SAT

The SAT reasoning test & the ACT

Many will know and have heard of the SAT and the ACT tests. These tests can literally make or break your application to a college or university in the US. These tests constitute one of the most important criteria that you, as a prospective candidate, are judged. If you attain the results then the world is your oyster; otherwise all the doors may close very rapidly. The fact is that you have to score high in the ACT and/or the SAT to secure your future place at a great US university. It certainly is not easy and that is why AGF Tutoring is here to guide you. We have tutored hundreds of students over the last 15 years to the very best universities in the US. Let us guide you to the college of your dreams.
 

A little more about the distinction between the ACT and SAT tests

In essence there are not many differences between the two tests: both examine you on your knowledge of mathematics and the English language. The salient difference is that the ACT has a Science section whereas the SAT Reasoning Test does not. Over the last few years the ACT has been in ascent, perhaps due to its more spherical nature, examining the prospective test candidate on his/her mathematical, linguistic, and scientific competences rather than just his/her mathematical and linguistic competences, in the case of the SAT. In the ACT there is more emphasis on time management – you have to be extremely fast and efficient to succeed. The SAT Reasoning Test, as it is, and has been since 2006, will be phased out and a new SAT will be introduced in January 2016. As no one is certain about the new structure and/or content of the new SAT, we are advising all our students to focus on the ACT until the new SAT test has become more predictable in terms of content and structure.
 

How are the ACT and SAT examinations scored?

The ACT is scored out of 36. The (old) SAT is scored out of 2400; the new SAT will be scored out of 1600. To give you a more objective appraisal of the scores, an Ivy university will be expecting at least 30/36 in the ACT or 2000/2400 in the SAT; we do not have a clear idea of the new SAT score bands yet. In the old-style SAT test, if you make mistake then you are penalised; in the ACT you are not. If one looks at the scoring algorithms of the respective tests one will discover that the scoring is certainly not a linear relationship: at the high end one’s score drops extremely rapidly with just a few mistakes. We at AGF Tutoring will make absolutely sure that your examination technique is refined to optimise your very best score. You simply have to get your examination technique honed to perfection: that is what AGF Tutoring is here to assist you with.

For details concerning the two tests please see the table below:

ACT SAT
4 Sections 10 Sections (1 experimental)
English, Mathematics, Reading, Science Mathematics, Writing, Reading
Essay (optional) Essay (compulsory)
No penalty for wrong answers Penalty for wrong answers