ASPIRE - Standardized Tests

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Know Your Options for Standardized Tests

What are the different standardized tests?

What are the different standardized tests? How are they different? Which ones do you need to take? Listed below are brief descriptions of each test.

PSAT/NMSQT

Take October of your junior year
Good practice for the SAT
Test scores are the qualifiers for a National Merit Scholarship or a Letter of Commendation
Five sections: two verbal, two math, and one writing skills
Total time of two hours and ten minutes

SAT I

Required for admission by the majority of U.S. colleges
Scores are often used to award scholarships
Seven sections: three verbal, three math, and one experimental (could be verbal or math)
Total time of three-hours

SAT II

Many selective colleges require one to three SAT II subject tests
Each one-hour subject test is multiple choice, except writing, which includes one 20-minute essay

ACT

Virtually all U.S. colleges accept the ACT as an alternative to the SAT
Four sections: English, math, reading, and science reasoning
Total time of approximately three hours

Should I take the SAT or ACT?

If the ACT or SAT is not specified on the application, the best advice for students is to take both tests. You can take the SAT and ACT more than once, but try not to take it too many times since all your scores are reported to colleges. Sample questions and exams are made available from the organizations that administer the SAT and ACT.

Some students do better on one test than the other. For example, a student that has strong grammar and reading skills may be better suited to the English and Reading sections of the ACT; or a student with a stronger vocabulary may find the SAT Verbal section easier. Here are a few differences in the tests.

How can I compare my SAT and ACT scores?

This table displays a comparison between the ACT and SAT. Both the College Board and ACT publish similar lists that both demonstrate basically the same relationship. Please note that the table does not suggest that students who score well on the ACT will also score well on the SAT and vice versa. Often a student’s score on one test will be significantly higher.

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