SAT is harder, while others consider the ACT to be more difficult. It depends on the way you think and approach the different types of problems. The ACT focuses more on English grammar. The SAT focuses a lot more on vocabulary. The ACT includes pre-calc (lots of trig), while the SAT does not. There are more differences that I can’t think of too.

I personally found the SAT to be more difficult than the ACT
SAT 1st try: 2120
SAT 2nd try: 2180
SAT 3rd try: 2260 (730R,760M,770W)
ACT 1st try: 34
ACT 2nd try: 35 (35E,33M,36R,36S)

Take both the SAT and ACT and find out which one might be a better fit for you. Who knows, you may do well on both of them. Good luck