Today’s guest post was written by Jessica Brondo, Founder and CEO of The Edge in College Prep, a global educational consulting company that specializes in test prep and admissions counseling for students applying to US universities. The Edge currently has offices in New York, London, South Florida, Silicon Valley, and Rio, and works with students throughout the world through online courses and tutoring. Jessica also writes the Edge blog and runs complimentary weekly office hours for students and parents.
SAT or ACT: Which is Right for YOUR Child?
By now, I think it’s safe to assume that you’ve heard at least a little something about the SAT and ACT exams. I think it’s safe to say that you probably didn’t take both exams if/when you were prepping for college, and even if you did take one of the two a) the test is drastically different now, and b) (let’s be honest), you might not remember what was on the test. It’s a daunting task to navigate the world of admissions testing for your high school student, but it’s best to be armed with all of the facts so that you don’t waste time having your child prep for unnecessary exams.
First of all, the exams are drastically different and play to different academic strengths. Rather than get into what makes them different, which is covered here, I’d rather discuss which test is more suitable for specific types of students. In order to help you out get started, take this quiz about your child:
Which Test Is YOUR Child?
1. Does he/she like to read?
2. Would you say his/her vocabulary is “lacking” or does he/she have trouble memorizing words?
3. Is he/she likely to make careless mistakes on math exams?
4. Does he/she enjoy science?
5. Does hes/she know when to use a semi-colon?
6. Does he/she have a good knowledge of history, current events, or books?
7. Is he/she the type of student who does well on tests if he/she studies?
8. Will he/she have done trigonometry yet?
9. How about logarithms?
10. Does he/she have issues with timing?
Give yourself 1 point for a Yes for all questions EXCEPT 6 & 10. Give yourself 1 point for a No to # 6 & 10. Add ‘em up. If your score is greater than 6, then your child is most likely an ACT. If your score is less than a 5, your child is most likely an SAT. And if your score is a 5 or 6, either is an option.
Why, you ask…..?
That’s actually a great question. Let’s get into the why’s and how’s of what makes each test suitable to different students:
ACT English v. SAT Writing
Both sections have a heavy focus on grammar and test the same fundamental grammar rules, but they diverge slightly when getting into the minor grammar rules. The ACT focuses a lot more on punctuation, where the SAT will delve into more nuanced tests of idiomatic expression and diction. In terms of the essays, the SAT essay asks students to use examples from history, literature, and current events to support their reasoning in their essay. If your child has a hard time recalling these facts, the ACT essay would be a better fit as the question is usually based on a topic relevant to high school student life.
ACT Reading v. SAT Reading
The ACT and SAT Reading sections both have extensive reading passages, but the SAT section also has several sentence completion questions that test a student’s knowledge of vocabulary. Unless a student has been studying vocabulary for years or has a predilection (SAT word), or knack for reading for pleasure, this is definitely a hard thing to improve overnight as there are thousands of prospective SAT words to learn.
ACT Math v. SAT Math
The bulk of the math questions test the same concepts in Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry; however, the sections diverge slightly. The SAT has a reputation for tripping students up who are prone to making careless errors, whereas the ACT does not. The ACT, however, tests students on more advanced topics than the SAT and requires basic knowledge of trigonometry and logarithms.
For an even more comprehensive assessment of which test is better, you can also have your child take a proctored ACT exam and compare the results to his or her PSAT score to see which is the higher starting score. As always, if you have specific questions about each test, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll be sure to get back to you.
