The ABCs of ACT and SAT
Which to take — ACT or SAT?
That’s the question going through the minds of many area high school students.
“I recommend you take each once,” says educator Alice Hart, area test prep instructor. “Then we can tell which test is for you.”
If you’re not one to read for pleasure or one to look up unknown words in the dictionary and incorporate them into your everyday vocabulary, then you probably want to steer clear of the SAT, Hart said. That is, if you have a choice. Some colleges will make it for you.
Regardless of which test, Hart is here to help. For 19 years, she has assisted students of Northwest Florida in preparation for the SAT and ACT. Now she prepares to help some more.
“The workshops have been very successful,” she said. “I’m always getting phone calls and e-mails of people thanking me. I had a mother of a child I had tutored call me after the December testing to tell me her son’s ACT score went up 7 points.”
Hart has seen a few changes occur to the tests throughout the years, especially the SAT. The SAT dropped its analogy section and has incorporated a writing section, which includes a mandatory essay question and a multiple choice grammar test. Therefore, rather than 1,600 being a perfect score — 800 in verbal; 800 in math — it’s now 2,400 — 800 in verbal, 800 in math and 800 in writing.
The ACT has changed the least, Hart said. But it has increased its level of difficulty, especially in math, which now incorporates more material. The test includes four subjects — English, math, reading (which also includes humanities) and science reasoning. About a decade ago, it also included social studies, which was dropped.
Recently the ACT added an essay question, but it is optional.
A job well done on the tests could result in scholarships, college acceptances and “a full, bright future,” Hart said.
Workshops will be held this month to assist Okaloosa County high school students who will take the Jan. 26 and March 1 SAT Tests and the Feb. 9 ACT Test.
The workshops, which will provide about 12 hours of instruction spread out in four sessions, will be held in the media center at Fort Walton Beach High School and at the media center at Niceville High School.
- Fort Walton Beach High School workshops will be held 2:15 to 5:15 p.m. on Jan. 22, 23, 28 and 29.
- Niceville High School workshops are scheduled for 2 to 5 p.m. on Jan. 24, 25, 30 and 31.
Students must register to attend the workshops by contacting their school guidance department. Forms are also available on the schools’ Web sites. Registration must be postmarked by today.
On test day, all materials, snacks and drinks are furnished. Students will need to bring calculators.
- The next workshops at Fort Walton Beach High School will be 2:15 to 5:15 p.m. on April 10, 11, 16 and 17.
- The next workshops at Niceville High School will be 2 to 5 p.m. on April 8, 9, 14 and 15.
Registration deadline for the April workshop is March 25.
The last workshops of the school year will be 2:15 to 4:15 p.m. on May 13, 14, 15, 19, 20 and 21 at Fort Walton Beach High School. Registration deadline is April 29.