Should You Take the ACT, the SAT, or Both?

ACT or SAT?

Colorado is filled with folks who moved here from California, Texas or New York. These people have taken and perhaps only know about the SAT. Colorado is an ACT state, and there is much confusion as to which exam is best for their student.

First of all, practically every college and university in the United States accepts either the ACT or SAT as their measure of standardized testing. That being said, determining a student’s level of success on each exam allows for a more focused test preparation program. Colorado high schools teach to the ACT, so most Colorado students tend to do better on this exam. The ACT is based on what is learned in the classroom. The SAT involves more abstract thinking, more problem solving and more vocabulary. Students who might not have high GPAs may do better on the SAT than the ACT, and the only way to determine which exam will allow your student greater success is to have him or her take one of each at the beginning of the junior year, thus creating a barometer for future test results.

Colorado colleges and universities accept ACT scores without the optional essay, and many Colorado students simply take the April exam offered for free at their high school. Those students applying to out-of-state schools need to either take another ACT that includes the essay portion, or the ACT plus an SAT. The added essay on the ACT adds enough criteria to make it equal to the SAT, so depending on which exam is better suited to your student is where test preparation should focus.

The ACT and SAT are similar but different enough to need different test preparation. Based on your student’s personal abilities along with understanding what schools he or she wants to apply to will allow you to make a good determination on where to focus time and energy to help your student achieve his or her future goals.