Start SAT/ACT Test Prep Now to Decide Which Test is Right for You

Start early in deciding if you will take the SAT or ACT test, by beginning preparation and taking the PSAT. Working with a private tutor will allow you to discuss which test will be the best fit for you and then to begin learning the test-taking strategies necessary for success. As the following article states, begin early in figuring out which test will be right for you and how you are going to attack if for best results.

College admissions get tougher, consultant warns

As far as testing is concerned, Cohen said she once oppose standardized testing because one Saturday morning should not be compared with two million minutes in school. However, she is starting to change her mind due to grade inflation. Many students have 4.0 GPAs and do poorly on AP tests.
“The test scores do equalize things to a certain extent,” she said.
She recommended students take the PSAT in mid-October in their junior year to maximize National Merit Scholar potential. In January through March of junior year, a student should take the SAT or ACT for the first time. One should prepare eight to 12 weeks before the test day. Students should take the SAT or ACT a second time between March and June, allowing for eight weeks between tests. Someone who does well on the PSAT should take the SAT, while someone who does poorly on the PSAT should take ACT. The question style is different — the SAT is vocabulary-heavy, while the ACT does not have any vocabulary. Students get penalized for guessing incorrectly on the SAT, but not on the ACT. SAT questions focus on the abstract and theoretical, while ACT questions are more concrete.