What’s the deal?
The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the American College Test
(ACT) are both tests that most colleges are using as a requirement to
acceptance. So which is better, the ACT or the SAT or should you take
both? Preparing for these tests is a must, so taking both can be a daunting task.
The Basics
The SAT is known as an aptitude test, testing not what a student has
learned in school, but their own verbal and reasoning skills. However, the ACT is an achievement test meant to assess what a student
has learned in school. As a general rule, the ACT is the standard for
Alabama public colleges and universities along with most Midwest state
schools. However, since neighboring states encourage the SAT testing,
most schools accept either score. Depending on your student and their
skill set, they may perform better on one over the other.
Concordant Score
When it comes to comparing SAT scores to ACT scores, colleges have
a difficult time. Fundamentally, the tests measure different skills; this
means that there is no true equivalent between the two. Nevertheless,
institutions must be able to correlate the scores. This is done using concordance tables.
According to ACT.org, “Concordant scores are defined as those having
the same percentile rank with respect to the group of students used in
the study.” Using these tables, universities are able to create a standard
or cutoff based on both tests. View the concordance table for ACT and
SAT scores on www.potential.com.
Which test
should my
teen take?
Deciding which standardized test to take is not always a precise
science. Understanding the test differences and realizing that every
student has strengths will help them make better decisions and be
more confident taking one or both of the entrance exams.
Consider the SAT if your teen:
• needs more time allotted to answer questions
• has good language skills
• is strong in math
• does not feel pressured by the guessing penalty
Consider the ACT if your teen:
• is able to work quickly on tests
• has a wider range of knowledge in science,
math and language
• will feel pressured with a guessing penalty
They say the most important
academic test your child will
take is the ACT or SAT test.
college
entrance
exams . . .
it’s just
a test,
right?
But like the names implies, it’s primarily an
“entrance exam,” right? While the obvious
goal is to get the highest score possible,
once we (since the parents are vested in
the outcome) get the minimum score for
admission, everyone sighs a breath of relief.
But these tests can determine more
than just admission. They also determine
scholarship amount and sometimes course
of study. Apparently in some competitive
fields, the college can limit student
enrollment in that area based on applicant
scores and GPA. However, most of us are
concerned with the word scholarship, which
of course translates into how-much-is-thisgoing-to-cost?
Not surprisingly, the senior year of
high school is the key time to qualify
for scholarships. In fact, most four year
scholarships are based on all that your
child has achieved up to this point. While
students spend years earning good grades
and participating in different activities, most
students spend less than 11 hours preparing
for the SAT or ACT test.
ACT and SAT prep classes teach students
how to take the test, reinforce academic
skills, and build speed,” said Rebecca
Bloodworth, AUM director for youth
programs.” Prep classes will not hurt your
score, they will only improve it. Parents
are taking the lead enrolling their teens.
We also have several schools that find
funding to send high-achieving students
to prep classes—They realize the value of
preparation.”
There are several local and online
prep courses available. Check out
ww.PotentialMagazine.com for resources
and local course listings.
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