College Fan Mail After Taking the SAT/ACT

Did you notice that after taking the SAT/ACT that your student has all of a sudden received a ton of fan mail from a variety of colleges and universities? Could it be that he scored so well on the test that schools across the country are courting him? I hate to burst your bubble, but no. The schools don’t all think your child is so incredibly bright they’ll move heaven and earth to count him as a future Alum. It’s marketing. What happened during the SAT/ACT is that your student indicated they wanted to receive information from schools and now you are inundated with college information.

SAT or ACT? That is the Question…

It’s no secret that the SAT and/or the ACT are important. However, most people don’t understand why it is so important to focus on these tests. Your SAT/ACT score is the only thing that is still completely in your control. By the time you are a junior in high school, significantly raising your GPA is mathematically impossible, and improving class ranking has you relying on other people’s failures. With the right amount of studying, you can see a tangible increase in your SAT/ACT test score. Improving your test score can generate thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars in college savings.

Should You Test With ACT or SAT?

On April 26, 2013
In College Admissions Process, College Planning

ACT or SAT Standardized Tests

Since colleges will allow either the ACT or SAT test scores, as long as there are testing locations near you, it’s really up to the student to decide which test would best suit them.

It’s interesting to note that one test or the other is more popular in different states across the country. In Washington state, the SAT test is the most popular, whereas in Idaho, people prefer the ACT.

Each test caters to different individual strengths, so the student needs to select the one that is the best fit. Which one can you score best on?

ACT or SAT which is Best for College Applications?

It’s true. Colleges don’t have a preference when it comes to either the ACT or SAT tests; they both fulfill the same role in the college admissions process. The ACT originated as a standardized test required by colleges in the Midwest whereas the SAT was required on the East and West Coasts. But now, colleges accept both ACT and SAT test scores. These significantly different tests measure different skills, so it is up to the student to decide which test would best suit them based on their own testing strengths and weaknesses. Wouldn’t you rather take a test that you already show an advantage for based on your learning and testing styles?