test prep
ACT myths
RU MOR S
A DDR E S S E D
A-C-T. Isn’t it crazy how important that three-let-
ter acronym is to students all over the globe? The
majority of students will take the ACT at least once
during their high school career, and with all of the
rumors about the test floating around the halls, it’s
hard to know what to believe. Don’t worry—we’re
here to set the record straight!
Myth: The ACT is easier than the SAT.
Fact:
Myth: Some colleges only accept the SAT and
Fact:
will not accept ACT scores during the
admissions process. Myth: The June ACT is easier since that’s when
ll colleges in the United States accept the
A
ACT and the SAT. Fact: While each testing date has a different
athletes take it.
version of the test, the differences will not
affect final scores. The ACT test-mak-
ers dedicate lots of time and energy to
making sure all of the tests are equally
as difficult. You should choose a testing
date by considering when your schedule
is clear and when you will be the most
prepared, not when you think the test will
be “easier.”
Myth: Colleges prefer the SAT over the ACT.
Fact:
Colleges take both tests into consider-
ation, and they are given equal weight.
You should choose which test to take
based on your personal abilities, not based
on which test you think a college will look
more favorably upon.
Myth: You can’t study for the ACT, and your
score can’t be increased with multiple
tries.
Fact:
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| Summer 2020
One test isn’t easier than another—it all
depends on your own testing strengths
and abilities. If you work quickly on tests
or excel in math and science, you may
want to consider taking the ACT. If you
need longer amounts of time to complete
tests or excel in language and reading, you
may want to take the SAT.
Myth: ACT scores are automatically reported to
colleges.
Fact:
The ACT is worth studying for. It’s
important to familiarize yourself with
both the content and the format of the
test. Remember: Even one point increase
in your ACT score can equate to tens of
thousands in freshman merit scholarships.
www.potentialmagazine.com
You can choose to automatically send
your ACT score to certain schools, or you
can choose to wait and send them later.
If you take the ACT more than once, you
can even choose which scores you want to
report and which ones you want to hold
back.