When choosing which test to take, it should be noted that while the SAT is evenly distributed between mathematics and English, the ACT is slightly more math-focused.  Additionally, it should also be noted that you’ll have more than one chance to take these tests.  If you’re unhappy with your score, you’ll be happy to know that multiple instances of both tests are offered across the calendar and that you’re free to retake the test whenever one of these dates arrives. 

When taking the SAT, you should treat the process as if you were taking any other test.  While you’ll be taking it outside of school hours, thinking of it as another school-provided test can help put you in the right mindset.  This is all to say that, while the SAT will not affect your grade, you should treat it like it would, as it is a very important test, and at the same time you should avoid getting too stressed, as you can take it multiple times and stress may cause you to perform worse overall.  Before the test, you should make sure you’ve utilized the available resources created to help you study.  The Bluebook software, which is free to download and is the platform on which you’ll ultimately take the SAT, helpfully provides four practice SATs, which will give you a very good idea of what the actual test will look like.  I suggest you dedicate time to take all of these tests, and once you’re done with them, ensure that you study the subjects you got questions wrong on. This will help you to prepare for the test day and allow you to cover your bases in terms of subjects you’re less familiar with.  Additionally, there have been many books published, not by the SAT organization itself but from third parties like the Princeton Review, which offer guides and practice tests for the SAT, as well as for the ACT.  These books can be useful for studying, but I personally found them to be a lot less useful than the practice tests provided on Bluebook, so I absolutely suggest you go through all of those before you consider making any purchases. 

You should treat the ACT with the same respect as taking the SAT.  Similarly, the ACT is also offered multiple times a year, and you’re always free to retake it when a timeslot is offered.  You only have to send your best scores to your prospective colleges.  It should also be mentioned that there is a fee involved when sending scores, which may be inconvenient for many but is ultimately necessary if you wish for your application to be seriously considered.  I should also mention here that I, like most students, only took the SAT and did not take the ACT.  Currently, the SAT is significantly more popular, though there was a period in the early 2010s when the opposite was true.  What’s important to remember is that colleges do not prioritize one test over another, and that you should always take the test that you believe you can perform better on.  Additionally, make sure that you’re prepared on the day of the test.  The testing organizations will email you with all the information regarding what you need to bring to your testing center on the day of, and you’ll have to ensure you follow their directions to the letter, lest you waste one of your finite opportunities to take the test. You also can’t forget to physically prepare yourself for the test, meaning that you need to get a good night’s rest and an adequate breakfast to put your mind in the right shape to endure the long testing process. 

Ultimately, with your colleges decided, your tests complete, your Common App application fully filled out, and your supplemental essay written for each and every school, you should be ready to start sending in your applications, allowing you to begin the long process of waiting for your decisions. The seventh and final article in this series will discuss what to do when you receive these decisions.