ACT???SAT?? difrences ?

Question

hello iam a junior student coming up is the ACT and SAT i dont know what i want to take they both cost 30$ so iam not in the mood to pay 60$....whats the difrences between them

Answer 1

SAT or ACT?

Information provided by www.kaptest.com

You might wonder why you have to choose between the SAT and the ACT--maybe one of the two is favored by the students in your school. Ten or 20 years ago, choosing which test to take wasn't even an issue. Until recently, the ACT was traditionally required by colleges in the midwest, and the SAT was the test of choice in the northeast and on the east and west coasts. But now an increasing number of students are taking the ACT, and the majority of schools in the United States now accept both SAT and ACT test results.

The Power of Prediction

While the SAT and ACT are very different tests, they both fulfill the same role in the admissions process.

How This Affects You

This increased acceptance of the ACT gives today's savvy students a strategic advantage. The SAT and ACT are significantly different tests, and in many ways, they measure different skills. So depending on your particular strengths and weaknesses, you may perform much better on one test than the other. As a result, many students embarking on the admissions process are now considering both the SAT and ACT--to figure out which test provides a better showcase for their abilities.

What's the Difference?

Admissions officers and educators often describe the difference between SAT and ACT in these terms: the ACT is a content-based test, whereas the SAT tests critical thinking and problem solving. This perception is one reason many educators (off the record) express a preference for the ACT--because they believe that the ACT is closer to testing the "core curriculum" taught in most school classrooms. In fact, this contrast isn't exactly watertight. Many questions on the ACT test critical thinking, and there is a predictable range of material that's tested on the SAT. But the SAT and ACT reward different attributes, so performing well on each test can boil down to what kind of test taker you are.

Here are some of the factors that make the SAT and ACT very different breeds:

The ACT includes a science reasoning test; the SAT does not.

The ACT math section includes trigonometry.

The SAT tests vocabulary much more than the ACT.

The SAT is not entirely multiple choice.

The SAT has a guessing penalty; the ACT does not.

The ACT tests English grammar; the SAT does not.

Remember, both the SAT and ACT are important parts of your application, but they're only one of several factors--from your courses and grades to recommendations and your personal statement--that colleges consider.

Test Snapshots

There are two major college entrance examinations administered in the United States today: the SAT and the ACT. Standardized tests like the SAT and ACT are designed to allow college admissions officers to judge all students by a common measurement. Scores on these tests can compensate for differences in high school curriculum, grade inflation, and quality of teaching. In addition, they serve as a reliable predictor of how you will perform academically in your freshman year of college.

SNAPSHOT: SAT

The SAT is the most widely taken college entrance examination. It is designed to test your skill level in math, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. The test is divided into seven sections: 3 math, 3 verbal, and 1 experimental section. The math and verbal sections each have their own distinct question types, including quantitative comparisons, sentence completions, grid-ins, and more. The experimental section, used by the test developer to try out new questions, is not scored and can be either math or verbal. You will not know which section is experimental.

The SAT is scored on scale of 200-800 for both the math and verbal sections. The College Board sets the average for all test takers at 500 for each. A perfect score on the SAT is 1600. However, in recent years, fewer than 20% of all test takers achieve a math score of 600 or better. Fewer than 10% score higher than 600 on the verbal section.

SNAPSHOT: ACT

The American College Testing Assessment (ACT) is designed to test your skill levels in English, math, reading, and science reasoning. On the test, you will have 2 hours and 55 minutes to complete a variety of multiple choice questions divided into four sections � one for each tested subject area. The English, reading, and science sections each include several reading passages with anywhere from 5 to 15 questions per passage. The math section includes 60 questions � each with 5 possible answer choices.

You will actually receive 12 separate scores on the ACT: 1 composite, 4 subject scores, and 7 subscores. However the composite � or scaled � score is the most important. It ranges from 1-36. Nearly half of all test takers fall in the 17-23 range.

SAT vs ACT

Until recently, the ACT was required by colleges in the Midwest, while the SAT was the test of choice for schools in the Northeast and on both coasts. Now, however, most schools accept both. This increased acceptance of both exa

Answer 2

Certain colleges prefer to see either SAT or ACT, so check if your college(s) of choice have a preference.  However, I do think that you might benefit from taking both, maybe one score will be significantly higher than the other.  If you can manage it, you should try to take both.

Answer 3

ACT is math, english, science, and social studies with optional writing section

SAT is math, verbal, and writing

I took them both and thought that the SAT was easier

please choose as best answer:)

Answer 4

the SAT includes less than the ACT, and the ACT would look much better on college / job applications.

Believe me, it's well worth it!

Answer 5

Really, I don't know the differences in them except the number system, like the ACT goes to like a 30 and the SAT's are graded in the hundreds. But it really depends on the college you want to go to.apply to. Some require the ACT while others require the SAT, so look into that before making your decision.

Answer 6

The difference is that the SAT tests your critical thinking and problem solving. While the ACT is core-content, what you learn in school.  

Answer 7

ACT includes trigonometry, SAT does not

ACT includes "science reasoning", which is logical reasoning based on data and scientific terms, but not based on classroom science.

SAT deducts points for wrong answers. However, with a little coaching, students can actually use this to their ADVANTAGE.

SAT Math demands scrutinizing the ENGLISH aspect of math questions. ACT is more straightforward, making it a more COMFORTABLE test, but not necessarily easier.

SAT directly tests high level vocabulary. This rewards students who are big readers or are good vocabulary absorbers.

SAT Reading is generally less interesting and the answers rely more on nuance.

SAT Writing includes a written 25 minute essay. The ACT essay is optional now

Answer 8

I'm going into my senior year in High School.  I took both of these tests.  The tests were similar, except the ACT had a science section on it.  You had to analyze graphs mostly.  The scoring for these tests is also different.  In the ACT if you get an answer wrong, you do not lose points, in the SAT wrong answers cost 1/4 of a point.  Writing section in ACT is optional, colleges do not require it.  As for deciding which test, it really depends on your desired college.  Some colleges prefer ACT while others want SAT.  Some like both.  From my experience, I would advise to take them both several times.  They are long and no fun, but if you score very high, colleges give good scholarship money.

So right now $60 or even $90 dollars seems like pretty much, but down the road in college you can save thousands.  Sorry for being long, and I hope that I helped.