Blogs on ACT/SAT

High school heralds the advent of anxiety-inducing decisions for students and parents alike. Everything from social events to service projects and academic choices to extracurricular involvement carries weight, not just in the present moment, but on that ever-looming college application. In my experience over the past 30 years in secondary education, one question that surfaces with regularity is whether a student should take the ACT or the SAT. Parents who think back to their own experiences with these tests in high school may have outdated perspectives, thinking that the SAT still deducts ¼ of a point for a wrong answer (it doesn’t) or that certain colleges only accept a certain test (they don’t). Let’s break down the differences and see how a student can decide which test is right for them.     Which test do colleges prefer? There is no preference. It’s true. All colleges in the US will accept either the SAT or the ACT, with no bias towards those who choose one test or the other. Choose the test that’s better for you/your student.     What are the structural differences between the SAT and ACT? Multiple differences make the two tests quite different. For many students, one test is a better match for their skill sets than the other test. Let’s look at the basic structure of each test.     ACT Sections SAT Sections English English (called Writing & Language) Reading Reading Math Math – no calculator Science Math – with calculator     Immediately, one difference is evident: the SAT has more math. For students who are math-averse, the SAT already may not be the better choice. A closer look at the math sections will give us even better insights.     ACT Math SAT Math 60 problems 58 problems Calculator allowed for all problems. No calculator: 20 questions Calculator: 38 questions All multiple choice 45 multiple choice problems 13 open-ended problems     This chart alone is enough to make many math-averse students choose the ACT. Students preparing for the SAT need to be ready to attack an entire math section without a calculator, and additionally, they need to be ready to produce answers without the benefit of multiple choices offering them the opportunity to guess. Structure alone, though, should not be the sole factor in considering which test to take.   You may want to check out the following books   Math Practice Tests for the ACT Digital SAT Math Practice Questions     What are the timing differences between the SAT and ACT? The ACT is a much faster-paced test, and many students struggle with the time crunch.     ACT Timing SAT Sections English 75 questions/45 minutes = 36 seconds each English 44 questions/35 minutes = 48 seconds each Reading 40 questions/35 minutes = 52 seconds each Reading 52 questions/65 minutes = 75 seconds each Math 60 questions/60 minutes = 60 seconds each Math – no calc 20 questions/25 minutes = 75 seconds each Science 40 questions/35 minutes = 52 seconds each Math – with calc 38 questions/55 minutes = 86 seconds each     Consider the pace of that ACT Reading section. 52 seconds for each question…and that doesn’t even include reading any of the four reading passages.   So, while students preparing for the SAT have specific challenges in preparing for all the math involved, students preparing for the ACT have to make plans – and practice – for the time crunch that the ACT involves. Reading, in particular, is difficult to manage in the time assigned.     What are the content differences between the SAT and ACT? On the English/Writing & Language sections, the content is overwhelmingly the same. Conventions of Standard English (as the ACT calls them) are tested: comma rules, semicolons, subject-verb agreement, dangling modifiers, dependent and independent clauses. Other questions in this section involve “Production of Writing” and “Knowledge of Language” on the ACT and “Command of Evidence” on the SAT. Preparation for both tests is largely the same. The rules that apply to success on one test will also translate to success on the other test.  The ACT has 75 questions, though, so if this isn’t a strength for you, the ACT may feel overwhelming.   On the Reading sections, the content is, again, much the same. The SAT gives students more time, but the passages are on a higher (and more difficult) reading level. ACT Reading passages might be easier to read, but with less time to process them, they still offer a substantial challenge. The questions are mostly similar: big-picture questions (main idea, theme, point of view) and detail-oriented questions (evidence, vocabulary in context).   What about Science? The ACT has a Science section, but the SAT does not. It’s important to note that ACT Science isn’t really a “science test.”  Because school curricula vary so widely, ACT does not attempt to assess any student’s science knowledge; therefore, it’s not helpful to “study” science in preparation for this test.  The ACT Science section really tests a student’s ability to reason through a scientific reading passage that is accompanied by charts, graphs, tables, and figures to help illustrate that scientific blurb.  It’s more like another Reading section than anything. All answers can be found in the passage. A student does not need to come to the Science section with anything more than very basic science knowledge. On the SAT, a few passages in the Reading section will be like this: scientific topics with accompanying visual graphics.   In the Math sections, each of the two tests has a slightly different focus. The top five topics of mathematics on the ACT are (1) pre-algebra/number theory, (2) area/volume, (3) proportions, (4) angles/trig, and (5) quadratic equations. The top five topics of mathematics on the SAT are (1) slope, (2) quadratic equations, (3) algebra, (4) proportions, and (5) systems of equations.   A student should assess their own math strengths and weaknesses to determine which test would better suit their natural skills.     So… which test should you take? You should take the test that is the better fit for your skill set, your ability to self-manage your time within the parameters of the test, and your calendar (since the tests are often given in offsetting months).  Colleges will take your scores from either test!   Remember, though, that no matter which test you choose, it’s only one measure that colleges consider. They will also look at all the work you’ve done in arts, athletics, leadership, extra-curricular activities, community service, and more. Choose the test that is most likely to reflect your abilities, prepare for it, and do your best!   Checkout all Books for SAT & ACT By Vibrant Publishers here   Author Bio Kristie Beck has 30 years of experience in teaching and leading high school students. With an M.Ed. since 1999 and an EdD nearly complete, she loves using her experience and education to help her savvy students reach their goals. She has six children of her own, she knows first-hand how difficult and stressful the college admissions process can be. Over the years, she has developed unique and effective test preparation strategies, so that each and every student can make improvements to their score, no matter where they’re starting or what their learning style. She started Savvy Strategies in 2017 and has helped hundreds of students earn higher scores on the ACT and SAT.          

Since the inception of the ACT®  in 1959, it has grown in popularity. Initially, it was only required in Illinois and Colorado but now, 16 states in the US need it. Read on to find out more about it!     What is the ACT? Students may often get confused between appearing for the SAT or ACT. ACT (American College Testing) is a standardized test conducted by ACT, Inc. so that colleges can evaluate a student’s knowledge and college readiness. The test takes 2 hours and 55 minutes to complete (3 hours and 35 minutes if you opt for the essay) and is a multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper, or online test. Lately, many colleges prefer students to take the ACT over the SAT so confirm with your colleges of choice about their preference.     Who takes the ACT? Although there is no set age bar for appearing for the ACT, students seeking admission in undergraduate courses in the colleges of the USA and Canada appear for the test. They are students from the 11th or 12th grades.     What is tested? The ACT is divided into 5 sections -   English - The first section tested on the ACT is the English section. This section consists of 75 questions to be solved in 45 minutes. There are two types of English questions: Usage/Mechanics and Rhetorical questions. Usage/Mechanics - Questions like punctuation, grammar usage, sentence structure, and incorrect use of words form a part of usage/mechanics. A total of 40 questions are asked from this area. Rhetorical Skills - In the remaining 35 questions, you will do editing work like adding or deleting sentences and words that don’t fit, rearranging the order of sentences, and clarifying vague writing.   Here are a few tips for answering the sometimes tricky questions -   Brush up your basic grammar rules to avoid making silly mistakes. Read the paragraph thoroughly for in-context questions. Eliminate the options that you know are incorrect first.     Math - The Math section consists of 60 questions to be answered in 60 minutes. You will be posed with questions on - Pre-algebra Elementary algebra Intermediate algebra Coordinate geometry Plane geometry Trigonometry   While preparing for the math section, Get thorough practice of questions as it will help you to solve the section on time. Our book, Math Practice Tests for the ACT 2nd Edition contains 480 practice questions and 8 full-length tests that will arm you to answer any problem with ease. Solve the easy problems first and keep the difficult and time-consuming ones for later. Don’t forget to complete the last step like converting inches to feet as it will cost you your marks.     Reading - In the Reading section, four passages are followed by 10 questions for each and the whole section takes 35 mins to complete. The passages are based on - Prose fiction (excerpts taken from fiction books and short stories) Social science (anthropology, business, political science, history, psychology, etc) Humanities (non-fiction essays and memoirs) Natural science (anatomy, astrology, physics, microbiology, natural history, etc)   The questions asked in this section range from the main idea, detail questions, cause-and-effect relationships, vocabulary-in-context, sequence of events, generalization, comparative relationships, author’s voice, and method questions.   Here are some tips to pass this section: Read the passage thoroughly and then go to the questions. It will make it easier for you to answer them. Guess an answer if a question is taking too much of your time. Highlight the important details in the passages to find the answers quickly.     Science - The science section of the ACT is again 35 minutes long with 40 questions to answer. This section will give you seven science-related passages and questions corresponding to them. The passages contain graphs, charts, science experiments, conflicting viewpoints, theories, etc. Questions in this section can range from physics to biology to chemistry and basic math.   The following are the question types asked in this section: Data representation - Out of the 40 questions. 15 questions are data representation questions which means that you will have to evaluate and interpret data in graphs, charts, and tables and answer the questions accordingly. Research summaries - Approximately 18 questions are research summary type questions as you will have to evaluate, understand and interpret experiments. Conflicting viewpoints -  7 questions are based on conflicting viewpoints i.e passages on conflicting viewpoints, theories, and hypotheses on a given topic. You will have to understand and evaluate the theories and answer the questions accordingly.   Remember, This section is quite similar to the Reading section so read the passages carefully and mark any information that you think is important. The science section does not test your knowledge of science but your evaluation and interpretation skills. Understand the question types before solving them.     Writing(Optional) - The last section of the ACT is the Writing section. Here, you will be given a prompt with three sides to an issue. In 40 minutes, you will have to read, evaluate, form, and write your thoughts and opinions on the given topic. The essay is an optional part of the ACT as many colleges do not require students to appear for it. Know beforehand if your colleges of choice need you to take the essay or not.   The best way to approach the essay is first to deconstruct it. Understand what the prompt actually means. Pick apart the pros and cons of the argument and make a chart if possible. This will help you to think clearly and formulate your argument.   Winning Strategies for ACT Essay Writing provides 15 sample prompts that are similar to the real test. It also includes suggestions for approaching the writing task, analyzing the issues presented and managing time effectively.   You will be scored on four domains in the Essay section -   Ideas and Analysis - In this domain, the graders will score your ability to generate ideas and analyze the situation.   Development and Support - The ability to clearly explain your idea and generate arguments that support your opinion with the help of examples is checked.   Organization - Your ability to organize and streamline ideas to show their relationships is checked in this domain.   Language Use and Conventions - In this domain, the graders grade you on your word usage, grammar, sentence formation, and clarity in conveying your opinion.     How is the ACT scored? To standardize the scoring process, the ACT follows a scaling format for scoring students. It can be tricky sometimes but let’s try to understand it!   First, a raw score is derived for each section. A raw score is nothing but the number of answers that you get right but points are not deducted for wrong answers. After the raw score is derived for each section, the scores are scaled. Scaling is done to bring consistency in the scoring of all tests. These scores are then added and their average is found. This average is your final score on the ACT.   Via ACT, Inc.   For example, you get raw scores of 60, 30, 32, and 31 in the English, Math, Reading, and Science sections respectively. When these raw scores are scaled, you get scaled scores of 27, 21, 29, and 28 respectively (refer to the above chart). Upon adding these scores, you get a total of 105 which is divided by 4 to get an average. So, you get a composite score of 26.25 which rounds up to 26 (scores are rounded up to the nearest whole number.)   But how will the Essay section be scored if you appear for it? The scoring for the essay is a bit complicated. For an essay, there will be two graders who will each give a score between 1-6. Their scores will be added so that you can get a score between 2-12. The graders give a score on the basis of the four categories: Ideas and analysis, development and support, organizations and language use and conventions.   Subscores - Subscores do not contribute to your composite score but are essential to know your strengths and weaknesses in the subject areas. These scores come in handy especially when you have to appear for the ACT again as you can focus on areas that you are weak in.     Conclusion Lastly, appearing for the ACT can be a challenge. The only way to ace this test is to practice until the questions no longer seem like an enemy!     *ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. which neither sponsors nor endorses this product.   

As the first person in my family to go to college, I was feeling the pressure to get respectable ACT and SAT scores to get into a good school. I felt stressed about it because math was not my strong suit, and taking tests under the pressure of time made me nervous.   However, I had prepared my entire high school career to look appealing for potential colleges. I was a member of the SCA, played softball, was in all honor classes, had a high GPA, held a part-time job, and volunteered. What if I bomb my college entrance exams? What if I get passed over because of it? These are the kind of things running through my head before preparing for and taking the ACT and SAT.   Many colleges and universities are no longer requiring the essay of the ACT or SAT. So why should students complete them?     1) It Prepares Students to Apply to Any College   Even though there is a trend on colleges no longer requiring the essay portion of these tests, there are some that still do. Some colleges want to acquire as much information about a student as possible before making a decision. Others simply want to demonstrate how important they think writing skills are. Prestigious Duke University advertises that the essay is optional but recommended. Christoph Guttentag, dean undergraduate admissions states, “We will continue to value writing as particularly meaningful as we develop a sense of students as potential members of the Duke community. And we will still pay careful attention to essay scores and what they represent for those students who submit them.”   If students decide to apply to a school they had not previously considered and it requires the essay, they would have to take the complete exam all over again. Having the test and essay already completed will leave them with many more options. Students can apply to colleges whether they require it or not.   Given I had no guidance from family, I did not know what my potential schools required. I decided to take the tests and complete the essays as well. In my case, it was a good thing I did, because schools I applied to, indeed required them.   Some colleges may not require the essay but may recommend them. When students compete with thousands of other potential students, it’s best to make themselves stand out any way that they can.     2) It Can Help If Your Score for the Rest of the Test is Lower   If your potential college makes the essay of the ACT or SAT necessary, it can help you if you have a lower math score. It is one more thing that colleges can look at to see you as a complete student. This is exactly what it did for me. I scored ok on the math portion and better then ok on my essay.   The newest versions of the ACT and SAT essay have potential students evaluate, analyze, and give more thought to their writing piece. It gives colleges more to think about than grammar and style. Having an amazing essay score can only help students.     3) It Prepares You for College Writing   Completing the essay of the ACT or SAT gives colleges an example of your timed writing skills. In college courses, having a prompt with a certain amount of time to write is standard practice. The analytical thinking required to complete the essay is also the kind of thinking students will have to exercise in college. Having the essay portion of the test completed will show admissions what you are capable of in that atmosphere.   College entrance exam essays do not have to be stressful. Using books that guide on approaching the writing task, analyzing the issues presented, and managing time effectively can give you all the tools you need to succeed with writing your essay. If you prepare with these books, you’ll know how to score well and have the practice you need to write your essay with ease. This will boost chances of getting into a reputable college or university that you are interested in. I prepared for the essay of my exams, and they are indeed where I flourished. I got into my number one pick for college.     Ace your ACT & SAT with our books: Winning Strategies for ACT Essay Writing: With 15 Sample Prompts SAT Essay Writing Guide with Sample Prompts

Ability to add large numbers quickly in your head is a neat trick – helpful when you are grocery shopping or trying to figure out how many runs your favorite player has made in a series.Adding 397 to 918 in your head may sound tricky.It is easier to handle numbers when they are rounded off.So 397 becomes 400 and 918 becomes 920.It is now easier to add 400 to 920. The total is 1320.To arrive at the original equation, we have to figure out how much we added to our original numbers.400 – 397 = 3 and 920 – 918 = 2. So we have added a total of 5 to our original numbers.So we subtract  5 from 1320.1320 – 5 = 1315.So 397 + 918 = 1315.Get lots of Math practice problems for standardized tests like the SAT, ACT, GRE and GMAT in the Test Prep Series books of Vibrant Publishers.