ACT or SAT: Why Are These Tests Important?

SAT or ACT

By Lisa Banks Long

Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the College Board and ACT have made changes to their testing schedules. The next scheduled SAT date is June 6, and next scheduled ACT dates are June 13 & July 18. Please visit collegeboard.com and act.org for further updates. Colleges look at test scores. That’s just a fact. Why? According to the College Board (administrators of the SAT), it’s important for several reaso ns: • It tests what the student already knows. It gives both the student and the colleges a sense of how the student will be able to apply the thinking, writing, and study skills required for college coursework. • The test is straightforward. Students who do well in the classroom are often the same ones who will do well on the SAT. • It’s more than just a test. The SAT also provides the opportunity for studen ts to connect to scholarship opportunities, place out of certain college courses, and learn more about their academic strengths.

The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) has been one of the pillars of college entrance exams for nearly a century. While the test has undergone multiple changes over that span, its current iteration is comprised of a combination of writing, language , and math sections. There is al so an optional es say portion that some colleges require and others strongly urge applicants to submit. According to the Educational Testing Service, the ACT is based on information the students are learning in high school. The ACT has continued to grow in popularity in recent years and has become the most widely taken college entrance exam in the United States. While its content is similar to the SAT, it i s seen as the more quantitative and straightforward of the two. The tradeoff for the more to-the-point question style is much more challenging time constraints. The ACT allows for fewer seconds per problem than the SAT. The ACT includes English, math, and reading (just like the SAT does), but it also includes a separate science section. It is also worth noting that while calculators cannot be used on the science tes t, the ACT permits calculator usage for the entire math section. The Educational Testing Service says that taking the Test: • Lets the student know if they are on track for college • Points out a student’s academic strengths and areas for improvement • Identifies how the student can prepare to succeed in college or a career • Enables a student to develop personalized career information • Develops a co mprehensive profile that tells colleges about the student’s work in high school and their plans for the future. • Allows the student to connect with colleges and scholarship agencies that may be interested in him or her. Higher test scores increase the potential for scholarships, as 99% of all college scholarships are academic and based on GPA and test scores. For more information on ACT/SAT Test Prep Prog ra ms, visit: tutordoctor.com/cypress.