The college entrance examination system in the United States is different from that of China, and the most well-known of them are the ACT and SAT. Both are important reference criteria for undergraduate admission to American universities!
So what exactly are the differences, and how do you choose the right test for you?
ACT (American College Testing) is a type of college entrance examination in the United States, known as:"American College Entrance Examination".
The test consists of five sections with a total score of 36 points: English, Math, Reading, Science Reasoning, and Essay (optional), with a total score of 36 in each section.
The ACT test is not only a test of proficiency in English, but also a measure of math, science, and other aspects, and is the only college entrance test in the United States that includes science subjects.
The full name of SAT stands for Scholastic Assessment Test, which is administered by the College BoardHosted a standardized Scholastic Proficiency Test for high school seniors
The SAT test has a total score of 1600 and is divided into three sections: Reading, Writing & Language, and Math. Among them, the full score is 400 points for reading, 400 points for grammar, and 800 points for mathematics.
Because Asian students are good at math, which accounts for 50% of the perfect SAT scores, it is highly favored. However, because there are no test centers in the mainland, there are also students who choose the more convenient ACT test.
ACT focuses on what students learn in school, which is highly related to the high school curriculum and is more suitable for the test characteristics of Chinese high school students.
The SAT test focuses on students' logical reasoning ability and language use ability, which requires students' critical thinking skills, which is too difficult for students born in Chinese mainland and experienced a typical Chinese-style education since childhood.
The ACT has one more science subject than the SAT, and one more subject for Chinese students to score on. In addition, points will be deducted for correct SAT answers, and no points will be deducted for incorrect ACT answers. It is more in line with the characteristics of Chinese students' examinations. It is easier to get satisfactory results after studying the official ACT course in a systematic way.
The SAT and ACT are similar in recognition in the United States, and most U.S. universities accept SAT and ACT scores as a reference for admission.
From the perspective of applying to colleges, most schools do not have a priority requirement for the SAT and ACT, and students can choose to take one of the tests to demonstrate their academic ability according to their strengths and preparation, or they can take both if they have the ability to do so.
Note: The data is on the network.
Generally speaking, students with good results in mathematics, physics and chemistry, good results in science and science, and the school is an ACT test center, it is recommended to study ACT;
If you consider choosing a STEM major in the future, you will have more advantages in taking the ACT admission;
If the student can persist in a large number of vocabulary accumulation and have strong logical thinking, and the school does not have an ACT test center, it is recommended to study SAT;
Of course, there are some students who can prepare for the exam in two lines. Before the pandemic, 70% of students in the United States would prepare for the SAT and ACT at the same time, and whichever score was higher would submit which score, hybrid test preparation has become a trend;
There are also some students who can transfer to each other. If you have studied the ACT for a period of time and it is not ideal to take the test, you can also transfer back to the SAT through a vacation, and similarly, if you study for the SAT and do not score 1-2 times, you can also transfer to the study of the ACT.
The SAT and ACT exams have the same acceptance value, but each has its own pros and cons, so students must choose the type of test that suits them according to their study preferences, learning abilities, and personal interests