There is no shortage of urban legend or myth surrounding college entrance exams. From the most competitive ways to prep, to understanding which test scores are preferred by Universities, the information surrounding standardized tests can feel overwhelming, and yet it is so vital to students’ success. Although the ACT and SAT play to different academic strengths, both exam scores are accepted by colleges and universities. Still, there are some nuances.
Generally, the SAT is structured for the success of more tedious, math-minded thinkers. Students who prefer to take their time reading questions, and like to check their answers, will find the SAT to be a more comfortable fit. Conversely, students who consider themselves faster test takers, and can quickly read through long sections of text, feel more at home taking the ACT. In any case, test takers’ personal preference, strategy, and academic strengths should be the greatest weighted factor in selecting and preparing for the test, as colleges and universities accept both scores. While schools have adopted an egalitarian approach to test scores, the same cannot be said for test prep programs: when it comes to the ACT and SAT, all tutors are not created equal.