<p>So, here’s the dilemma. I’ll be a Junior this year, and with that. my life for the next year is practically all tests… </p>
<p>Anyway, which test would be easier to take? I’ve never taken either test before, buy my mom said to just sign up for the October SAT. (I’m not sure about that yet.) I’m also taking 3 AP classes, doing crew in the fall, and playing tennis in the spring. </p>
<p>Simply put, I have no clue what to do. Help would be appreciated!</p>
<p>My vote goes to the ACT. The SAT is longer and evaluates more of your test-taking ability, not really how much knowledge you have.</p>
<p>I say take the SAT first, then the ACT. The knowledge that you gain in your junior year about stuff like science or math can be really helpful to you on the ACT. I suggest that you put off taking the ACT until as late as possible (but not horribly late, like in your senior year), or perhaps take multiple ACT tests, with one of them being the April or June examination date. I took AP Physics my junior year, and when I took my first ACT this past June, I noticed that at least 2 of the science passages were related to physics, and I knew exactly what they were talking about because I had done well in the class. I was also able to finish the science section in a timely manner because of the knowledge. I got a 36 on the science section.</p>
<p>This all depends on your what courses you are taking. If you will be in precalculus as a junior, you have all you need to get at least a 30 in math on the ACT. Since it is pretty the 3 maths (alegbra, geometry, trig/alegbra 2 ). If you will be in alegbra 2/trig as a junior, then you will need to wait a bit. However, SAT math is a different story. SAT isn’t as straightforward, and a person in lower math and beat a person in advanced math. For example, I did precalc and I got a 630 in math(Math is my best subject) while a kid in trig/alebgra 2 got a 660. However, when I did act math I got a 36. The SAT math has more tricks.
For science it is about reading graphs. If you suck at reading graphs, this will destroy your composite, otherwise it is pretty straight forward. You don’t need any prior knowledge to do well on this section. For instance, this section has earth science, bio, chem and physics. I have never taken physics, I am taking honors physics next year as a senior. But when I was a junior, I was in honors chem. Anyway I got a 30, because this section is just reading and graph comprehension.
Now the reading and english sections:
The SAT reading is much harder (in my opinion) The critical reading has to many curves and tricks to me. You need to play devil’s advocate well, you need to force yourself to get into the reading, and you need a good vocab. I was a bad reader, but I had a great vocab, so I got 580. But on ACT reading, it is much easier. You just have to look at the passage to find the answer, there is a lack of inferencing or critical thinking. In the end I got a 28 on the reading.
The writing is very similar between these 2 tests. They both test grammar. However, the act also tests prose and rhetoric. I don’t know why, but I suck at SAT writing. I got a 580 on the SAT writing, with a 10 on the essay! However, I get a 31 in English Act, with a 10 on the essay! lol
So all in all, they are different tests:
My SAT : 630 M 580 W, 580 CR = 1790 …
MY ACT: 36M, 30S, 31E, 28 R = 31 (yay!)</p>
<p>This may be different for you though, you may be better on the SAT than Act. However, in my school, most people accel on the ACT compared to the SAT. Also, I think there is a correlation between the classes you take in high school and the scores.</p>
<p>For example, I am in advanced math and I took a math AP, AP Computer Science (yes this course helped) so it make sense that I got a 36.
I was always in honors science (except eath science), but I never took a Science AP, so I didn’t get a 34-36.
I never took an english AP. The english scores and reading scores were obtained from rigorous studying.</p>
<p>Won’t you be taking the PSAT in Oct. as a junior? Use SAT books to prep for the PSAT. Then prep a little more over winter break (work on essay) and take the January SAT. Then switch gears and move on to the ACT in the spring.</p>
<p>It depends on you .
I found the SAT easier . And I found that ACT time is really limited , It isn’t enough . But That’s just me.
My advice for you is to take both and then decide , that’s what I did . They are not that expensive . But take them early so that you have time to decide if you want to rerake one of them .</p>
<p>Depends, but I’d say take a practice test for each then decide.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone!</p>
<p>I have another question though. How long is each particular test?</p>
<p>The SAT is about 3 and a half hours I think, with some breaks in-between. It’s quite a lot to sit through.</p>
<p>That said, I think doing the SAT will help if you take the PSAT, so it’s like you really only have to practice for one test. And because the SAT is focused a lot on how well you take tests, you can learn tricks that will help you get to the right answer.</p>
<p>I would suggest you take a sample test of SAT and ACT and see how you do. I took one at Princeton Review, where they made one test of SAT and ACT combined, and my scores were about the same for both.</p>