Smartgurl
09-29-2003, 05:39 PM
I came to my first teen chat last Friday. I really enjoyed myself and I encourage all of you to come if you can. They are every Friday night 7pm ET www.destee.com/chat . Last Friday we talked about the SAT and the ACT and what can you do to better prepare yourself. I’m 18, and I’m a sophomore in college at Washington University in St. Louis. So, I thought I could share some of my knowledge to help those of you who will soon be entering college.
Question: “Have you taken the SAT or the ACT?” If you are a senior, I hope the answer is yes. A lot of high schoolers think that the perfect time to take these aptitude tests are in their senior year. Actually, the perfect time is your junior year or even better your sophomore year. It is never too soon to get started on the path to college. These tests are not only helpful in college admission but they also help your chances of getting merit-based scholarships.
The SAT, Scholastic Assessment Test, is probably the most commonly taken test of the two. It is a three-hour test that measures verbal and mathematical reasoning skills. The ACT, American College Test, is designed to assess high school students' general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work. It covers four skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science. Some academic institutions take only the SAT, others take only the ACT, and others will review both. I recommend that every student take both tests. Depending on your academic strengths and weaknesses you may do better on one test than the other. For instance, I was very good in math but reading was never my strength. Since the ACT separates English and reading, I was able to show off my understanding of grammatical and language skills even though I couldn’t read that fast and therefore I had difficulties finishing the reading section. On the SAT, I did well on math section but not that well on the reading section. In the end, I got an overall better ACT score than my SAT score. You can never really know unless you take both. So please, take the time to take both.
Both the SAT and the ACT are assessments of your knowledge and understanding of overall high school curriculum. There isn’t really much studying that you have to do for these tests. You only have to practice the skills that you have already acquired. The best way to prepare for these tests is to take practice tests (most college counselors will have practice packets available at request). You can also purchase SAT and ACT preparation books; they run about $15 to $20 each. These books are helpful but not necessary. You can adequately prepare for these tests without spending any extra money. The more you take the test, the better you do. This is a true instance in which “Practice makes perfect.” This is why I advise everyone to take the SAT and the ACT in their sophomore year and every year after. Most likely, you will see a significant improvement by your senior year, when it’s time to finalize college plans.
Lastly, after all the emphasis that I have placed on the SAT and the ACT, I would like to remind you all that these tests are not the determining factors to whether you are accepted to a certain institution. They are very important, but you as a student is most important, not what you score on a test. I will also give a few links to some helpful sites. Please let this thread open the door to a great discussion. I would hate to be the only one talking when I’ve already taken the path that you are now starting on. So with all that said I will ask again…. Have you taken the SAT or the ACT?
Have a great day all,
Smartgurl :heart:
"Never settle for less than your best!"
SAT Links:
General information - www.collegeboard.com
Practice Questions - http://collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/prep_one/practice.html
ACT Links:
General Information - www.act.org
Practice Questions - http://actrs9.act.org/aap/sampletest/index.html
Question: “Have you taken the SAT or the ACT?” If you are a senior, I hope the answer is yes. A lot of high schoolers think that the perfect time to take these aptitude tests are in their senior year. Actually, the perfect time is your junior year or even better your sophomore year. It is never too soon to get started on the path to college. These tests are not only helpful in college admission but they also help your chances of getting merit-based scholarships.
The SAT, Scholastic Assessment Test, is probably the most commonly taken test of the two. It is a three-hour test that measures verbal and mathematical reasoning skills. The ACT, American College Test, is designed to assess high school students' general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work. It covers four skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science. Some academic institutions take only the SAT, others take only the ACT, and others will review both. I recommend that every student take both tests. Depending on your academic strengths and weaknesses you may do better on one test than the other. For instance, I was very good in math but reading was never my strength. Since the ACT separates English and reading, I was able to show off my understanding of grammatical and language skills even though I couldn’t read that fast and therefore I had difficulties finishing the reading section. On the SAT, I did well on math section but not that well on the reading section. In the end, I got an overall better ACT score than my SAT score. You can never really know unless you take both. So please, take the time to take both.
Both the SAT and the ACT are assessments of your knowledge and understanding of overall high school curriculum. There isn’t really much studying that you have to do for these tests. You only have to practice the skills that you have already acquired. The best way to prepare for these tests is to take practice tests (most college counselors will have practice packets available at request). You can also purchase SAT and ACT preparation books; they run about $15 to $20 each. These books are helpful but not necessary. You can adequately prepare for these tests without spending any extra money. The more you take the test, the better you do. This is a true instance in which “Practice makes perfect.” This is why I advise everyone to take the SAT and the ACT in their sophomore year and every year after. Most likely, you will see a significant improvement by your senior year, when it’s time to finalize college plans.
Lastly, after all the emphasis that I have placed on the SAT and the ACT, I would like to remind you all that these tests are not the determining factors to whether you are accepted to a certain institution. They are very important, but you as a student is most important, not what you score on a test. I will also give a few links to some helpful sites. Please let this thread open the door to a great discussion. I would hate to be the only one talking when I’ve already taken the path that you are now starting on. So with all that said I will ask again…. Have you taken the SAT or the ACT?
Have a great day all,
Smartgurl :heart:
"Never settle for less than your best!"
SAT Links:
General information - www.collegeboard.com
Practice Questions - http://collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/prep_one/practice.html
ACT Links:
General Information - www.act.org
Practice Questions - http://actrs9.act.org/aap/sampletest/index.html