Give the ACT a Try

The ACT and SAT are both popular standardized tests that are commonly used for college admissions. They generally cover the same topics and neither is more difficult than the other. However, students can perform better on one test than another, which is why figuring out which test works for each student is vital to their performance.

Switching from SAT to ACT

For months, I diligently studied for the SAT, but to no avail. My mock test scores were not improving and as the test date neared, I grew desperate. Searching for an alternative, I realized I could attempt switching to the ACT and see if I could perform better on that test. From the first diagnostic test (DT), my ACT score was noticeably higher than my past SAT scores. I became motivated again and focused my attention on switching tracks to the ACT.

My switch to the ACT was a small leap of faith that paid off. There was no harm in taking the extra DT because if I messed up, I could always go back to the SAT. However, if I succeeded, I could consider moving towards the ACT. Therefore, I encourage anyone that is curious or cautious about trying the ACT to take the test because there won’t be any negative consequences. All that is lost is a few hours of your time.

Benefits of the ACT Reading Test

Although the ACT and SAT are similar standardized tests, each have distinct advantages. Something I liked about the ACT was that the Reading Test had the passages in the same order: 1) literary narrative; 2) social science; 3) humanities; and 4) natural science. This pattern with all of the tests helps build consistency when studying and ensures that students know what to expect. Moreover, this reliability means that the score for this section will be based on how one performs on each reading passage, without the possibility of fewer or more of a type of passage affecting a score.

Another aspect of the Reading Test that I found very relieving was the absence of connected questions. On the SAT, connected questions are quite common and can be a major pain because missing the first question often leads to one missing the second connected question as well. Thus, incorrectly answering the first SAT Reading Test question can lead to two points off, instead of just one. This is not a problem on the ACT, as these types of questions do not exist on the test.

Gaining Proficiency for the ACT Science Test

I found the English and Math sections to be relatively similar between the ACT and SAT, but the Science Test of the ACT is completely new to students that have only taken the SAT. Some parts of the Science Test are quite similar to the social science and natural science passages in the Reading Test. Therefore, those passages will be easier to grasp. The concepts covered in the Science Test also require little previous knowledge, which means students who have a weaker science background can also flourish. However, some previous science knowledge in chemistry or biology may help in understanding the passages more easily.

The more challenging part of the Science Test is that there are a considerable number of charts, graphs and tables that one must interpret. This can initially be a challenge to those that do not work with tables often, but learning how to sift through the information and finding the important data will greatly reduce the difficulty. The first time I took the ACT, my science score was comparatively low, as expected. However, I became proficient in the Science Test and performed well on the actual exam. Therefore, please do not be discouraged by a low science score on a diagnostic test (DT). This is expected and there will be a slight learning curve that one must overcome.

Completing an ACT Diagnostic Test (DT)

To anyone that is skeptical about the ACT or finds that the SAT is not working for them, I urge you to try an ACT diagnostic test (DT). The benefit of potentially finding a better standardized test that works for you greatly outweighs the cost of spending a few hours to take a test.

Schedule ACT Tutoring Today

Please contact our Presidio Education® Admin Team to schedule ACT tutoring classes. Our faculty will be more than happy to help train for the following ACT Tests: 1) English Test; 2) Math Test; 3) Reading Test; 4) Science Test; and 5) Writing Test. Our effective training has resulted in ACT 35 and perfect ACT 36 scores for nearly all of our students. Many of our students actually hit their target ACT scores on their first ACT exam after our training!

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