ACT vs SAT...

[Heather in VA]

I am surprised at the number of people taking the ACTs. Here in NoVa it is not a common test at all so I figure this is a region thing. I'm wondering if ACTs are really more common than SATs but just not around here. So what do you take? And is it the more common test in your area?

 

Heather

[8filltheheart]

I voted other. My oldest took the ACT b/c it was the most common test in TN. We no longer live in TN, but I just had my 8th and 10th graders take the ACT. Why? First, the ACT categories are grouped. The English test is first, followed by math, followed by reading, followed by science. Writing is last and is optional. (They did not take the writing test. My 8th grader was taking the test for CTY purposes and they don't look at the writing at all.)

 

With the SAT, the tests alternate. You might have an English section, followed by a math, followed by a reading, and then more math. Writing is always first and is required. For students that stress over one content area over the other or for those that do not want to take the writing portion, the SAT is less "tester" friendly.

[Brenda in MA]

When I was in high school in Pennsylvania, I took the SAT. But I wanted to attend a college in Texas, so the guidance counsellor advised me to take the ACT as well. She said the ACT was more common in the middle of the country, and SAT was more common in the east coast and west coast.

 

This used to be true, but now the ACT & SAT are both accepted pretty much everywhere, but it's a good idea to check with the schools you're interested in.

 

I voted other because my son took the ACT only because that is the test he did better on in practice exams. We live in an area where most take the SAT, but all of ds's colleges accepted either test, so we went with his strength. The results paid off in merit scholarships at many schools.

 

Brenda

[Leanna Tomlinson]

One college we are looking at for ds only takes the ACT for science, engineering, and nursing majors.

 

My eldest only took the SAT.

My 2nd took both.

I intend for my 3rd dc to take both tests in the fall.

[Tokyomarie]

I have our children take both the ACT and the SAT because they are such different tests. Sometimes one result is stronger than the other.

 

Here in the midwest, the ACT is more common, but I think a lot of students do both.

[Brindee]

This info. is good to know everyone, thanks for your comments! I think I'll be looking into dd taking both also.

[Grace is Sufficient]

Is there a... "ACT seems to be more common in Ohio, but having grown up in NoVA, I'm just more comfortable with SAT" option?

 

Also, I've not seen any schools that I've looked at that have not accepted SAT.

[Kareni]

I also voted other. As Brenda posted above, my daughter elected to go with the test which was her strength (the SAT in her case). I gave her full practice tests of each at home at the beginning of 11th grade to determine on which test she fared better.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[TravelingChris]

I voted other because I use the one that they are better at regardless of what anyone else does. ALso, I am now switching to preferring the ACT not only because dd1 scores incredibly better on it but also some colleges say SAT and SAT 2 or ACT alone. I live in NOrthern VA but have had no problems with getting her registered for the ACT. That one will not take the SAT at all. SHe did take the PSAT and did not do as well as she normally does on tests.

 

DD2 will take the PSAT for the first time for practice this year. I think she may end up doing very well on the SAT since she thinks differently. DS took both but did better on the SAT.

[readwithem]

I voted "other" as well. My dd scored well on the PSAT so she took the SAT for NM status. She scored well on the SAT and never took the ACT.

[ereks mom]

Both were accepted by all colleges to which he applied. I required him to take both in 11th grade because I wanted him to decide which test he felt was a better fit for him, and then retake that one in 12th. I will require the same of EK, who is currently in 9th grade.

[Renee in NC]

My ds is taking the SAT and ACT because his PSAT scores were not great. He hopes to have better scores on the ACT so he can report those instead. He usually does well on state standardized tests and those are more similar to the ACT.

[avdelp]

Here in NC we can use the ACT as our required, end-of-year, standardized test because it is an "achievement" test. We can't use the SAT because it is an "aptitude" test. After taking the ACT for several years, my daughter was very comfortable with it, even thought the SAT is more common in NC. She will be attending Grove City College in the fall where over 90% of students submit an SAT score, but they took our ACT score, no problem.

[Heather in VA]

This has been very helpful. I'm from NoVa (and currently live there as well) and never even heard of the ACTs until I went to college. I'm encouraged to hear the ACTs have become so more widely accepted because from looking at the tests I think my daughter would do fine on the SATs but probably very well on the ACTs. So I think I'll look into both. She's decided she definitely wants to go to a Christian college which opens the possibility of either test. If she wanted a public VA state school - she's likely have to have the SATs.

 

Heather

[Karen in CO]

All 11th graders in Colorado public high schools take the ACT, but all of the colleges we looked at accepted either. HOWERVER, 6 of the 7 universities we applied to required at least two SAT subject tests from homeschoolers in addition to whatever other test scores they had.

[OLG]

We took both because some colleges will accept the ACT alone so that saved doing the SAT plus subject tests....But, of course, then the colleges selected changed so we ended up doing it all! Some kids do better on one or the other so I feel it is worthwhile to take one of each and then a second of whichever suits the student best. But, locally, ACTs prevail with very few taking SAT.

[Heather in VA]

All 11th graders in Colorado public high schools take the ACT, but all of the colleges we looked at accepted either. HOWERVER, 6 of the 7 universities we applied to required at least two SAT subject tests from homeschoolers in addition to whatever other test scores they had.

 

Yes this would be true if my daughter was looking at our state schools - like William and Mary or UVA etc. They want SATs, SAT subject tests, APs etc. But she will be attending a Christian school and those we have looked at so far don't require extra hoops to "prove" the academic worthiness of a homeschooler through the subject tests etc. They will look at them if you do it, but don't put those on the 'highly recommended' list. We'll see where my next daughter wants to go. I'm sure after I learn all kinds of stuff for the first one, the next will do something totally different. LOL

 

Heather