What is the best way to prepare for the SAT & ACT? How do the tests differ?

Answer 1

Just another thing to add on about differences between the SAT and ACT. If you guess on the ACT, you will lose no points. If you guess on the SAT and get it wrong, then you will lose a quarter of a point. Keep that in mind if you guess. In order to prepare, stay calm and not stressed on the night before and morning of the SAT/ACT. Have a good meal and get a good amount of sleep. Don't study and have your pencils/calculator ready. Take practice tests or sign up for prep courses where they will administer practice tests for you. The SAT is more widely accepted than the ACT. Scores for the SAT are given on a total scale of 2400 with 800 from each section (Critical Reading,Math, Writing). Scores for the ACT are from 1-36 for each section. The average is taken to determine your composite score which is the score that colleges will have on their websites. The essay is mandatory for the SAT but optional for the ACT. A third of people do better on SATs, a third on the ACT and a third do the same. Good luck on your tests.

Answer 2

The test differ in that the ACT has more subjects (english, math, science, reading) that the SAT (verbal, math, writing), and the SAT now has a writing portion, which the ACT does not.

The other difference is the the SAT is the preferred test for most states/schools on the east coast, whereas the ACT is generally preferred in the rest of the country. Most schools will take either, though.

Answer 3

Now this was a few years ago, but I still recommend it for family/friends. I went to my local book store and brought a CD ROM for both test...I installed it on my hard drive, took the tests, then as far as the questions I got incorrect, the CD went over lesson based on my incorrect answers. This worked great. The tests where also timed. As far as the difference, I can only tell you that I am from the south region and down here, every college I applied for only asked for my ACT score.

I don't know how the rules apply in your state but here we can take the test however many times we want and only use the highest score. I also recommend that you start taking either practice tests or the real thing by grade 10.

Answer 4

Take a prep couse offered by one of the mainstream providers. Do LOTS of practice tests and basically just study at least 2-3 hours each day for approx. 1 month before the exam.

Answer 5

There are practice books available at one of your local bookstores, and they are a lot cheaper than the practice courses. And you will have the luxury of copying the blank answer sheets beforehand so that you may repeat the test again and again.