Here are the major differences between the tests as I see them. Note that, as a math teacher, I’m MUCH more focused on the math than the other sections of the test.
SAT:
-Tests Math and Verbal; no science.
-Out of 1600 points, so small gains show up.
-Math section has 3 different types of questions: standard Mult choice, mult choice without a calculator, and fill in the blanks. Note that, of the 3, the standard mult choice tend to include the more difficult questions. But if you’re not strong on arithmetic, those calc-free questions may throw you off.
- Some of the questions aren’t the typical questions you’ll get in class. Some are designed to make you think! You may have to think outside the box for the more difficult questions.
ACT:
- Tests Math, Verbal and Science. Note that the science section is pretty generic; you don’t seem to need a strong background in Chem or Physics. Lots of reading comp and interpret the graph kinds of questions.
- Out of 36 points. So you’ll have to get a few more questions right to see any gain in score.
- All questions are straight mult choice, you can use a calculator for the whole math section.
- The questions tend to be more straightforward than the SAT. So a math question might ask you to find the slope, while the corresponding SAT question might ask you to identify the line with that slope.
Most colleges will take either exam, though you may want to check if you have a particular college you know you’re planning to trying for.
You might consider getting a review book on each test, and doing some practice exams. Prep for one exam won’t hurt you on the other, so it’s all time well spent.
Kids typically take the exam in about May of Junior year, and then again in late summer or early fall of Senior year. You’ll want those scores in so you can submit them with your applications in the fall.
So here’s what I would do:
Today I would go to amazon and order 2 review books, one for each test.
Between now and, say February, I would get a feel for both tests and try to determine which I preferred.
Schedule a May exam, then think about the August or October dates. Most schools will superscore-- they’ll take your highest Math SAT and combine it with your highest Verbal, even if the sections were taken from different test dates. So it’s to your advantage to take the test twice.