Is BOTH the SAT or ACT mandatory to get into college?

Question

Is it mandatory that you take both the SAT and the ACT to get into college? Cause I am more in favor of the ACT and more comfortable with it. I never took the SAT yet, but have taken the ACT and will take it again this fall cause I'm doing early action for all of my colleges. I don't want to take the SAT at all.

Besides money for me is extremely tight right now and I also have to pay a fee to send add. colleges my results and can't afford to send it for both tests cause I'm applying to 12 colleges. I know the first 4 are free.Plus I can't get a fee waiver cause my mother supposedly makes a $1,000 to much.

Answer 1

Every college has its own policy when it comes to the SAT/ACT, but most colleges only require one or the other, so you can just take the ACT and completely ignore the existence of the SAT.  

Also, note that some colleges, while accepting the ACT instead of the SAT, still require one, two, or three SAT Subject Test scores.  It's not the same thing as the SAT Reasoning Test (what is usually thought of as simply the SAT), so you still might have to take some of those.  Check with the websites of the schools you're considering applying to (under their admissions section).  

Answer 2

No, you need either one. Nowadays there is virtually no distinguishment between a candidate with a SAT and a candidate with an ACT. Some colleges (like Connecticut College) even prefer the ACT because, according to them, it has escaped the stigma of coaching and standardized testing.

Answer 3

You only need to take the SAT if you plan on college outside of the state. I only took the ACT b/c I planned on staying in Michigan.  

Answer 4

No, they just increase your chances of gettting into college. When the college admission board looks at your application and as a student they will compare both tests to see how you are as a student. If you do good on one test and bad on the other they will prorbably say well this person just had a bad day or got nervous. Other than that BOTH are both not required just one. Both just increases your chances.