What's the ACT all about?

Hi guys, I'm a junior and I've heard a lot about the ACT test that some of us will take. Can someone explain what it includes and what it's used for in the college application process? Is it better or worse to take than the SAT?

The ACT is a standardized test used by colleges and universities in the United States as a part of the admissions process. It is designed to evaluate high school students' readiness for college level work and consists of four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science. Each section is scored between 1 and 36, and then the four scores are averaged to get your composite score, also between 1 and 36.

The English section tests your understanding of grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills. The Math section covers topics up to pre-calculus and focuses heavily on geometry and algebra. The Reading section requires you to read four passages, each followed by questions that test your comprehension. The Science section doesn’t test specific scientific facts but instead focuses on the interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning, and problem-solving skills required in the natural sciences.

Whether you should take the ACT or the SAT largely depends on your personal strengths and preferences. The SAT generally focuses more on reasoning and problem-solving, while the ACT is known to be more straightforward. The ACT has a Science section, unlike the SAT, which could play to your advantage if you excel in the sciences.

You might consider taking a practice test for both exams to see which one you perform better on, as preference between the two varies from person to person. To learn more about the ACT in general, you can also check out CollegeVine's series of free blog posts focused on ACT prep: https://blog.collegevine.com/category/standardized-tests/act/

Remember, many colleges transitioned to being test-optional due to the COVID-19 pandemic (though some colleges have gone back to requiring them). This policy means you may not need to submit test scores at all, or that the scores may be considered less important than in previous years, depending on the individual school's policy. Be sure to check with the specific schools you're interested in to see their current testing requirements.

For more information about test-optional policies and how to navigate them, I'd check out this blog post from CollegeVine: https://blog.collegevine.com/does-test-optional-mean-test-optional/. Good luck with your testing journey!