SAT and ACT FAQs

Check with the colleges you want to apply to and see if they have a preference.

If your college will accept either, talk to your teachers and guidance counselors about which test will give you the best opportunity to showcase your academic aptitude. You may consider taking both tests.  If possible, take both preliminary tests (PSAT and PreACT) your sophomore year or early in your junior year, as this will provide you with valuable test-taking experience.

SAT 

• Reading
• Writing and Language
• Math

ACT

• English
• Math
• Reading
• Science

• Most colleges consider your best score. 
• Some colleges only want you to send your best scores, and some colleges want all your scores. 
• Some colleges superscore your test results, which means they consider your highest scores in each section across multiple test dates. 
• Check with your college to see what their policy is.

• You can take the tests more than once to try to improve your scores. 
• Keep in mind that colleges will just look at the highest score in each section.

Many high schools offer prep classes or use of study guides – check with your counselor.

Many study guides are available. Before buying, check with your school counselor, school library and local library to see if they have copies you can borrow.

CollegeBoard.com and ACTstudent.org offer free online study guides, practice tests and registration for emailed questions of the day.  More extensive study options may be purchased on the sites.

Prep courses are also available through private prep companies, including Sylvan Learning, Princeton Review and Kaplan Test Prep, but these charge a fee. Explore the free study help offered by the test administrators before purchasing study aids.

There is a registration fee for each test. 

• You can pay by credit card, check or money order. 
  • Your registration fee is nonrefundable.
• You may be eligible to receive a waiver to take the tests for free. 
  • If you can’t afford the test fee, contact your high school counselor.

The easiest and fastest way is online:

• SAT –  http://sat.collegeboard.org/register
• ACT –  http://www.actstudent.org

You can also register by mail. 

• You must register by mail if you are paying by check or money order. 
• To register by mail, ask your counselor for the SAT Paper Registration Guide or ACT registration packet.

For help filling out the registration forms, or if you have questions or special circumstances, go to http://sat.collegeboard.org/register/special-circumstances (SAT) or  http://www.actstudent.org/regist/index.html (ACT).

You may be eligible to have accommodations made to your test setting if you have a documented disability. This may mean:

• wheelchair accessibility
• seating where you can hear best or lip-read
• a printed copy of spoken directions
• extended time
• access to a snack due to a medical condition.

Students can request for accommodations and approval on the Collegeboard website for the SAT and ACT website for the ACT. 

• Students should apply as soon as possible. 
  • The deadline for requests is usually a month before the student's scheduled exam. 
  • Documentation to support a student's request is required, please contact your guidance counselor when completing these forms.

Accommodation for special circumstances for SAT and ACT testing such as:

• Sunday testing for religious reasons
• testing for home schooled students
• taking the test under the age of 13 
• taking the test closer to home if you live more than 75 miles from the nearest test center

Learn more at CollegeBoard.com and ACT.org.