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Health & Fitness

ACT vs. SAT

College Nannies and Tutors services provide college entrance exam test preparation for students across the country. Many students and their parents ask, which exam is better-the ACT or SAT?

The answer to this question depends on the test-taker.  Each student is different and has different test taking styles, strengths and weaknesses.  Knowing what each test entails can help parents and students make the best decision between the ACT and SAT.

It also depends on what college the student is interested in attending. Colleges in Virginia overwhelmingly prefer the SAT, as do most schools on the East and West Coasts. However, the Midwestern schools lean much more toward the ACT. Almost all colleges accept both, but be sure to take into consideration individual school preference when considering your options.

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The SAT is a reasoning test.  Reading, vocabulary, grammar and usage, writing and math through Algebra II is covered during the exam.  The questions on the SAT are often phrased in ways that make them difficult to decipher.  In addition, the questions increase in difficulty level as you move through the question types in a particular section. One area that can cause stress in some students is the “guessing penalty” in the SAT. During the SAT, wrong answers result in a ¼ point reduction in the total score.  Having strong reading skills makes a real difference in student SAT scores.

The ACT is a content-based test that covers grammar and usage, rhetorical skills, math through trigonometry, reading and science reasoning. The writing portion of the ACT is optional, although most students and schools prefer to include it.  Questions on the ACT are generally straightforward, although they are usually long, they are less difficult to decipher. The difficulty level of the questions is at random throughout the entire exam. Unlike the SAT, the ACT has no penalty for wrong answers.  The higher level math and the science are not for everyone. However, many students from McLean high schools perform well on the science section because of the strong science program in this school district.

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Still unsure of which tests is best for your student?  Consider having College Tutors help. The tutoring agency provides college test prep courses and practice tests to help students prepare for their college entrance exams.  Our McLean office also has the local scoop for high school students in Fairfax County schools, both public and private. For more information on how CNT can help, please visit http://www.collegenanniesandtutors.com/mcleanva/tutor/collegetestprep/.

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