Is there an ACT equivalent to the PSAT? + more questions

[Faithr]

My 9th grader already has her sights set on a particular college in the midwest that takes either the SAT or ACT.  She is not a good test taker.   She rocks oral presentations and papers, though.  She is very bright and talented and motivated, however, she has always struggled with test anxiety (actually this year she's really improved but still) and there's something about standardized tests that brings out this anxiety even more.  In order to get over her panci, she rushes through and makes dumb choices.  

 

So which is better to take the ACT or SAT if one struggles with this?  Does it matter?  Two of my older kids took the SAT (and another of them found a way around having to take it - he went to a music conservatory which didn't require it. He also struggled with standardized tests).  

 

So first question - should we try for the ACT rather than the SAT?  I've also heard they've been mucking around with the SAT and even read an article by some advisors to skip the SAT for a while until all the changes settle down.  Don't know if that is good advice or not. . . 

 

Anyway, if we do go the ACT route, is there an equivalent to the PSAT?  I'm thinking about this now because our local homeschool group just sent out a notice that a local high school will host the PSAT for homeschoolers next September.  Do people take the PSAT but then choose to take the ACT later?  

 

We will probably enroll her in a good prep program at a local tutoring place.  She'll need lots of practice and prep.

 

Thanks for any input!

[EKS]

The ACT equivalent of the PSAT is the PLAN, but apparently it is being phased out.

 

My older son took both the PLAN and the PSAT and the results of those tests made it very obvious that, for him, the ACT was the way to go.

 

ETA: If she needs more time because of the anxiety, apparently the SAT has more time available per question than the ACT.  

Edited May 24, 2016 by EKS