Aiden Hill -Mustangs Ahead
(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL) - Lakewood Ranch High School Students debate taking the American College Testing (ACT) exam or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
There are two major entrance and placement tests accepted by most colleges. Both are taken widely across the country.
BigFuture, a college planning site run by the College board, states that the tests “Both test what you’re learning in school, the same knowledge and skills needed to succeed in college and career. Most colleges in the U.S.—including those that require tests and those that are test optional—accept scores from either exam for admissions decisions, course placement, financial aid, scholarships, and other purposes.”
In Florida, most students take the SAT. For example-at Florida State University (FSU)-63.7% of students submit SAT scores, compared to 36.3% who submit ACT scores.
Stay updated on more LRHS news by following us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube or follow the Mustangs Ahead Podcast on Spotify
Some benefits of the SAT are that it is shorter, contains a built-in graphing calculator, and it is primarily digital. The ACT is still mostly taken on paper. The Dunham School wrote about the ACT, “ACT has more questions per section and requires a faster pace”. Many students still prefer the ACT, since some see it as having easier questions.
Other differences include that the ACT has a separate (optional) science section while the SAT includes a science section integrated throughout the rest of the test.
LRHS provides juniors with a free SAT test, while students have to pay to take the ACT.
LRHS School Counselor Monica McGrath wrote concerning her recommendation, “I think it is a great idea to take both of them, as many students with whom I have spoken said they did better on one over the other.
“For example, my daughter scored higher on the ACT than she did on the SAT. Since universities will superscore (take the highest score from each subject area), that can be a benefit for some students.”
Both tests have extensive study material, courses, books, and resources online. Study books for both tests are available in the LRHS library.
Students should contact their guidance counselor with any questions on the tests.