Dan Kitabjian
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Rose Dowell
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Understanding the ACT
Dear Parents,
Like the SAT, the ACT is a nationally administered, standardized paper-and-pencil test that helps colleges evaluate candidates. Colleges now accept your ACT or SAT scores interchangeable. This means that you have the opportunity to decide on which test you'll perform better. And in many cases, students prepare for and take both exams. Is the ACT or SAT better for you?
Generally, you'll take the ACT for the first time in the spring of your junior year. This allows you to reserve the summer months for college applications or enough time to re-take the test during the fall of your senior year if you're not satisfied with your score.
Please contact the Guidance Office at Calvary if you need further information on registration and Practice Booklets.
The Anatomy of the ACT
The ACT lasts 2 hours and 55 minutes (excluding the optional Writing Test) or 3 hours and 25 minutes with the Writing Test. The order of test sections and the total number of questions covered in each test section never changes:
| Section |
Length |
Question Types |
English |
45 Minutes |
40 Usage/Mechanics Questions
35 Rhetorical Skills Questions |
Mathematics |
60 Minutes |
14 Arithmetic Questions
10 Elementary Algebra Questions
9 Intermediate Algebra Questions
9 Coordinate Geometry Questions
14 Plane Geometry Questions
4 Trigonometry Questions |
Reading |
35 Minutes |
10 Social Studies Questions
10 Natural Sciences Questions
10 Prose Fiction Questions
10 Humanities Questions |
Science |
35 Minutes |
15 Data Representation Questions
18 Research Summary Questions
7 Conflicting Viewpoint Questions |
Writing Test |
30 Minutes |
You write in response to a question about your position on an issue |
Frequently Asked Questions about the ACT Test
Your Guide to the ACT (pdf)
ACT at a Glance (pdf)
Parents of High School Students,
Please read the following information bulletin below regarding the SAT for college admissions. If your child is planning to attend a 4-year college/university it is very important for them to take this test at least twice before the end of the first semester in their senior year. You or your child may also pick up more information on registration, test dates, and Practice Test booklets in the school Guidance Office. There is also information and registration packets for the ACT, which is another testing option for college admissions (assessment and placement) in addition to the SAT.
All sophomore students and a few select juniors will be taking the PSAT on Wednesday, October 14. The PSAT is the “practice test” for the SAT. It measures the same skills and has the same format. Juniors who take the test may also be eligible for scholarship and other special recognition opportunities.
Please do not hesitate to call or stop by the Guidance Office if you have any questions or need further information. More information on the SAT testing program is also available at: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about.html
Understanding the SAT
(Scholastic Aptitude Test)
What It Means for Your Child: The SAT is a 3-hour-and-45-minute test that measures the critical thinking, mathematical reasoning, and writing skills that students need to do college-level work.
What Is the Test Like? The test's three sections are divided into nine subsections, including a 25-minute essay, which are timed separately:
| Section |
Tests Ability To |
Critical Reading
(3 sections) |
- Understand and analyze what is read.
- Recognize relationships between parts of a sentence.
- Understand word meaning in context.
|
Mathematics
(3 sections) |
Solve problems involving:
- Algebra and functions
- Geometry and measurement
- Number and operations
- Data analysis, statistics, and probability
|
Writing
(3 sections) |
- Use Standard Written English.
- Identify sentence errors.
- Write an essay and develop a point of view.
|
There are several breaks between sections, during which your child is welcome to eat or drink any snacks she has brought.
How Can My Child Prepare? Find resources to help your child prepare. Choose from our online SAT preparation or SAT preparation books. All include SAT questions, tips, and strategies from the test makers.
College Board Online Store - Visit the College Board online store to browse other test-preparation and college- planning resources.
How Does the Scoring Work?-The SAT is designed so that a student who answers about half the questions correctly receives an average score.
Each SAT section is scored on a scale of 200-800. The average score on the SAT is about 500 on the critical reading portion, 500 on the mathematics portion, and 500 on the writing portion. Some of the questions are easy, and some are hard, but the majority are of medium difficulty. Medium-difficulty questions are answered correctly by about 1/3 to 2/3 of students.
How Important Are SAT Scores? - The most important factor for college admissions is your child's high school transcript—judged by grades received and the rigor of the courses. SAT scores are intended to supplement your child's record and other information, such as extracurricular activities and recommendations.
When Should My Child Take the SAT?- Most students take the SAT at national administrations during their junior or senior year in high school. However, there are no age or grade restrictions for taking the test.
At least half of all students take the SAT twice—in the spring of junior year and in the fall of senior year. What's more, most students improve their scores the second time around. Research shows that taking the test more than twice won't significantly improve a student's score. The online score report and the report sent to your child's high school (if the high school code was provided) show the current test score in addition to scores for up to six SAT and six SAT Subject Test administrations.
What is “Score Choice”?- Students have the option to choose which scores (by test date for the SAT and by individual test for SAT Subject Tests) to send to colleges—in accordance with an institution's stated score-use practice. They can choose scores from one, several, or all SAT test dates.
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