Why the SAT is Right for your Child

Can’t decide whether you should take the SAT or ACT? Keep reading to figure out why the SAT might be the best test for you.

By: Isabel Sipkema, Biology and Educational Studies at Rhodes College ‘22

Many colleges and universities around the country use the SAT or ACT test as one of many factors to determine whether or not they believe a prospective student would thrive at their university. Several merit-based scholarships also require the completion of an SAT or ACT test for consideration. However, although many universities will usually accept either of these two tests, keep reading to find out if you should choose to take the SAT. 

The SAT test is composed of four sections: the reading section, the writing and language section, the math without calculator section, and the math with calculator section. Unlike the ACT, this test does not have a science section, which makes it the more favorable choice for students who are not very into science. If you are a student who is not planning to pursue something related to the sciences and think that the science section would be your weakest section, choose the SAT.

If reading is something that takes a long time for you, the SAT might also be the better choice. In the reading section, the SAT has 4 passages for which you then need to answer questions about afterward, while the ACT has five passages that then have questions. If you are someone who likes to take your time to read the passage fully before answering the questions, as well as reading the passage over while answering the questions, the SAT might be right for you. 

The SAT will no longer offer the additional essay question at the end of the test from June onward and has recently also gotten rid of the SAT II subject tests. This means that if you choose to take the SAT over the ACT, the standard three-hour-long SAT will be all that you have to take. If any of the points mentioned above resonate with you, choose the SAT.