With all college applications for Seniors now submitted, these students finally receive their well earned breather from the college application process. But while they are anxious to hear which one will be there college best fit, there is another group of students asking another “which one” question. Right about now, most Juniors begin to call the College Sage with questions as to which standardized test they should take. Here is a brief summary to help navigate the SAT/ACT dilemma!
South Carolina Juniors benefit from the in-school sitting for the ACT! High school counselors have found that this particular ACT score is often the best score for their students because the test-taking environment is more familiar to the students and because it is administered on a school day and not on a Saturday morning. This year, the ACT Test will be administered to juniors in SC public high schools on February 28, 2017. The make-up date will be March 21, 2017.
A few words on the ACT:
· You will need to get to all of the questions on the ACT to hope to get a score of 30 or higher.
· Practice Geometry before the test – there are three times as many geometry questions on the ACT than on the SAT.
· Get in an investigative mode – for the ACT you will need to seek out the passage references in the reading sections versus being given the line number on the SAT.
· Be ready for the Science section.
· You will be able to use your calculator for the entire math section.
In comparison, the SAT test is generally a better fit for students who:
· Work slower
· Are comfortable with math questions without a calculator
· Don’t like science
· Write a great analytical essay
If in doubt which test to take, ask yourself these questions!
1. Do I work well to a time limit?
2. Am I good in Geometry?
3. Am I confident without a calculator in my hand?
4. Do I like science topics?
5. Am I investigative – liking to dig for facts?
6. Am I detail oriented?
7. Does it bother me when people throw out words I don’t know?
8. Am I ok leaving questions blank?
The more YES answers you had to the above questions, the more comfortable you will probably be with the ACT. For more test-taking strategies and tutor recommendations, conta
