The ACT and SAT are two tests that most colleges require for students to take for acceptance into college.  Although the two tests are taken to achieve the same goal, they are different. 

                  “The biggest differences of the SAT and the ACT is what the two tests are testing for.  The ACT is testing what you know and the SAT is testing what you can figure out,” said Mrs. Beth Abler, college advisor at Notre Dame. 

                  The SAT’s score range is 600 to 2400 and the ACT’s score range is 1 to 36. 

      The SAT’s three subjects are broken down into 10 sections, but the ACT only has four sections, one for each subject. The SAT’s subjects include math, writing and critical reading; the SAT also has an essay.

                  The ACT’s subjects are math, reading, science and English and include an optional essay.

                  A big advantage of taking the ACT is that there are no penalties for choosing the wrong answer; as long as an answer is picked, points will be received.  

                  Students here at Notre Dame, as well as every other school in the state, usually only take the ACT. 

                  “We take the ACT here because historically it has been the test of the Midwest.  SAT is more of an east and west coast test.  Colleges accept both tests, but we take the ACT out of habit,” said Mrs. Abler.

                  All colleges will accept both tests, but at some schools, one of the tests is preferred over the other.  In the Midwest and South, the ACT test is preferred while the East and West coast schools prefer the SAT. 

                  So which one should you take?  It depends on the college and how well you do on one of the tests. 

                  Mrs. Abler said, “If you have trouble with the ACT, try the SAT and vice versa.  Some people have done poorly on the ACT and take the SAT and do well.”

                  English teacher Carolyn Brown emphasized the college advisor’s point.  “My son took the ACT three times and made a 24 every time.  Then he took the SAT and made a score equivalent to a 30 on the ACT.  The colleges ‘translate’ one test score for the other, and he was accepted into colleges because of his SAT score.”