It may be a shock that your kid is old enough to start thinking about their ACT or SAT exam. Remembering when you took it can feel like a distant memory, especially if your teen is asking you about which one to take. Don’t fret though, as we’ve broken down the bullet points of each so you can easily figure out with your teen which test to take, and when.
Time Frames
For both the SAT and ACT, they are offered throughout the calendar year. This allows you plenty of time for your teen to study and take the exam before any college admissions. Your teen can also retake the tests if they so choose, but that also means you may want to schedule the ACT or SAT far enough out so they can retake it if necessary. The SAT is typically offered in March, May, June, August, October, November, and December. The ACT is typically offered in February, April, June, July, September, October, and December.
Your teen may want to take either test in their Junior or Senior year of high school. This allows for plenty of time to retake the test if necessary, and also for applying to their colleges or universities of choice. SAT is usually done earlier, like a teen’s Junior year of high school, while the ACT is done more traditionally in their senior year. And most 4-year colleges or universities do not care which test is taken, as long as one of them is complete and the scores are sent along with the admission application.
The SAT
The SAT focuses on Reading and Writing, and Math, as the two main sections of testing. It has been revamped in the last few years and can be taken entirely online now, which is a bonus! The test has a total scoring of 1600, and a lower score of 400. Depending on your teen’s scores, these can help them gain admission to the college or university they’ve been eyeing. The average score for most SAT testers is 1060.
The ACT
The ACT focuses on four sections instead, being Math, English, Reading, and Science. It also has a separate, completely optional section that is a writing prompt, which your teen will have forty minutes to write out a response to it. It is scored from 1 to 36, and most people average around a 21 score for the entirety. The optional, writing part of the ACT is not included in the scoring since it is optional for students to complete.
At the end of the day, there really isn’t a right or wrong test to take for your teen. It is more of a choice for them on which one they think they will excel at and do the best for preparation. Talking with them and seeing how they feel about each test can help them decide which one they want to pursue.
Katie Kyzivat