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If there is one positive note to sitting for the SAT and ACT, it is that there are plenty of FREE resources out there to familiarize students with content before test day!

Know Before You Go

While the SAT and ACT share a lot of similarities, in several important ways they are quite different.  To help a student decide on which of the two tests is best for them, trying out a few sample questions from both the SAT and the ACT is a smart way to start.  Note that the primary differences between the SAT and ACT take shape within these areas:

• the content tested in THE Math section

ACT tests more geometry; required students to know formulas by heart; permits calculator usage.  The SAT focuses more on algebra and supplies necessary geometry and algebra formulas; one Math section permits a calculator and another prohibits calculator usage.

• the Science section in the ACT

The ACT's designated Science section tests interpretation and reasoning skills in the context of scientific data, charts and graphs. In  contrast, the SAT sprinkles science-related topics throughout the test.

• time permitted per question

While both tests are approximately three hours in length, the SAT allows more time per question when compared to the ACT.

• the pacing of the test

The ACT is a faster-paced test and requires test takers to move at a sprinting pace.  The ACT's four topic areas are presented in singular, larger chunks. The SAT alternates verbal and quantitative reasoning in shorter, repeating sections.

While some students feel quite certain about which of the tests is a better fit given their high school preparation and individual testing style, others may feel that they could go either way.  Some are ok with taking one of each to determine which is likely to yield the highest score possible. But first, why not try out a few sample sections from each of the tests to get a sense of how they feel? 

HELPFUL TOOLS for PREPPING  AHEAD

How about taking one of each test to see which yields the better result? No huge downside in doing this -- save for time and money spent. It is unlikely that a college will require that students report all their test scores. Still, coming even a little bit prepared on test day creates a more relaxed experience for a test taker.

The links below bring readers to FREE preparation tools to help smooth the way for a more pleasant test day experience:

SAT

• SAT

https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/practice

• Khan Academy (SAT)

www.khanacademy.org/sat

ACT

• ACT - free test through Kaplan

https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation/free-act-test-prep.html

• ACT

https://cloud.e.act.org/free-practice-act-test