ACT Vs SAT Pros And Cons

Changing the testing in Illinois is like eating a bitter piece of chocolate. A few people will think it is a good move; most, however, would be disgusted. Disgust and disdain would be the reaction of most Illinois citizens regarding this change. Although some say it would be cheaper or easier, I think it would be a terrible decision to move to the SAT in Illinois.

There are plenty of differences between SAT and the ACT. One difference is that you can score higher on the SAT because it has a higher grading scale. Next, the ACT is more straightforward but has a lower grading scale. Also, the SAT has a stronger focus on vocabulary more than the ACT. Lastly, the SAT is broken up into more sections and is more spaced out. There are so many differences between SAT and ACT these are just a couple of them.

The average ACT score to be accepted to UGA ranges from 26-31 (“Compare Colleges”), and the average at Vanderbilt ranges from 32-35 (“Compare Colleges”). My ACT composite score is 31, but I have only taken it once and plan to raise my score. I believe that I will have an ACT score within or above the ranges for both UGA and Vanderbilt. In addition to looking at ACT scores, UGA and Vanderbilt look at GPA, course rigor, and a holistic view of the student to determine admission (“Applying to Vanderbilt”; “First-Year Applicants”). My cumulative high school GPA is 4.41 and by the end of my junior year I will have taken six AP classes, so I feel that I will have a good chance of being accepted at both of these colleges.

Students work extremely hard for four years or more to keep high grades, but instead of looking at these grades, colleges base scholarships on one test that students take in a few hours. Scholarships should be based on GPA because it is the best representation of a student’s knowledge and shows the type of work ethic the student brings fourth. Colleges should want to give scholarships to diligent, disciplined, and deserving students who work hard their whole high school career, not just students who do well on one

The ACT test can earn a person a scholarship just by having a high score on it. Most Historically black colleges and universities offer up to full tuition with a high score on the ACT. Something just as simple as applying your time to a test or writing an essay for a local scholarship can help finance furthering someone's education. Sadly , some students won't

The ACT is one of the most important tools that colleges use to evaluate students and helps determine if they are going to allow that student to enroll in their school. ACT scores determine a student’s strong and weak points and can help some students determine what career path is most suitable for them. For many students in Missouri the ACT is their only way at getting into college due to financial difficulties that they might have home. Students who

“Standardized testing has become the arbiter of social mobility, yet there is more regulation of the food we feed our pets that of the tests we give our kids ” (Robert Schaeffer quotes)

This isn’t as notable when 30 or more kids can all easily do the same. But, scholarship isn’t about your scores on paper; it’s about what you have learned. When you can truly learn and achieve high grades, then that is only an added bonus.

Scholarships are available to a range of students and different test scores and GPA’s. The scholarships can range from $1,000 to 6,000. $6,000 is for the GPA of 3.8 or higher, ACT scores from about 29-35, and SAT scores from 1420-1560+ (“Undergraduate Admission”).This is a reason why students may work harder to be able to reach the level of excellence to receive a scholarship. Which may be the make it or break it into to college, many families may not be able to afford to send the family member to college without a scholarship and assistance with tuition.

Possibly the most pressing, and also ironic flaw in determining scholarships based on ACT/SAT results is that the scores determining the amount of money a student receives, is decided by tests that benefit affluent families. In an interview conducted by Blaire Briody, a journalist who's work has appeared in several storied news franchises such as The New York Times and Popular Science, a man from New York named Jeffrey Arnold said that he recently spent $1,250 in prep classes to boost his daughter’s ACT and SAT scores. Another parent in New York said that she will spend over $2,000 for an SAT tutor for each of her two sons. When asked why they spend so much money on these prep courses, their answers were very similar in that they both felt that tutoring was not only going to benefit the scores, but said that the tutors are necessary because everyone else was also using them. (Briody) In an article by Ann Carrns, a writer for the New York Times, she mentions a New York-based tutor, Anthony-James Green. Anthony-James Green has recently gained attention with his steep fee of $1,000 per hour of tutoring. While it is proven that students that he works with see

This previous information illustrates the ability college credits have to eliminate the need to pay for tuition or other costs. Exceeding data that was collected to organize information on how some colleges can benefit students and their families financially is due to certain colleges who target low-income families (Chen). The reason particular colleges target people such as the ones mentioned is because they may want to somewhat allow a “promising” way for students to be successful (Burd). Another reason is because the college sees potential or a form of success for a student, therefore they try to give a student the opportunity to acknowledge the world with their seen gift or intelligence. On the other hand scholarships can be helpful to push out into the college life successfully with financial aid. One may play a sport and want to receive a scholarship from his/her sport. This can be debated between taking AP courses rather than scholarships because for many people who participate in sports, one must typically pay for equipment and gear. On top of the financial disadvantages, generally a GPA level must be maintained along with the great ability to play the sport one may be playing to receive their scholarship. As for AP courses are just the typical class schedule courses but harder because they’re at a higher level. AP courses don’t typically need some form of funding to participate in, as for sports,

Standardized testing is a down fall to many students but also an opportunity for many others. Standardized testing has its pros and its cons. It can be the make it or break it factor into getting into colleges you are hoping to attend or the scholarships you want to earn. Some people may have their opinions about the test, whether they hate it or not but the fact is that it’s here to stay.

Applying to college can seem stressful if you're not a good test taker. You may have lots of involvement in extracurriculars, a great leadership position, and a good GPA, but if you don’t have a high ACT score it can decrease your chances of getting into your dream college. Coming from someone who has taken the ACT four times, it is actually not a difficult test, and with the right skills and strategies you can easily learn how to increase your ACT score and boost your college applications. Here is how to ace the ACT . . .

By receiving a scholarship I'll not only be able to pay for all my necessary classes and textbooks but the burden of stress brought upon the costs of college will be lightened, allowing me to put more of my efforts and thoughts towards my studies. Of course more effort put into my work means the more quality the work becomes whilst also the more attention I give to college in general. I'd like to be able to pursue the goal of nursing and having a scholarship would greatly aid me in the long road ahead by allowing more time for college and less time for worrying about costs for said college

A college scholarship could be your old chance to be able to attend college. Therefore, you want everything on your application to be prefect. To do this you need to spell check, proofread, and even ask friends for their opinion. However, one thing is for sure, you need to stand out. There could be anywhere between ten to ten thousand applying for the scholarship at the same time as you. Make your self stand out in the crowd to make sure YOU are the one that receives that scholarship.