Heather Tomasello

Writing Coach
The EssayLady, LLC

Which test to take? I tell students to take both the SAT and the ACT. Depending upon your particular strengths and weaknesses, you may perform much better on one test than the other. Think about how you felt about taking each test. Did you understand the format? Was one more stressful than the other for you? Once you've figured out a preference you can focus on prepping for that test. When to take?...

Lora Lewis

Educational Consultant
Lora Lewis Consulting

Students can do "test runs" of both the SAT and ACT by taking their pre-tests, the PSAT and PLAN. Almost all high schools offer the PSAT for sophomores and increasingly give the option to take the PLAN as well. If you aren't able to take pre-tests at your school, try the practice tests on the SAT and ACT website or check prep books out of the library and try their practice tests. This should give...

Zahir Robb

College Counselor
The Right Fit College

First, I would recommend that all students take both the SAT and ACT in the Spring of your Junior year to get a feel for the test. Make sure you sign-up for the ACT plus Writing which will make sure both of your tests will be accepted almost universally. In addition, it is important to review the requirements of universities that you are applying to. Some universities will ask for Subject Tests or...

Carita Del Valle

Founder
Academic Decisions

For the most part, students take both and then use the data as a benchmark to determine which plays up their strengths. Once this is identified, then we determine how much work they need to put into studying and retaking a test based on the type of college programs they are interested in attending.

Patricia Aviezer

President
Inside Track To College, Inc.

So Many Choices....So Little Time! Every high school in the United States has access to booklets provided "for free" to students for the SAT and the ACT with the answers in the back. If you want to begin to understand the content of these tests and which one will work best for you, why not start here? These test booklets are the same tests in shorter versions, so by "sampling" them you will get a...

Nancy Milne

Owner
Milne Collegiate Consulting

While the ACT and SAT are generally accepted interchangeably, their differences may appeal to one person over another. The SAT will penalize you for guessing, but the ACT doesn't. The ACT covers science, while the SAT doesn't. Some students do well on one over the other, some do well on both and still others have no success on either. It is really a factor of your schedule when it comes to timing...

Trevor Creeden

Director of College and Career Counseling
Delaware County Christian School

My advice is that you take both the SAT and ACT once to see which test you do better on. You may hear that a certain type of student does better on one that the other but these circumstances are not normally consistent across the board. There are ways to take practice tests like the PSAT or ACT practice tests to get an idea of whether you score better on one test than the other. Once you...

Pamela Hampton-Garland

Owner
Scholar Bound

When to take Test, and how often

I am probably alone in this response but it has proven to work over my years of advising students and my own children. I suggests students take the SAT during the second half of their 10th grade year mostly to become familiar with it. Although most advisors would say just take the PSAT, they are not the same and since you do not get penalized for taking the SAT as often as you want with the higher...

Reecy Aresty

College Admissions/Financial Aid Expert & Author
Payless For College, Inc.

Every college has its requirements, and the test dates are a matter of public record. As far as multiple tests, if your scores keep increasing, keep going. Start early in the 11th grade so you'll have plenty of time to take all necessary tests & re-test if necessary.

Karen Ekman-Baur

Director of College Counseling
Leysin American School

The primary college admissions standardized tests are the SAT Reasoning Test and the ACT. Some institutions ask for one, some ask for the other, and some will accept either or both. Also keep in mind that some of the schools you are considering may require one or more SAT Subject Tests, which are focused on particular areas. Some institutions will also ask for the ACT Writing Test. These...