ACT or SAT?
I currently have a 720 reading + writing score on the SAT and a 630 on the math section. I have taken the SAT 3 times and usually end up with around a 1300 score. I am pretty strong in reading, grammar, writing. I'm also pretty good at science. My main weakness is math, which I hear is harder on the ACT. I am wondering if I should take the ACT though? I have never studied or practiced for the ACT and college application season is really close, should I abandon the SAT for now and try the ACT or continue to study the SAT? Thank you for any input! :)
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Yep, you are in a rut. If you have taken the SAT 3 times already, studied hard, and ended up with the same score, then whatever you are doing is not working. So you have a big decision to make. And both are risky, take a lot of time, effort and money.
If you switch horses midstream, you are going to have to buy all new ACT books and also pay for all new ACT tests, etc, perhaps even take some online courses as well, that could be in the hundreds of dollars plus, it might take 100-200 hours of your time. There is no guaranty your ACT score will be better than your SAT score.
Also, I don't know what your test score goals are. If you are trying to successfully get admitted into a college that has a 50% range between 1250-1400 like a Syracuse or UConn, then you are okay, so I'd leave it alone. But if you are seriously trying to get into BU or BC or UMiami or Tulane, then you have to get that score up to 1400-1450 SAT or 31-33 ACT.
If your goal score is 1450 or 1500, then I would do the following things. Commit 1 weekend to getting the official ACT guide book, review it a bit, and take a practice test which takes 3.5 hours. If you get a 29 or higher, then I'd switch to the ACT. If you get a 28 or lower, then I'd stick with the SAT. A 29 is the same as a 1350, but since you got that without studying, I think with some hard work you can get it up to 31 or higher.
If you get stuck at a 31 but need a 33 or higher, then I would seriously pay for the SuperTutorTV course on the ACT. It's totally worth the 300 or 400 dollars. If you get a lower than 27 ACT score, I would seriously consider either the SuperTutorTV SAT course to attending an online SAT prep course. If you stick with the SAT, it doesn't look good to take the SAT 4 or 5 times, 3 is usually the max admissions officers like to see. So you have to show some serious improvement if you are taking it a 4th time.
Good luck with which ever choice you make.
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Sorry! I meant to clarify. I got a 1340 the first time taking the SAT and then my score decreased down to low 1300 range. I have a superscore of 1350 and my goal score is around a 1400 (my #1 pick is the University of Florida.) I definitely feel as though I would do really well in the science and english range of ACT but I'm unsure of what score I would need to shoot for.