do colleges prefer act or sat

All colleges that accept the SAT also accept the ACT, so it’s a matter of determining which test is a better fit for your abilities. I was just recently told that the ACT test is more knowledge based unlike the SAT which is critical thinking based. I have taken SAT practice test and my scores aren't very high...about a 1600. ACT vs. Even though most universities place some degree of importance on standardized exams, there are still plenty of great schools that do not require students to take either the SAT or ACT. Check with the admissions department for each university in your … I don't understand why Im not doing well on the SAT, I have been studying (reading the collegeboard SAT book). But those could be paired with an ACT score. The SAT has been around longer (it was created in 1926! Before you let that sway you, keep in mind that some colleges may require scores on the essay if you’re taking the ACT. Do colleges like the ACT or the SAT better? Popularity. I've heard certain colleges prefer ACT over SAT, even if the two scores are relatively similar. I'm in the West Coast, looking to attend UC's, but my ACT is significantly better than my SAT. SAT I...do colleges prefer one over other? I always thought ACT/SAT were equivalent, but I've heard from some that SAT is preferred? The SAT, for example, is much more commonly … *To our knowledge, Cal Poly is the only school that prefers a specific test. The essay is optional on the ACT and required on the SAT. Long ago, the answer may have simply depended on the colleges you were applying to and their geographic location. Historically, this was true. For example, colleges would prefer a 2260 SAT over a 34 ACT. Until 2007, the geographic location of both the student and the colleges that they were applying to often dictated whether the student had to … However, where you live may actually determine which of the two is more commonly taken. Guidance counselors urged one over the other in only 5 percent of cases. The Biggest Myth About Standardized Tests. Across the country, there’s an unfortunate assumption that colleges prefer one test over the other. Even though most universities place some degree of importance on standardized exams, there are still plenty of great schools that do not require students to take either the SAT or ACT. For more information comparing the SAT and ACT, take a look at our SAT vs. ACT page, or visit our test prep page for more info on our SAT and ACT prep programs. So in this article, I’m going to answer the question once and for all. 5 Reasons to Take BOTH the SAT and ACT Most colleges require either the SAT or ACT and express no preference for either test. That said, significant percentages of students at selective colleges are submitting scores from both tests when they apply. Colleges don't prefer one to the other! So, again: Colleges don't care which you take. But make no mistake: the ACT is plenty rigorous, and colleges know this. Historically, this was true. The ACT focuses on your high school education; the SAT tests how well you’re able to apply the information you’ve learned. Posted on April 18, 2018 December 18, 2018 Author Isa Skrobola A few months ago I talked to a close friend of mine in Michigan, and the question of the ACT or SAT became very relevant in our conversation. Here are 27 great universities that don't require SAT or ACT scores. Across the country, there’s an unfortunate assumption that colleges prefer one test over the other. Some colleges require SAT Subject Tests even if you take the ACT ®, while some colleges waive the SAT ® Subject Test requirement if you take the ACT ®, and some colleges do not require SAT ® Subject Tests at all. Schools on the coasts were generally understood to gravitate toward the SAT ®, while those in the Midwest preferred the ACT.. Over time, however, the college … Both are well-regarded standardized tests that most colleges and universities accept in their admissions process. About a quarter of them took the SAT over the ACT because their friends took it, and 16 percent said they liked the SAT better. ACT or SAT: Which do Colleges Prefer? Be sure to check with the admissions office for each college you plan on applying to. Both the SAT and ACT are equally acceptable to schools. I think I do okay in school, I have a 4.4 weighted GPA. Learn the differences between the ACT and the SAT and see which test colleges prefer. There’s long been a myth that colleges prefer the SAT over the ACT, but the reality is colleges don’t have a preference on college entrance exams. CC Admin 29516 replies 2985 threads Administrator Senior Member October 2004 edited October 2004 in SAT and ACT Tests & Test Preparation Here’s how to decide whether the ACT or SAT is better for you. The ACT tests you in science; the SAT doesn’t. Both standardized tests allow schools to judge how well you will complete college-level work. The tests, however, differ in content, format, and the types of abilities they measure. Here are 27 great universities that don't require SAT or ACT scores. ), which adds to this myth of the SAT being preferred, but the ACT has been accepted as well since its creation in 1959. About 1.7 million students in the class of 2014 took the SAT. I’m always asked which test certain colleges prefer, and my answer is always the same: Colleges prefer whichever test gives you the best COMPARATIVE score. It was “SAT or bust.” So this newer, more unfamiliar test strikes them as goofy and strange.