SAT vs ACT:

Should NJ students take the SAT or ACT?

“Should I take the SAT or ACT?” If you are a sophomore or junior in Wyckoff, Ridgewood, or Saddle River, NJ, this is one of the biggest questions you will face on the road to college admission. Your decision carries great importance. Ultimately, it may be a deciding factor in which schools make your final list, as the most selective universities seek students with not only excellent academic and extra-curricular records but also strong test scores.

Most testing agencies suggest that you take a diagnostic exam to identify which test may suit you better. This is good advice, as trying out each exam provides you with a first-hand, personal taste of what the SAT and ACT offer. However, many New Jersey students living in towns like Morristown and Madison may not have access to expert feedback on which exam suits them better after taking these diagnostic tests, which can make the decision tricky. This is especially true for students who feel equally confident (or challenged) on each test.

Strengths-Based Decision-Making

One way to decide which test is a better fit for a New Jersey-based student involves taking your academic strengths into consideration. What exactly do we mean by “academic strengths”? Students strong in reading comprehension, for example, might consider taking the ACT, as the ACT rewards strong reading comprehension skills across the entire exam, even in the Math and Science tests. Similarly, a student strong in math (who might, in turn, be comparatively weaker in reading comprehension) may consider the SAT, which tests higher-level math skills.

You may be thinking, “Wait a second… If I am strong at science, you recommend that I take the SAT? Wouldn’t it be smarter for me to take the ACT? It has a science section, and science is a strength for me.” Maybe. However, the Science test on the ACT does not really test science. It would be more accurate to say that it tests comprehension skills. Any scientific content necessary to answer the question is provided for you in the “blurb” before the questions. As such, a background in science, while helpful, is not necessary for a high score on the Science test, or even a perfect score. Furthermore, New Jersey students who lean more towards the sciences may not have equally-developed skills in English and reading comprehension. As a result, even if the student does, in fact, do well on the ACT Science test, the ACT English and Reading tests might prove to be a great challenge. This idea that science students should take the ACT because it has a science section may be the single biggest misconception held by students deciding between the SAT and ACT.

Weaknesses-Based Decision-Making

In test prep—and, indeed, all education—the best outcomes stem from a positive mindset and a focus on the learner’s strengths. That being said, sometimes the SAT vs. ACT decision will come down to working around a shortcoming or weakness in your skills. For example, students who do not pursue advanced math courses tend to favor the ACT because the math tested on the exam aligns well with fundamental math curricula. By contrast, the SAT Math, after the redesign, resembles the Math Level II SAT Subject Test material (which is more advanced than ACT Math) and also includes a No Calculator section. For these reasons, NJ students who are weaker in math should probably consider the ACT, which tests more familiar concepts and allows the use of a calculator throughout the entire Math test. And, once more, we recommend that “non-science” students choose the ACT in order to take advantage of their strong reading comprehension skills.

Circumstances-based Decision-Making

For some New Jersey students, the decision to take the SAT or ACT comes down to personal circumstances beyond their academic strengths and weaknesses.

Students who struggle with time often favor the SAT over the ACT because the SAT provides students from South Orange and Maplewood with more time for fewer questions. This is especially true in the Evidence-Based Reading section of the SAT compared to the ACT Reading section. Mastering the timing on the Math, Reading, and Science sections is a critical component to success on the ACT. For some students in New Jersey, this can be a difficult skill to develop, especially without consistent, dedicated practice.

Students who have a limited budget might consider the ACT. Many schools waive their SAT Subject Test requirements for students who opt for the ACT with Writing—saving you not only from the obligation to take those tests but also from the fees and other expenses that come with them. Schools such as Brown, Rice, Tufts, and Wellesley fall into this category along with New Jersey schools Saint Peter’s University, Montclair State University, and Bloomfield College. Be aware, however, that some schools, such as CalTech, Carnegie Mellon, and Cornell, still require SAT Subject Tests, regardless of whether you opt for the ACT with Writing. Students should research the testing requirements for each university to which they intend to apply.

Students who need very high scores for entrance to New Jersey colleges such as Princeton University and Stevens Institute of Technology (i.e., 33+ on the ACT or 1500+ on the SAT) may be safer taking the ACT. This is due to the comparatively limited amount of SAT practice materials available following the exam’s redesign in 2016. Having a large reserve of official test materials from the test-maker—usually from real, retired exams—helps students to develop an accurate and consistent picture of where their scores stand through mock tests. This can help to insulate students from unexpected score fluctuations when the real test day arrives. Material from other test prep providers while useful for practice—cannot provide as accurate a gauge for student performance.

Still unsure of which test to take?

Finally, the simple answer to the SAT vs. ACT question is this: take the test on which you will score higher. Seems obvious, right? Not so much. Often, a student may take a diagnostic SAT or ACT and score better on one test, but ultimately decide to take the other. Why? Sometimes the test on which you initially score higher is not the test on which you could improve the most over time. A good number of students in New Jersey, for example, initially score higher on the ACT, but, in fact, show more long-term promise on the SAT. For instance, a student may learn how to really attack a section of weakness (the Math, for instance) such that it raises their SAT score to a level that overtakes their maximum ACT score. The reverse can also be true—some students initially score higher on the SAT but are able to improve to their time management skills enough to make the ACT a better option.

At CATES Tutoring, we created an SAT vs. ACT diagnostic test specifically to diagnose this phenomenon for northern NJ students living Fort Lee, Teaneck, and other nearby areas. Review your SAT vs. ACT diagnostics with an expert to identify your target scores on each test—you may be surprised by what you learn! Dial (212) 359-4208 to connect with our team of tutors.