College-bound students, like senior Kasie Haemker, often find themselves stressed out by the demands of high school. Haemker has experienced a particularly stressful senior year trying to balance college applications, SAT/ACT prep, homework, and extracurricular activities.
Colleges will accept scores from either the ACT or the SAT. Some colleges only accept scores from one test. Colleges list their acceptance and test requirements on their websites for prospective students. Usually, students take the ACT and/or SAT during their junior and senior year, but starting early benefits the student. To begin preparing, students can hire tutors, buy practice workbooks, or use online preparatory resources. Khan Academy has a free, online SAT practice program. The ACT website also has their own online practice. School counselors have information on deadlines to register for the SAT/ACT, which can also be found on the SAT and ACT websites. Additionally, Legacy offers an SAT/ACT prep class.
“When I’m stressed I can’t concentrate on anything no matter how hard I try. My attention span shrinks. I don’t remember quite as much. It makes it really hard when you sit down with an SAT study book and learn nothing. [Taking the test] is important because it helps in the college application process,” Haemker said.
If a student takes the test and feels dissatisfied with his or her scores, he/she can retake the test. Taking the test early gives students the advantage of having extra time to retake the test and submit their best scores to the universities of their choice before college application deadlines.
“We think that if they can start early, and at least be familiar with questions, familiar with strategies, familiar with test concepts, that it is going to help them,” Mrs. Julie Gross, Legacy’s ACT/ACT Prep teacher said.
Why is the writing portion optional?
The writing portion is optional because some colleges don’t need/use the scores from the writing section for admission. Some colleges do. If a student remains unsure of what university they want to apply to before the SAT/ACT, College Board recommends taking the writing section.
“It’s really not an option,” Mrs.Gross said. “When you go to register, it says it’s an option. It really isn’t. All the colleges I’ve researched, it’s required. The reason why they make you take the essay is because you have to write an essay for college entrance. They compare the essays. They’re gonna look to see how you write.”
Submitting scores to colleges
When a student registers for the SAT/ACT, the website requires them to create an account, answer questions about their interests, school, and grades. It also lets them enter a certain number of schools that their scores will be automatically sent to for free after the test. Any extra schools they would like their scores to be sent to cost around $15 each.
Students should choose the test that works best for them. Generally, a student will do much better on either one or the other. Taking an online quiz could help a student decide which test to take. Browsing the SAT and ACT websites or talking to a school counselor will also help a student and their parents to make the best decision about which test to take and get all their questions answered.
“We recommend that you take both, see how you do, see what score you actually need to either get into the college or to match the scholarship that you want. Then focus on that one test and do more prep for that test,” Mrs. Gross said.
