The ACT or the SAT?That is the question!

Part 3: Putting the Tests Under the Microscope

Information obtained from ACT or SAT: Choosing the Right Exam for You (Princeton Review, 2009)

MATH: Sprint or Marathon?

The first important factor to consider when trying to determine if the SAT or ACT math is a better fit for you has NOTHING to do with content.

Instead, it has to do with the FORMAT of the tests themselves…

MATH: Sprint or Marathon? (2)

The SAT The ACTThe 1st section asks you to answer 18 questions in 25 minutesThe 2nd section asks you to answer 20 questions in 25 minutesThe 3rd section asks you to answer 16 questions in 20 minutesOverall, you must answer 54 questions in 70 minutes

You have only 60 minutes to answer all 60 math questions in one section

MATH: Sprint or Marathon? (3)

SAT questions also start off easy and increase in difficulty (within each section)

ADVICE: Students who have trouble focusing or who tire out faster might be better suited to take the SAT since the math content is broken up into smaller pieces.

On the other hand, if you’re someone who prefers to get your math out of the way all at once, the ACT is for you

(see pgs 36-44 in Princeton Review ACT or SAT? book for additional comparisons)

READING

When it comes to the reading sections, both the SAT and the ACT test your ability to read passages and answer questions about what you’ve just read.

However…

READING: Vocabulary (1)

…the SAT puts more emphasis on your familiarity with certain “big” words

If you know what laudatory, pragmatic, and other esoteric words mean (including esoteric), then you’ll probably prefer the SAT Reading over the ACT Reading.

Typically students who are well-read and possess strong vocabularies fare better on the SAT.

Clarification: this doesn’t mean that the SAT tests harder vocabulary (though in some cases this may be true); it just tests MORE vocabulary…actually…a LOT more…

READING: Vocabulary (2)

In fact, about ¼ of all SAT Critical Reading questions are vocabulary-based, with the majority coming in the form of Sentence Completions.

There are three Critical Reading sections on the SAT. Each section begins with a series of Sentence Completions, which are simply sentences from which one or more words have been removed. Your job is to find the missing word or words based on the context provided.

There are a total of 19 S.C. on the SAT. The ACT does not directly test vocabulary within

separate questions like this

READING: Vocabulary (3)

See my book for examples of S.C. questions from the SAT and Vocabulary in Context questions from the ACT (pgs 45-49

READING: Vocabulary (4)

See my book for examples of S.C. questions from the SAT and Vocabulary in Context questions from the ACT (pgs 45-49)

FINAL ADVICE: If you do well on S.C., then you have built a strong vocabulary and you should check off one box in favor for the SAT. If you find that doing S.C. was worse than having your teeth pulled, then feel free to conclude that vocabulary is probably not your strong suit and as such, a good tell-tale sign that you might want to consider taking the ACT

READING: Vocabulary (5)

REGARDLESS…augmenting your vocabulary is a habit that will prove beneficial to you no matter what career you choose to pursue later in life.

Study from specified SAT or ACT Vocabulary resources and when you come across a new words, WRITE IT DOWN, LOOK IT UP, & REVISIT/STUDY YOUR LIST OFTEN!

READING: Focus (1)

How does each test differ in terms of the number of reading sections, number of questions, and overall time allotted? all having an effect on how much you need to focus

The SAT tests reading in three shorter sections (see power point part 1 for details). Each section begins with a series of Sentence Completions and then progresses into short or long Reading Comprehension passages and related m.c. ?s. Typically you have about a minute per question.

READING: Focus (2)

The ACT is slightly more demanding. It’s lone Reading Section presents 4 passages with

10 questions each for a total of 40 questions. You get 35 minutes for the whole section, which

means you have about 9 minutes to cover each passage and the questions that follow.

ACT Reading has earned a reputation as being a true test of concentration and stamina for some students.

READING: Focus (3)

There is another difference b/t SAT and ACT Reading sections that is worth consideration:

– While the ACT is indeed a standardized test, some people like to joke that it instead should be called a predictable test.

– The ACT folks test the same information the same way, year after year (including the order in which the sections appear). The ACT Reading section is always the third section of the test. There are always four passages w/ 10 ?s each and they always appear in the same order:

Prose Fiction (excerpts from short stories and novels) Social Sciences (history, economics, psychology, political science, and

anthropology) Humanities (art, music, architecture, and dance) Natural Sciences (bio, chem, physics, and physical science)

READING: Focus (4)

On the other hand, the SAT loves to surprise us. There is no way to know ahead of time where on the

SAT the reading questions will appear and what genre of passages they will include.

All you know is that the SAT Essay comes first and a short Writing Skills section comes last.

Furthermore, the SAT pulls excerpts from a variety of different sources for its reading passages.

ADVICE FROM A PRINCETON REVIEW INSTRUCTOR

Right after you think about how you like your math: in smaller pieces (SAT) or all at once (ACT), make a similar choice about the SAT Reading (bite-sized pieces, but more questions overall) or ACT Reading (one long, time-pressured section, but fewer questions overall).

If you’re someone who has trouble focusing for extended periods of time then this very well might be an important factor to weigh when choosing your test.

As far as predictability goes, some people would prefer to know ahead of time what section is coming next on a test. Other people like surprises and even think it’s fun to try and guess what might come next.

Ask yourself, “Which sounds more like me?”

READING: Passages (1)

There is one additional small diff. b/t the SAT and ACT Reading that is worth noting:

– Whether short passages or long passages, you will always see Dual Passages on the SAT.

– The ACT on the other hand does not use Dual Passage question format

At first glance, the idea of having to read two full passages instead of just one can seem daunting. It’s actually not as scare as it looks.

(ask Mrs. H to see pages 51-55 for a sample dual passage)

READING: Passages (2)

Princeton Review advises students to simply treat dual passages as they would two separate single passages. Do NOT do both passages at the same time; do them one at a time.

So, in this case, you would read Passage 1 first. After coming up with a general sense for the main idea of Passage 1, you would then scan through the questions and look for those that deal exclusively with Passage 1.

Next, you’ll read through Passage 2 and again come up with a main idea. As you’re working on the second passage, also be sure to look for similarities and differences b/t it and the first passage.

Now go find questions asking only about Passage 2. Finally you can tackle any questions that ask you to compare both

passages.

ADVICE FROM A PRINCETON REVIEW INSTRUCTOR

Most students are terrified of SAT Dual Passages the first time they take the test.

But with a clear system to use, you should quickly overcome your fear.

Don’t rule out taking the SAT just because of Dual Passages!

WRITING SKILLS (1)

Generally speaking, both the SAT and ACT heavily assess your understanding of basic rules on English grammar.

Think rules like proper tense agreement, subject/verb agreement, pronoun ambiguity, and misplaced modifiers.

Most students are familiar with these rules, but haven’t been test on them recently.

So, for either test, you’ll need to review your grammar!

WRITING SKILLS (2)

While the SAT stays primarily focused on grammar, the ACT English Test goes beyond grammar to test other topics

The SAT Writing section primarily tests a handful of traditional grammar rules. Students who understand the difference b/t standard written English and the language we speak/use every day will have a good chance of doing well

The ACT says its English test covers two broad areas:– Usage/Mechanics (includes sentence structure, grammar, and

punctuation)– Rhetorical Skills (includes strategy, organization, and style)

WRITING SKILLS (3)

The ACT loves to test punctuation (specifically comma usage!!!) and is prone to test relationships of some conjunctions (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so)

(ask Mrs. H to see pages 58-62 for sample questions) On the ACT English test, 35 of the 75 questions are

designed to test what the ACT test writers call Rhetorical Skills. These questions test your knowledge of strategy, transition, organization, and style. You may be asked to reorder sentences or paragraphs, to reword something, or to evaluate whether the writer of a passage has satisfied a particular assignments.

WRITING SKILLS (4)

The SAT Writing section does include 5 or 6 questions related to strategy and order, but far less than what you’ll see on the ACT.

ADVICE FROM A PRINCETON REVIEW INSTRUCTOR

Are you the kind of person who gets asked to edit their friends’ papers?

This is a really good predictor for success on the ACT English because the tasks are so analogous.

The ACT is must friendlier for students who aren’t pure grammar nerds and get disoriented by the out-of-context nature of SAT Grammar.

Students who think like editors will also keep moving—an essential skill on ACT English.

ESSAY (1): Similarities

Both the SAT and ACT ask you to whip up an essay in about 25-30 minutes.

While it is true that currently the ACT Essay is “optional”, it is recommended that you take it anyway. This way you are covered in case it is required by a particular college to which you are applying.

Both essays require you to be organized, cite good examples to back up your thesis, and include a conclusion. However, there are a few differences worth spotlighting…

ESSAY (2): When?

The first difference comes down to a matter of taste. Do you prefer to write your essay at the beginning of your three-plus hour exam or at the end?

If you’d rather just get it out of the way immediately, then go with the SAT since the essay is the first section on the test.

Those of you who prefer to make your essay the icing on the test day cake should opt for the ACT where the writing prompt comes last

ESSAY (3): ACT Prompts

The ACT essay prompts tend to always ask about policy issues and usually they have to do with issues that ACT people believe are relevant to high school age students.

EX: As the school-age population in America becomes more and more diverse, Educators have continued to debate over whether schools should allow non-native English speaking students to be taught in their native language. Supporters of bilingual education claim that non-native English speakers are automatically disadvantaged in schools if they are taught in a language they don’t understand. On the other hand, many educators and parents worry that without an all-English Language education, non-native English speakers will not master English well enough to ever be academically successful. In your opinion, should the children of immigrants be taught in their native language while learning English in school?

In your essay, take a position on this question. You may write about either one of the two points of view given, or you may present a different point of view on this questions. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

ESSAY (4): ACT Prompts

This prompt is about the use of bilingual education in schools. Most HS students are familiar with this issue and thus might find it easier to quickly take a side and put together a well developed essay.

ESSAY (5): ACT vs. SAT

The ACT requires a counter-example b/c the ACT essay questions tend to ask about policy issues. You will need to come up with supportive reasons for your point of view, but also come up with a rebuttal for one argument that could be made by someone who disagrees with your opinion. This way you’ve acknowledged the other side and hopefully demolished the argument!

The SAT, however, prefers to pose what we call “deep thoughts” questions for their prompts. The topics are always presented in a very broad manner. This is done intentionally so as to allow students to support their position w/ any number of examples from literature, history, current events, or even their own personal experiences.

ESSAY (6): Sample SAT Prompt

Whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends (the natural rights of men), it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and ot institute new government, laying foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such forms, as to them shall most seem likely to affect their Safety and Happiness. --The Declaration of Independence

Assignment: Does questioning authority make a society stronger? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

Analysis of Prompt:– It is asking you if questioning authority makes a society stronger. While you certainly

must take a stand and provide strong supporting examples in an SAT essay, there’s really no need to provide a counter-argument. In fact, presenting an alternative view in an SAT Essay would be hard to do, waste your time, and worst of all, be confusing and distracting from the point of view you are making. Just focus on making your deep thoughts into clear thoughts!

ESSAY (7): Advice from a Princeton Review Instructor

Most students prefer the ACT Essay prompts. Without question they are more specific and more relevant to a

high school junior/senior’s life. An occasional student will like the flexibility the SAT Essay

prompts provide them in terms of choosing examples from a variety of different sources.

Bottom line: if you’re a decent writer who understands how to present a clear thesis, back it up with a few strong supporting examples, and tie it up in a bow with a good, summarizing conclusion, then you’ll do fine with either the SAT or ACT Essay

SCIENCE on ACT (1): Basic Facts

This is the most obvious difference b/t the two tests. The ACT Science section always comes fourth, after

the Reading Test and before the Essay. Remember that tough bio test for which you had to

memorize dozens of facts about photosynthesis? And when you sat down to take the test, you either knew the answer or you didn’t? Well, that’s not the case on the science portion of the ACT. Even though the word “science” appears on the title, this test doesn’t resemble the science tests you’ve taken in HS

SCIENCE on ACT (2): Basic Facts

The ACT Science Reasoning test presents you with science-based reading passages and requires that you answer questions about them.

Sounds just like the Reading test, doesn’t it? That’s because it is juse like the Reading Test!

In fact, Princeton Review thinks the ACT should call this section the “Science Reading Test”!

Rather than test your knowledge of science, it’s supposed to test your ability to “think about science”.

SCIENCE on ACT (3): Basic Facts

Of course, a little science knowledge doesn’t hurt. If a passage is about photosynthesis, you’ll

undoubtedly do better if you know what photosynthesis is.

But remember, the information you need to answer each question is contained within the passage itself!

So, if Science has never been your strength, don’t worry. There are ways to master scientific reasoning, even if you don’t know anything about photosynthesis, bacteria, the periodic table, or quantum mechanics

SCIENCE on ACT (4): A Closer Look

The Science Reasoning test has 7 passages, each of which is followed by 5-7 questions. In all, you have 35 minutes to answer 40 questions.

All passages fall within three basic categories: (see next few slides)

1. Charts and Graphs (aka Data Representation)

2. Experiments (aka Research Summaries)

3. Fighting Scientists (aka Conflicting Viewpoints)

SCIENCE on ACT (5): Charts & Graphs Category

These passages provide you with one or more charts, tables, graphs, or illustrations

They are intended to test your ability to understand and interpret the information that’s presented.

(see Mrs. H’s book, pg 155 for a sample question)

SCIENCE on ACT (6): Experiments Category

These passages describe several experiments—and their results—to see whether you can follow the procedures in each experiment (or experiments) and interpret them

See Mrs. H’s book, pg 148 for a sample question

SCIENCE on ACT (7): Fighting Scientists Category

These passages present (usually) two or three conflicting views on a research hypothesis.

Typical topics include:– “Is There Life on Mars?”– “Where Did the Dinosaurs Go?”– “What’s Fire?”

Frequently, the “fight” is over something that has already been resolved. You will be asked about the conflict and the evidence supporting each view.

It may also ask you to figure out what kind of evidence might actually resolve the conflict.

(see Mrs. H’s book, pg 157 for a sample question)

SCIENCE on ACT (8): Advice from Princeton Review Instructor

Students who love science are never scared of the ACT Science Test. However, that doesn’t mean all of these kids always score well on this section.

Some traditional science/math brain kids actually struggle here because their critical reading skills aren’t up to par

This test is truly more like a reading test whose subject matter happens to be science but with some added charts, graphs, and tables.

Regardless, any student who wants to do well here will need to ensure he/she has a basic understanding of the scientific method.

Remember that this is an open-book test—everything you need to answer the questions is right there in the passage