ACT vs SAT: What’s right for you?

Most college-bound Juniors and Seniors everywhere are making a significant decision that may affect which colleges they get into: should I take the SAT or the ACT? Most college applications require applicants to submit either SAT or ACT scores. While some may think that these tests are the same. That is far from the truth, as they are completely different. The SAT has 4 sections: Evidence Based Reading, Writing, Math without a calculator, Math with a calculator, along with an optional essay. The ACT, too, has 4 sections but includes Reading, Math, Science, English and an optional Essay.
Just last March, the SAT changed its scoring guidelines by making it out of 1600 instead of 2400. Kalani Kanae, a Senior who has taken both tests, said, “I preferred the ACT because the questions were easier for me than the SAT, and I work quickly anyway so having less time to take it doesn’t affect me much.”
On the other hand, fellow senior Steven Gabriel, who has also taken both tests, indicated that he personally believed that the SAT was the easier of the two, stating “I thought the SAT was the easier test because I had more time to think about each individual question, and I also like that I didn’t have to take essay portion.”
If you only want to take one and can’t decided which test to take, start by taking a practice test for both the SAT and the ACT and using an online tool to compare your scores. Both tests both have pros and cons, but it is the student’s job to decide which test is the best fit.