The ACT: Why You Should Consider This SAT Alternative

People seem to whine about the SAT a lot. I took it this past June and it wasn't that bad--I scored higher than the national average at least. I think SAT is a better assessment of how you will do in college honestly because logic and reasoning are more important than know what colour underwear President Taft wore. (dumb analogy I know, but I'm just trying to point out that logic smarts forever beat book smarts.) Bother are reasonable tests, but I find that smarter people--not necessarily GPA smarter, although they're certainly making good grades--take the SAT because it makes you think more. If I had to chose between someone with higher ACT scores or SAT scores, I know I would trust the high SAT scorer more because they have the logical processes appropriate for beyond the classroom.

Hmm. I will have to find out about taking the ACT at my school. If it's more based on the classroom stuff, I should pass it with flying colors. I'm only a Sophomore this year, but I remember last year, on the PSAT, I got at least 70-90% higher than all Sophomores in each category. I don't doubt that the actual SAT will be harder, but hey, it at least gives me a good idea. Either way, I plan on taking both tests next year. And I'm definitely retaking the PSAT this year to see if I've improved.

Take both and here's why:

The tests are more similar than people say. The biggest difference is style. The SAT is broken down into many sections while the ACT has half the sections (if you include writing as one). The SAT writing and the ACT English are similar. The only difference is that the ACT one provides you with context. For math, the SAT will try to trick you while the ACT will have slightly harder questions. The reading sections are similar, although the SAT has different styles of passages and the ACT has 1. The ACT science section is the only unique part but all answers are there and the hardest part is timing and knowing where to look.

As you can see the differences are not as much content based as style based. I have taken both and can tell that MY county school system better naturally prepares students for the ACT. That is another reason to take both as your background may help you more on one test than another.

Colleges will take either and sometimes even combine the scores to the best possible even crossing the tests to do this. Another thing to consider is that the ACT has better statistics proving its reliability in predicting college success than the SAT.

Either way best of luck to all of you and I hope you hit your score goals!

Its much better to take both. Feels better!

Having taken the SAT for the first time in May of 2011 I was suprised to be sitting in a classroom for almost the entire day. Some of the questions I didn't really find hard at all but the math sections were more than a litle challenging. In that section alone I got a 230. I knew I was horrible at math but I didn't think I was THAT horrible. It was--and still is---really discouraging. I am now intimidated to re-take the SAT because I am afriad that my math score will be even lower.
Aside from the section difficulties I discovered the SAT wasn't too hard it was just very tedious. I literally felt the energy from my body drain even with the five minute breaks every two sections or so. Fortunately I was taking it at the same time my high school sponsored it so I was with alot of my friends. It helped keep me motivated to do well and finish the test. It especially helped when I found out I wasn't the only one having a hard time with it. I am defintely taking the ACT. Oh, and the SAT test now has an Essay section and an area where you have to write this pledge out in cursive. Something I wasn't expecting at all. (I never really learned how to write in cursive except for my name and that's only because I taught myself how to).
Overall, the SAT isn't a bad test and I only took it once. When I got my scores back I got a 6 on the essay that's scored on a 1-10 scale I think. My writing/composition was 470 and my reading was 490. My math, as I've stated previously, was 230. Overall I scored an 1190 on the SAT so I think I did a pretty good job despite the few minor setbacks and surprises. I especially learned what my weak spot is and now I know what I really need to work on; my math skills.
Thus, the test really is helpful even if you don't do a very good job on it and the best thing abou it: You can't fail it like a test in class. You can take it again as many times as you like.

I rather take the SAT. more easy, and the time flew by! i took my first ACT a few weeks ago and it took forever and the procter never gave us the rules and what to do. I was a lone puppy in that classroom :(

This article is from '07 so things have probably changed since then (like which kind the East and West Coasts take as opposed to the Midwest). I'm from Northern California and everyone I know sees the ACT and SAT equally important.