Junior Artahsasta Kabing is looking up information about the SAT testing this year. photo courtesy of Artahsasta Kabing
SAT and ACT testing is a huge part of a junior’s life and students should decide which option is the best.
Testing is an essential part of being in high school, whether a student decides they want to attend college after high school or not. In order to be accepted into a college, students have to undergo certain tests. Those tests may include the ACT, SAT, or even both to let colleges or universities know if students meet the qualifications of acceptance. If students do not get scores that they feel are good enough, they can always retake the SAT or an alternative could be to take the ACT. There are many reasons why a student could not have gotten the scores they thought they could, so reviewing previous tests could help determine in which areas they need the most help. If there is no change in new SAT scores, then it helps if other areas in a student’s application are strong, like GPA, letters of recommendation, extracurriculars, and the essay if one is required on college applications.
Even if the SAT is taken multiple times and students still have not gotten the results they want, do not worry, they should still include it in the application. Junior Jazmine Atilano-Rodriguez explains, “The SAT is better because we are more experienced with it and more used to hearing what material will be on the SAT, teachers never mention anything regarding the ACT and the SAT gives more time per question which makes students less stressed about those tests.” Some counselors will advise students to take one or the other and maybe even both, it just depends on the person and what they are most comfortable with. There is nothing wrong with taking the ACT instead of the SAT, they are the same material just with different time limits and they are graded differently. The SAT is graded by a 1600 total point system and the ACT is based on a 36 total point system. Because there are fewer points on the ACT it is graded more critically and there’s less of a chance to gain miscellaneous points like one could on the SAT.
There are many things that can be done with a student’s SAT score after they have received them in the summer. The most important thing to do first is to review test scores and look at colleges that are accepting scores within the same range that most students receive. Keep in mind that there are even some schools that don’t require an SAT score to be accepted. Once the new school year has come around, students are able to speak with counselors to make sure they scope out different options. Many students in high school think that retaking the SAT more than once will affect their chances of getting into a good school, but providing all scores provides a greater chance of getting accepted. Often, schools give students an advantage and take the highest scores in each section to create a better understanding of the areas they were advanced in. The SAT is given in the third year of high school to give high schoolers time to improve their grades and test scores. The PSAT, given in freshman and sophomore year, allows students to view the score they would receive if they took the actual SAT. This helps students view where they would end up on the scoring scale to see what they can work on before taking the actual SAT. This gives them a better opportunity at being accepted into their dream school.
Due to COVID-19, the SAT testing has been rescheduled and students are able to sign up for September testing in May, students can also sign up to test in August and October. Remember to sign up and stay tuned for updates from the College Board. They will be sending emails to students’ DPS gmail accounts. No matter the score of the test that students take, there is always a route after high school for people.
