Potential Magazine College and Career Organizer 2020 | Page 25

Knowing the Difference:
TOOLS TO HELP YOU CHOOSE THE BEST TEST
Since most colleges accept scores from either the ACT or SAT, knowing which
exam to zero in on can help maximize anyone’s results.
Check out these three tools to help you make an educated
decision when deciding which exam to take.
1. THE PRINCETON REVIEW offers a free online quiz on the ACT/SAT to
help determine the best fit. Visit princetonreview.com.
2. KAPLAN’S SAT/ACT COMBO PRACTICE TEST meshes sections of
both tests and lets participants see the results to gain a sense of how well they might
do on either test. Check out kaptest.com/sat/sat-vs-act to learn more.
3. THE OLD FASHIONED WAY:
Do you:
Super-scoring on the ACT: The Super-
score reports the highest possible composite
score across multiple ACT tests and ACT
Section Retests. It calculates the average of
the four best subject scores from each of the
student’s ACT test attempts.
Various schools already accept super scores,
and it is likely that will increase with the
addition of ACT section retesting. See a
complete list of schools that currently accept
super scores here: https://blog.prepscholar.
com/colleges-that-superscore-act-complete-list
have good language skills?
excel in math?
All of the above. If so, consider the SAT.
Do you:
work quickly on tests?
have a wider range of knowledge in science, math, and language?
All of the above. If so, consider the ACT.
LENGTH
& TIME
WRITING &
ESSAY
GUESSING
DESIGNED
TO: SCORING
215 questions,
2 hrs. 55 mins. Optional. 30 mins.
Emphasis on punctuation
and rhetorical strategies.
Students will be
prompted to take a
stand on a potentially
controversial topic. There is no penalty for
guessing. Students are
encouraged to mark an
answer for every question. Test achievement
and measure
student knowledge Each section
is scored out
of 36 points.
154 questions,
3 hrs. Optional 50 mins. There is no longer a
penalty for wrong answers. Test aptitude and
reasoning skills
to predict college
learning capability Each section
is scored on a
200-800 point
range and is
weighted.
Scored separately on a
2-8 scale.
Total score
400-1600
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