Deciding which test to take:
Although the two tests cover similar ground, they each pose a unique challenge to the test-taker.
The ACT demands speed and precision.
The SAT demands nuanced reading and an understanding of math concepts.
The ACT gives you straight-forward problems, does not give you enough time to move at a comfortable pace.
The SAT gives you plenty of time, but digs deeper.
Through discussion, direct comparison, a little exploratory work and even possibly diagnostic tests, we can help you decide which test may be better for you.
The ACT
It is our belief that the ACT measures how well you read texts, edit essays, execute math principles, and make sense of charts, graphs and tables - when you're going faster than you'd like to. The singular challenge of the ACT is to perform at top speed, while maintaining precision. And that's a tough one, because speed and precision are inversely related - when one goes up, the other goes down.
If you're not practicing the ACT with a stop watch, you're not practicing the ACT.
The sAT
The Digital SAT Math does a deep dive into math you’ve already learned. It focuses on 7th through 10th grade math, but the test-makers expect you to understand Algebra 1, for instance, the way your teacher understood it when they taught it, not the way you understood when you learned it! And the test-makers don’t simply test if you know the material: they demand that you make CONNECTIONS between topics and how they’re interrelated. They also COMPLICATE basic math (and they’re really good at this!) so that the problems don’t resemble the math done in school!
The Reading Portion of the Digital SAT Verbal section is all about analyzing and articulating arguments. It is more sophisticated than the ACT Reading section, but the passages are short - 2 to 3 sentences! and the test-makers give you plenty of time to work. This may be reason enough to choose the SAT over the ACT.
The test is half understanding and articulating the logic and structure of arguments and half analyzing answer choices, noticing subtle differences between them and using logical reasoning skills to arrive at the Best Answer.
The Writing Portion of the Digital SAT Verbal section is small but worthwhile. You are asked how to punctuate sentences, transition between sentences and choose the best sentence to express a precise idea.
Surprise! The Verbal Section got better! ! And getting better at it will improve your analytical and logical reasoning skills, in general!