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Get Your ACT Together
By Sally Wood

Preparing for college can be strenuous at times, and having to take entrance exams can add to the pressure you are feeling. A systematic, common-sense approach to preparing for and taking these exams, however, will ensure you get accepted to the colleges you have selected. Four-year colleges and universities use the ACT and SAT to determine applicants' academic achievement and potential. Test scores also serve as criteria for numerous financial awards. Read the answers to some popular questions about these tests so you will know the score when it comes to entrance exams.

Should I take the ACT or the SAT?
Some colleges prefer one exam; most colleges accept either, however. Check to see which test the school prefers. If you haven't yet decided on a specific college, it may be a good idea to take both exams.

If the college accepts both exams, you should choose the one that will most favorably reflect your abilities. On the Kaplan Web site (www.kaptest.com/college), you can take free practice exams. You'll receive detailed score reports on your performance in each area and tips for improving your scores. You can also register for the ACT at www.act.org and for the SAT at www.collegeboard.com.

What is on the tests?
The ACT is made up of:

• English (45 minutes)—75 questions
• Math (60 minutes)—60 questions
• Reading (35 minutes)—40 questions
• Science Reasoning (35 minutes)—40 questions

The SAT I is made up of:

• Verbal (75 minutes)—two 30-minute sessions and one 15-minute session—78 questions covering critical reading, sentence completion, and analogies
• Math (75 minutes)—two 30-minute sessions and one 15-minute session—60 questions covering arithmetic; algebra and functions; geometry and measurements; data analysis, statistics, and probability

Some colleges require SAT II Subject Tests as well as the SAT I. The 22 Subject Tests fall into the general subject areas of English, math, history, science, and languages. Each lasts one hour, and most are multiple choice.

How can I prepare for the tests?
Take college-preparatory courses throughout high school. Students who succeed in advanced English, math, science, and social studies generally do well on both the ACT and the SAT. Review prior test results. If you have taken the ACT or SAT before, you may request detailed score reports for an extra charge. You can learn from the mistakes you made on prior tests.

Sally Wood is a freelance writer and editor from Marionville, Missouri. She worked as a high school counselor in the Aurora R-VIII School District in Aurora, Missouri, from 1980-2000.