ACT or SAT for Duke TIP

[teachermom2834]

My 12 yo ds took the EXPLORE test with Duke Tip the past two years and it is time to take the SAT/ACT this year. I am trying to decide between the two. I am leaning toward the ACT because it seems more straight forward (less "tricky"). I hesitate, though, because the math apparently is more advanced than what is tested on the SAT. He is stronger in reading than in math.

 

Any thoughts on this? He is a bright kid but not what I consider gifted or brilliant so I don't expect fantastic scores either way. I just think it will be a good experience for him.

 

Any thoughts on which test you chose and why?

 

Thanks,

Marie

[galtgrl]

I would choose the ACT if he's familiar with the EXPLORE...the EXPLORE is basically the ACT for younger ages, from what I understand.

You could give him a chance to choose which one he'd like to try by getting the book referred to here:

 

http://collegeapps.about.com/od/productreviews/gr/act-or-sat-review.htm

 

fwiw, my 12 yr. old took the ACT last year and didn't find the math to be terribly difficult. There were a few trig problems, but showing her the sin/cosin/tan relationships before the test allowed her to get at least one of them correct (she thinks :tongue_smilie:).

[regentrude]

We chose to have DD take the SAT because of what we read: the ACT is more knowledge based (which is a handicap for a young student who has not covered the material) while the SAT is more skills based.

She did really well, scored in the 90th percentile of college bound seniors.

[higginszoo]

Dh and I found the format of the ACT to be more fun when we were in high school, and ds has a similar learning style and personality, so we're going to have him do the ACT. If he scored really well, great ... if not, it's mostly for the experience as far as we're concerned this year. He has scored in the top 10% of the talent search children his age both times he took the EXPLORE (4th and 6th grades).

[TravelingChris]

I had younger dd take the ACT because she really, really didn't want to do an essay and felt like she had to do one if she was there for the SAT (even though it doesn't count). I had been thinking she would only score well enough on the MAth but she surprised me and did equally well on the English. Her best score was science:001_smile:.

[teachermom2834]

The essay for the SAT is one of the reasons for leaning toward the ACT. Am I correct in my understanding that the ACT has an optional essay but it is required for the SAT?

[regentrude]

The essay for the SAT is one of the reasons for leaning toward the ACT. Am I correct in my understanding that the ACT has an optional essay but it is required for the SAT?

 

yes, the essay is required for the SAT

[regentrude]

she really, really didn't want to do an essay and felt like she had to do one if she was there for the SAT (even though it doesn't count).

 

What do you mean by "it doesn't count"? The essay score goes into the writing portion of the score. Now some schools choose to look only at reading and math - but writing still "counts".

[Lovin Learnin]

DD took the Explore test last year as a third grader. Our plan is use out of level testing to measure progress, so we'll continue with Explore through 5th grade (unless she scores well enough before then to move on, which she might do since last year she scored exceptionally well). Come middle school we plan to alternate the SAT with the ACT. I do think there are benefits to having both tests under your belt.

[8filltheheart]

What do you mean by "it doesn't count"? The essay score goes into the writing portion of the score. Now some schools choose to look only at reading and math - but writing still "counts".

 

It doesn't count toward TIP or CTY qualifications. These scores "vanish" after 8th grade unless you specifically request that they retain them.

 

As far as which test to choose, it depends on the child. We opted for the ACT for very specific reasons. With the SAT, the essay is first and not optional. With the ACT, it is last and optional. Ds did not want to do the essay.

 

In addition to that, the SAT rotates back and forth between math, critical reading, math, critical reading, etc. The ACT is ALWAYS in the same format and an entire "content" area is completed at one time. With the ACT, the order is English, math, reading, and science reasoning. My ds is a slow reader and was only interested in his math score (though ironically he did qualify for all CTY's LA course selections as well). We thought he would be able to focus better on the math if it was in one cohesive test.

 

HTH

Edited September 14, 2010 by 8FillTheHeart

[higginszoo]

DD took the Explore test last year as a third grader. Our plan is use out of level testing to measure progress, so we'll continue with Explore through 5th grade (unless she scores well enough before then to move on, which she might do since last year she scored exceptionally well). Come middle school we plan to alternate the SAT with the ACT. I do think there are benefits to having both tests under your belt.

 

I liked Rocky Mountain Talent Search where we had the option of testing from 3rd-8th grades (3rd-6th Explore and 6th-8th SAT and/or ACT).

 

Now that we're in Duke's territory, they can only take Explore in 5th and/or 6th and they only take either the SAT or ACT in 7th -- no other out of level testing is offered.

[Lovin Learnin]

I liked Rocky Mountain Talent Search where we had the option of testing from 3rd-8th grades (3rd-6th Explore and 6th-8th SAT and/or ACT).

 

Now that we're in Duke's territory, they can only take Explore in 5th and/or 6th and they only take either the SAT or ACT in 7th -- no other out of level testing is offered.

 

I did notice that about some of the other talent searches. We test through NUMATS (Northwestern). They offer the test in 3rd grade but you don't qualify for any awards until 4th grade. The experience is invaluable, imo. This is our first year homeschooling and I haven't yet investigated or even considered in-level testing. It just seems pointless.