Class of 2009

College Admissions SAT or ACT?

Over 700 colleges do NOT require a standardized test for admission (11 in NC)(See http://www.fairtest.org/univ/optional.htm for more information)

But the majority of colleges require either the SAT or ACT –

Since admission to all colleges has become so competitive,

you need to decide – which test is best for you? Class of

2009

Class of 2009

Facts about the SAT and ACT

SAT Created and

administered by College Board

www.collegeboard.com

Accepted by all colleges

ACT Created and

administered by ACT.org

http://www.actstudent.org/

Accepted by all colleges

Colleges say they don’t prefer one test over the

other . . .

Class of 2009

What’s the difference?CONTENT

SAT Reasoning and

problem-solving skills 4 sections 3 hours, 45

minutes

ACT Curriculum-based Questions more

knowledge-based and some think even more “straightforward”

10 sections 2 hours 55 minutes (plus

30 minutes with optional writing test)

In the last 5 years, the number of ACT test-takers on the East Coast has risen over 66 percent, and on the West Coast, 44

percent – largely as a result of the new, longer SAT

Class of 2009

CONTENT

SAT4 sections English

(language/rhetoric) Math Science Reading Writing (optional –

but colleges require it for admission)

ACT

10 sections Essay + 2 multiple

choice writing sections

3 critical reading sections

3 math sections 1 experimental

section

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CONTENT

SAT - READING

35 minutes 4 reading

comprehension passages

40 questions (10 questions per passage)

ACT - READING

70 minutes 19 sentence

completion 4 short passages, 4

long passages, 2 comparison passages

48 questions passage-based reading

CONTENT

SAT – MATH ACT - MATH

70 minutes, 54 questions (45 m.c. + 10 student-produced reponses)

Math accounts for ½ (1600) or 1/3 (2400) of total score

Topics coveredArithmetic, geometry, algebra, and Algebra II

60 minutes, 60 questions (all multiple choice)

Math accounts for ¼ of your total score

Topics covered:Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and trigonometryClass of

2009

CONTENT

SAT – SCIENCE ACT - SCIENCE

Science not included Science (analysis, interpretation, evaluation, basic content, and problem-solving)

Class of 2009

CONTENT

SAT - ESSAY ACT - ESSAY

First thing you do 25 minutes Factored into overall

writing score Abstract,

philosophical topic – pick a side

Last thing you do 30 minutes Not included in

composite score Topic is about

something of importance to high school students

Take position, explain different sidesClass of

2009

SCORING

SAT ACT Total score = 2400 Critical Reading 200-

800 Math 200-800 Writing 200-800

Total composite score of 1-36 (based on average of 4 tests)

Score of 0-12 for optional essay

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SCORING

SAT ACT ¼ point subtracted

for wrong answers Your ENTIRE score

history will be sent automatically to colleges – you may not choose scores

No penalty for wrong answers

You decide which scores to send to colleges and may send just your highest scores

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SCORE CONVERSION

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ACTSAT

MATH/READING

SAT MATH, READING, WRITING

36 1600 2400

35 1560-1590 2340

34 1510-1550 2260

33 1460-1500 2190

32 1410-1450 2130

31 1360-1400 2040

30 1320-1350 1980

29 1280-1310 1920

28 1240-1270 1860

27 1210-1230 1820

26 1170-1200 1760

SCORE CONVERSIONACT SAT (math, reading) SAT (math, reading, writing)

25 1130-1160 1700

24 1090-1120 1650

23 1060-1080 1590

22 1020-1050 1530

21 980-1010 1500

20 940-970 1410

19 900-930 1350

18 860-890 1290

17 810-850 1210

16 760-800 1140

15 710-750 1060

14 660-700 1000

13 590-650 900

12 520-580 780

11 500-510 750 Class of 2009

COSTS

SAT ACT

Reasoning Test - $45 Late Fee - $23 4 score reports free Additional score

reports - $9.50

ACT - $31 ACT + writing - $46 4 score reports free Additional score

reports $9.00

Class of 2009

TEST DATES

SAT ACTTest Date Register by

November 1 September 26

December 5 November 5

January 24 December 26

March 14 February 10

May 2 March 31

June 5 May 5

Test Date Register by

October 25 September 19

December 13 November 7

February 7 January 6

April 4 February 27

June 13 May 8

@ Cedar Ridge: October 25 and February 7

Class of 2009

Interested in your college’s average SAT/ACT scores for Freshmen?

Check out their Freshman Profile

http://colleges.collegetoolkit.com/Colleges/State/North_Carolina/37.aspx

Class of 2009

Freshmen Profile – UNC-W

http://colleges.collegetoolkit.com/colleges/admissions/university_of_north_carolina_at_wilmington/199218.aspx

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SO?..........

Since colleges accept both . . .and since some students perform better on

the ACT . . .and some perform better on the SAT . . .

It is to your advantage to investigate both exams.

Take a practice test – free and online – for both

See which one feels right – and which one yields the highest scores!

Class of 2009

Vitae

Class of 2009

Letter of Recommendation

Class of 2009