ACT INFORMATION
The ACT is an alternative college admissions test now offered six times throughout each academic year, always on different Saturday mornings from the SAT. Any college or university will accept without prejudice either SAT or ACT scores (or both). The tests are very similar with six major differences.
1) The student-written essay on the ACT is optional for an extra fee when you register to take the test. On the SAT the essay is mandatory.
2) The ACT contains a misnamed Science Section which should have been called Data Interpretation. Students are required to read information from pie charts, bar graphs, et al. Such section does not appear on the SAT.
3) The reading passages on the ACT are college textbook passages from science, humanities and social studies. The SAT reading passages can be from anywhere.
4) The ACT sections are scored from 0 to 36 whereas the SAT sections are scored from 200 to 800. We have a conversion scale from one scoreboard to the other.
5) ACT scores from any one test date of your choosing are individually reportable to colleges. SAT score reports are more complicated.
6) Students taking the ACT should answer every question because unlike the SAT no deduction is taken for wrong answers.
WHAT EXACTLY DO WE DO?
Our ACT Course mirrors our SAT Course, but obviously with different materials (real past ACT tests). Students taking either course are welcome to try a take-home test from the other course and see if the other test might be worth pursuing. Students can mix courses (the course hours are interchangeable), but doing so voids a course guarantee unless the other-course hours are separately paid for.
We generally suggest starting with SAT preparation and investigating ACT Preparation only if needed.
We strongly recommend that you consult with your instructor or the Director before registering for the ACT.