<p>I see on the website they take either ACT or SAT but say they prefer the ACT.</p>
<p>Can anyone tell me why that is?</p>
<p>Are students who do well on the SAT but choose not to take the ACT at a serious disadvantage? At a slight disadvantage?</p>
<p>Would love to hear from parents or students who are familiar with SLO.</p>
<p>The only obvious reason why the ACT may be preferred over the SAT reasoning test is that a high enough score on the ACT math exempts an enrolled student from some math placement testing, as described here: <a href=“http://www.calpoly.edu/~math/mape.html”>http://www.calpoly.edu/~math/mape.html</a></p>
<p>Sorry but I’m not seeing where you’re showing me an ACT specific math placement. From this link <a href=“http://www.calpoly.edu/~math/elm.html”>http://www.calpoly.edu/~math/elm.html</a></p>
<p>I see a student can be exempt from the ELM with a score of 550 or above on SAT I/II or ACT math of 23 or above.</p>
<p>And from this link
<a href=“http://www.calpoly.edu/~math/mape.html”>http://www.calpoly.edu/~math/mape.html</a></p>
<p>I see this:</p>
<p>What are the prerequisite skills for Calculus?
To take Math 141, 161, or 221, we expect that you will have completed a typical four-year sequence in high school mathematics, including one year of geometry and two-and-one-half years of algebra with grades of “B” or better, and some math within the last year. For Math 141, it is also expected that you have completed at least a semester of trigonometry with grade “B” or better.</p>
<p>Satisfying the ELM requirement and one of the following are prerequisites for these courses:</p>
<p>An Advanced Placement Exam score of 3 or above on the AB or BC Calculus Exam, or
An SAT Math I/II score of 600 or above, or
An ACT Math score of 26 or above, or
An appropriate precalculus MAPE score</p>
<p>What am I missing?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>Someone who just takes the SAT reasoning would not be able to use the math section on that test to fulfill the prerequisite listed above. S/he would have to take the SAT subject test (math 1 or 2) and score a sufficiently high score. The student who took the ACT and got a sufficiently high score on the math section would not need to take an SAT subject test or MAPE test for math placement.</p>
<p>Of course, if the student has a sufficiently high AP calculus score, that becomes irrelevant.</p>
<p>Ah, ok, thanks for clarifying. I was misinterpreting the SAT Math I/II as SAT I vs. SAT II subject test rather than SAT Subject tests Math I or Math II.</p>
<p>So for most kids who plan to take subject tests (and presumably do well in them), ACT probably isn’t necessary. </p>
<p>I’ll pass this along. Thanks!</p>
<p>I got accepted to Cal Poly a few weeks ago and I have heard from various presentations that the ACT better resembles the American academic curriculum which could make it easier on the admissions office to see who would succeed at their school. That’s why a lot of international students have SAT scores when applying to colleges here. I also live in the midwest and taking the ACT is a requirement for graduation. </p>
<p>Last year Cal Poly admissions representatives discussed the school’s test preference in terms of the difference in content between the ACT and SAT.</p>
<p>The ACT Science section tests scientific reasoning and, to a lesser extent, fund of scientific knowledge. The SAT has no comparable section. I believe that the Cal Poly engineering department (not sure about other departments) wants some sort of quantitative measure of a student’s scientific acumen.</p>
<p>The ACT Math section tests a slightly higher level of math than the SAT. A handful of precalculus questions show up on the ACT, whereas SAT math only covers geometry and intermediate algebra.</p>
<p>With other subject-specific tests available (Subject tests, AP tests), it seems as though stating a strong preference for reasoning test (ACT over SAT) is rather…arbitrary.</p>
<p>Yes-it seems rather a hassle even though I know plenty of kids plunk down money to take both SAT and ACT numerous times. My oldest only did the SAT and I think my middle son will only do the SAT; oldest had three subject tests and so will middle son. That should more than suffice for a school like SLO, I would say, if two of the tests are in math and science and the scores are good. And certainly, if a student has taken Calc AP or Physics AP exams and received good scores, those also should be more than sufficient to make up for lack of ACT.</p>
<p>Well, this wasn’t a question for myself, anyhow, but it’s important to be able to pass along the facts to people who inquire.</p>
<p>Geology, I have heard some schools have kids taking the ACT every year because it’s required. Do they expect kids to study for it on their own or do schools provide test prep, too?</p>