[christee8876]

so basically I don't know if I should take the ACT and the SAT.
I already took the SAT and got a 2050 on it, but after looking at my friends' practice tests, the ACT is a lot easier than the SAT. The thing is, because the ACT is so much easier, don't colleges know that the ACT is easier and then shouldn't the average ACT score be higher and therefore not count as much as the SAT? But I don't get why the SAT is so much harder than the ACT yet colleges look at both tests equally.

I'm just stressing out because my GPA really isn't that high so my standardized test score has to make up for it. I don't want to waste my time studying for another test, but if it's worth it, then i'll take the ACT.
oh. and I just asked my brother about the ACT and he says that colleges don't care about it unless you get a 36. but you know how older brothers always exaggerate.

one more thing, (sorry if this is getting confusing) the girl who sits next to me in math told me that she got a 1400 on the SAT then got the equivalent of a 1900 on the ACT. but like aldf;jghsdfgv. WHAT. I don't get it.

what do you think I should do? I'm majorly stressing out.

ps. found a UC admission blog written by a person who used to work as an admissions officer at the UC's for all the juniors out there.
http://askmssun.livejournal.com/

[xxxxxxx]

I totally prefer the ACT's. I hate having to switch sections on the SAT's, the point deductions, and the vocab section.
Act's was much easier for me. I scored a 27 when I scored a 1600 on the Sat's.
Also, I liked the ACT's more because I got to choose what score to send in. But now that Collegeboard changed the rule and is now allowing you to send whatever score, so it's like the same, I guess.

I think the reason why SAT's are much harder is because it tests you a lot on Vocabulary. I think Vocab killed me. -________-
I personally thought that Sats tested you more on how well you can take tests and ACT's tested you more on how much we know.( but that's just my opinion)

36 is a Perfect. I got a 27 and I got into UCI and UCSD so brother was wrong on that.

You could always take both tests. It's about the same price. Take both of them, choose what test you like better, and retest.

Sorry If I confused you. I hate SAT's with a passion and there's a long story to it. lol.

[sPark*]

i took SATs first and didnt even think of taking ACTs but it turned out to be a requirement for a school i really wanted to go to (didnt apply in the end... got lazy... REGRETTING A LOT akldjfalskdjf) anyways. so i took it past december?

for the SATs i went to SAT prep school cuz im a bum and i dont do anything lol anyways i went for 6 ~ 7 months once a week. scored a 2300 (reading is my enemy!). as for ACTs. i did absolutely nothing since everyone told me it was easy. so on test day, i had no idea what to expect. but yes it was MUCH easier in my opinion. i scored a 35 for composite.

however, i do not recommend ACT if u have problems with timing. personally, i speed through just about anything/everything so i had no problems (hence why i make errors all the time lol) but i know even though it is easy, people who have troubles with timing will not do as well as they can. (example: my friend. she got 2100 [?] on the SATs but ACTs she got 28 because she ran out of time on every section ).

also im not sure if im right. but people have told me that west coast prefers ACT and east coast prefers SATs?

anyways i dont think theres harm in taking both. you dont HAVE to send in both scores. so take them and see which one turns out better and send that one into colleges <-- thats my advice after my rant/experience/etc lol

[Prot]

I think your SAT grade is decent enough. Unless you get near perfect for ACT (35, 36), they are probably going to only care about your SAT grade. As you have stated, the ACT is a lot easier. I personally took the ACT as well but I don't think that really helped my college admission process even though I got a 32 and I got near the same SAT score as you. I wouldn't consider the ACT unless you feel you can pull a near perfect score or your SAT score is bad (in which case, yours isn't)

[FallenLove]

wow 2050? so smart O:
well maybe you should try ACT's. I heard it's easier than SAT.
It's a good thing there's no point deduction, but there's a science section.

[JJKA]

In my opinion, there's a LOT more prep books for SATs so......
(Or maybe it's because we're sheltered here in Canada from study guides)

I took the SATs and it took me approximately 2 months of slacking-off preparation and 1 month of cramming and I ended up with a pretty good mark.

Good luck !

[Happening.Inc]

In my opition i agree, the ACT is easlier than the SAT but it all depends on where you want to go to school. If you're planning to atttend a UC you're better off taking the SAT but if you're planning to attend a CSU either is fine and will work.

[Christinaisweird]

depends on the requirements for what the school you're applying to asks for.

[Fueled by Ramen]

I got a 1150/1600 on the SAT and a 28 (about 1270/1600) on the ACT
colleges won't look down on you for submitting the ACT...
just make sure the colleges you are applying to takes the ACT~

but seriously, your SAT score is already high. if you want it higher, take it again.
I don't see any reason for you to take the ACT when your score is already above 2000,
but go ahead and try it~
if you do badly, you don't have to submit it.
the only thing is the science section on the ACT is hard as hell. -___- lmao

[touchthesky]

thats a really good SAT score. if you're stressing over it then you must have really high standards lol. like this girl i know who got a 2200 and she's retaking... but anyway i wouldn't bother taking the ACT if i were you unless its a requirement for a school you're applying to.

[xiadane]

The SAT is more popular on the East/West coast and the ACT is more popular in the Midwest/South. I didn't even take the SAT. And where I live, the ACT is a requirement. I think it is generally said that if you get above a 32, you're doing pretty well with the ACT.

Some people find the SAT easier and some find the ACT harder. I suggest you play to your strengths. With the ACT, you can take it several times and select which score you'd like to send out to colleges. But with the SAT, all your scores will be shown.

I personally prefer the ACT. If you are bad with timing, then you may be better off with the SAT. The ACT has longer sections and a Science section (though you don't need any science knowledge to do it). As for the SAT, you have to know vocab and the math is slightly harder.

[kuku]

I've had a huge argument with some noob on soompi a few years back over the same question.

Here's the general rule in MY opinion:

1. If you are applying to a East coast school/Ivy league, ACT is more important.
2. East coast schools (UC's, any Cali school in general) like SAT's.

It doesn't hurt to try both.

[christee8876]

I've had a huge argument with some noob on soompi a few years back over the same question.

ahaha I totally laughed when I read that.

I think I'm just going to stick with the SATs because I don't want to study for a whole new test and I'm definitely going to a UC, so the SAT seems like a better choice.
thanks for everyone's help!

[OBSCURITY xxx]

I don't think one is easier than the other, it's just the way that they're set up and the different skills that each of them test.

I think SAT's tests more on how well you test and ACT's on what you know.

Different people score differently on the SAT's and ACT's, some will do better on the SAT's while others will do better on the ACT's. I know of a friend who got a 2000+ on the SAT's and then got a 25 on the ACT's =x That's why colleges weigh them both equally.

Personallly, I think the ACT's are more bearable and easier to take than the SAT's because:

1) There are no point deductions for guesses, so always guess.

2) There are only four sections on the ACT's: Math, Science, Reading, and Writing. While the SAT's have EIGHT, doubles of each section, which are really long grueling.


I think that even though you have a good SAT score, it might benefit you to take the ACT's and see how they are. And I highly doubt that your brother is right.

[JANG.]

i was planning to focus on the ACT (since i tried the SAT twice last year, and didn't see much improvement), but after reading some of the comments above, i'm not so sure now. UC's pretty much only like the SAT? i'm from the east coast, but i'm planning to apply to west coast & east coast colleges, as well as a few ivy leagues. i really wanna go to a school in california though. i know that some schools (like Berkeley) even let ACT cover the SAT + SAT subject tests, so i thought that was a good deal too, especially since UC Berkeley is my first choice.

but, am i at a disadvantage if i only take the ACT?

[christee8876]

I think SAT's tests more on how well you test and ACT's on what you know.

Personallly, I think the ACT's are more bearable and easier to take than the SAT's because:

1) There are no point deductions for guesses, so always guess.

2) There are only four sections on the ACT's: Math, Science, Reading, and Writing. While the SAT's have EIGHT, doubles of each section, which are really long grueling.

those are the reasons why I was considering to take the ACT...I suck at taking tests, the ACT is shorter and there's no deduction for wrong answers.

GAH. I have no idea now. DARN IT.

JANG.- I don't think you're at a disadvantage if you only take the ACT since UCs accept both. But I would still take some SAT II's even if Berkeley lets the ACT cover SAT and SAT II's. but seriously, Berkeley does that? That is a really good deal. Sounds almost too good. Everyone I know even if they take the ACT still takes like 3 SAT II's if they're applying for top tier UCs.

[JANG.]

christee8876 - oh definitely! haha. i think Berkeley is the only one that allows that, so i'll need SAT II scores for the rest of the colleges i apply to. and yeah, i looked up Berkeley's common data set for '07-'08 (incoming freshman fall 2009) and "SAT and SAT Subjects Tests or ACT" was a requirement. (: it really is a good deal, but sadly most schools don't offer that, haha.

oh, and about your topic question (i don't think i ever responded!), if i were you, i'd continue to work on studying for the SAT, since you got a good score to begin with. if you'd gotten a bad score, then maybe the ACT would be better for you, but if you already did well your first time taking the SAT, your score will probably only improve with studying. it definitely won't hurt if you decide to try both, but i just personally prefer to focus on one test. hence the reason why i'm focusing on the ACT, haha. ;p

[lovesong3208]

It doesn't really matter which one you take.
I took the ACT. submitted it to both east coast
and west coast schools (I live on the west coast btw).
I personally think ACT is easier...the asian hype about
the SAT is just ridiculous in my point of view.

don't get me wrong. I'm Asian.

[trabia-wind]

i think the ACT is harder but the SAT is trickier. the ACT is more straightforward but tests you on more stuff.. for example the science section, while the SAT just tries to get you w/ random grammar crap and math questions that you have to read twice to understand what they're asking

i just FEEL like the SAT carries more weight, so if i were you i'd take that. but everybody says schools look at them equally and blah blah blah.. so ultimately just go with whichever one you think you can score higher on.

[Michelleys]

I prefer the ACT over the SAT, but for some reason the ACT writing was really hard for me. But I got about the same score on ACT and SAT if you convert it over.