2.  Over 700 colleges do NOT require a
standardized test for admission (11 in NC)
(See http://www.fairtest.org/univ/optional.htm for more information)
 But the majority of colleges require either the
SAT or ACT –
Since admission to all colleges has
become so competitive, you need to
decide – which test is best for you?

3. SAT
 Created and
administered by College
Board
 www.collegeboard.com
 Accepted by all colleges
ACT
 Created and
administered by
ACT.org
 http://www.actstudent
.org/
 Accepted by all colleges
Colleges say they don’t prefer one
test over the other . . .

4. SAT
 Reasoning and
problem-solving skills
 4 sections
 3 hours, 45 minutes
ACT
 Curriculum-based
 Questions more
knowledge-based and
some think even more
“straightforward”
 10 sections
 2 hours 55 minutes (plus
30 minutes with optional
writing test)
In the last 5 years, the number of ACT test-takers on the East Coast has risen
over 66 percent, and on the West Coast, 44 percent –
largely as a result of the new, longer SAT

5. SAT
4 sections
 English
(language/rhetoric)
 Math
 Science
 Reading
 Writing (optional – but
colleges require it for
admission)
ACT
10 sections
 Essay + 2 multiple
choice writing sections
 3 critical reading
sections
 3 math sections
 1 experimental section

6. SAT - READING
 35 minutes
 4 reading
comprehension
passages
 40 questions (10
questions per passage)
ACT - READING
 70 minutes
 19 sentence completion
 4 short passages, 4 long
passages, 2 comparison
passages
 48 questions passage-
based reading
 More emphasis on
VOCABULARY

7. SAT – MATH ACT - MATH
 70 minutes, 54 questions
(45 m.c. + 10 student-produced
reponses)
 Math accounts for ½
(1600) or 1/3 (2400) of
total score
 Topics covered
Arithmetic, geometry,
algebra, and Algebra II
 Questions may be more
reasoning that calculations
 May use calculator
 60 minutes, 60 questions
(all multiple choice)
 Math accounts for ¼ of
your total score
 Topics covered:
Arithmetic, algebra, geom
etry, and trigonometry
 Questions tend to be more
straigtforward
 May use calculator

8. SAT – SCIENCE ACT - SCIENCE
 Science not included  Science (analysis,
interpretation,
evaluation, basic
content, and problem-
solving)

9. SAT- ESSAY
ACT - ESSAY
 First thing you do
 25 minutes
 Factored into overall
writing score
 Abstract, philosophical
topic – pick a side
 Not optional
 Last thing you do
 30 minutes
 Not included in composite
score
 Topic is about something
of importance to high
school students
 Take position, explain
different sides
 Optional, though most
schools require it

10. ACT questions tend to be more straightforward.
 ACT questions are often easier to understand on a
first read. On the SAT, you may need to spend
time figuring out what you're being asked before
you can start solving the problem. For example,
here are sample questions from the SAT essay and
the ACT writing test (their name for the essay):
 SAT: What is your view of the claim that something
unsuccessful can still have some value?
ACT: In your view, should high schools become more
tolerant of cheating?

11. SAT ACT
 Total score = 2400
 Critical Reading 200-800
 Math 200-800
 Writing 200-800
 Total composite score of
1-36 (based on average
of 4 tests)
 Score of 0-12 for
optional essay

12. SAT ACT
 GUESSING PENALTY -
¼ point subtracted for
wrong answers
 Your ENTIRE score
history will be sent
automatically to
colleges – you may not
choose scores
 No GUESSING
PENALTY – nothing
subtracted for wrong
answers
 You decide which
scores to send to
colleges and may send
just your highest scores

13. ACT
SAT
MATH/READING
SAT
MATH, READING, WRITING
36 1600 2400
35 1560-1590 2340
34 1510-1550 2260
33 1460-1500 2190
32 1410-1450 2130
31 1360-1400 2040
30 1320-1350 1980
29 1280-1310 1920
28 1240-1270 1860
27 1210-1230 1820
26 1170-1200 1760

14. ACT SAT (math, reading) SAT (math, reading, writing)
25 1130-1160 1700
24 1090-1120 1650
23 1060-1080 1590
22 1020-1050 1530
21 980-1010 1500
20 940-970 1410
19 900-930 1350
18 860-890 1290
17 810-850 1210
16 760-800 1140
15 710-750 1060
14 660-700 1000
13 590-650 900
12 520-580 780
11 500-510 750

15. SAT ACT
 Reasoning Test - $51
Fee waivers available
 Change or Late Fee -
$27.50
 4 score reports free
 Additional score reports
- $11.25
 Offered FREE to all high
school juniors at
Williams
 ACT - $36.50
 ACT + writing - $52.50
 4 score reports free
 Additional score reports
$12.00

16. SAT ACT
Test Date Register by
October 5 September 6
**November 2 October 3
December 7 November 8
January 25 December 27
**March 8 February 7
May 3 April 4
June 7 May 9
Test Date Register by
September 21 August 23
**October 26 September 27
December 14 November 8
February 8 January 10
**April 12 March 7
June 14 May 9
** @ Williams
@Williams High School - free -
for all juniors (TBA)
** @ Williams
Oct. 5 SAT will report for Early
Admission

17.  Check out their
Freshman
Profile
http://colleges.co
llegetoolkit.com
/Colleges/State
/North_Carolin
a/37.aspx

18.  http://colleges.collegetoolkit.com/colleges/ad
missions/
/199218.aspx

19. Since colleges accept both . . .
and since some students perform better on the
ACT . . .
and some perform better on the SAT . . .