What’s on the ACT?

More students are taking the ACT than ever before. In fact, nearly equal numbers of students take the SAT and ACT each year. Students are flocking to the ACT for several reasons, but its content is a major factor.

The ACT is only a four section test (plus an essay, if you opt to take it with Writing). The Writing portion tests grammar and rhetorical skills and the Math section tests arithmetic through introductory Trigonometry (which, should be noted, is more advanced that those skills tested on the SAT). The Reading section always includes four passages on the same four topics, and the Science section tests science reasoning (and, every now and then, a bit of scientific knowledge). It must be understood that the ACT is a much more fast-paced test than the SAT, so what it loses in complex problem solving it makes up for speed.

How do I choose between the SAT and the ACT?

As we said on the SAT page: choosing between the ACT or SAT is entirely a matter of preference. Many parents remember when the general impression was that Ivy League schools preferred the SAT to the ACT, but that’s one hundred percent no longer accurate. We see students accepted to Ivy League universities and top colleges submitting either test the SAT or the ACT.

We’ve created a page with a comparison of the SAT vs the ACT that includes access to sample tests and more thorough advice on how to decide which test is better for you.

*Related: Get more info about writing the perfect ACT essay.

Next Test Dates

DATE	Register-by Date	Late Registration
2/11/12	1/13/12	through 1/20/12
4/14/12	3/9/12	through 3/23/12
6/9/12	5/4/12	through 5/18/12

When to Begin Studying

We don’t advocate standardized tests dictating the lives of teenagers, but we do believe in preparing with adequate time. How much prep you need has everything to do with where you are now, how much work you are willing to do, and where you want to do. Since there is not an ACT equivalent of the PSAT that has any bearing on anything, we suggest beginning to prepare the summer before your Junior year at the earliest. Because many students take AP exams at the end of Junior year, you may want to plan to have your ACT (or SAT, for that matter) out of the way by March of your Junior year.

Remember, the best way to prepare for the ACT Reading section is by reading every day. If you’ve fallen out of the habit of reading for fun, check out our Recommended Reading for ACT Prep (students have added to it themselves!) and get the books at our store, the Elizabeth King Coaching Smart Shop!