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COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TESTING

A Roadmap for the ACT and Digital SAT

Belmont High School

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ADMISSION FACTORS – HOLISTIC REVIEW

Academic

Grades
Strength of the curriculum
Standardized testing scores (SAT, ACT, AP)

Non-academic

Application essays
Counselor & teacher recommendations
Extracurricular activities & work experience

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Almost all colleges and universities have continued their test optional policies

Some exceptions: Harvard, Cornell, Brown, Yale, Dartmouth, MIT, Stanford, Caltech, Georgetown, University of FL, University of GA, University of TX-Austin, military academies

Encourage students to see the tests as a chance to show-off and have an everything to win, nothing to lose mindset

TEST OPTIONAL SCHOOLS

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Applying to the more selective colleges

Recruited athletes

Consideration for Merit Scholarship Awards

CAVEATS FOR TEST OPTIONAL

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STRATEGIC SUBMISSION OF TEST SCORES

Strategic Submission now much more common.

Pre-pandemic only about 4% of students were classified as strategic submitters

For the 2020 admissions cycle, 24% of students chose to submit to some schools and not others

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Which tests should I take?

How and when should I prepare for them?

When should I take them?

CREATE A TESTING PLAN

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THE NEW DIGITAL ADAPTIVE PSAT/SAT

https://bluebook.app.collegeboard.org/

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LOOK AND FEEL OF THE DIGITAL PSAT/SAT

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LOOK AND FEEL OF THE DIGITAL PSAT/SAT

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120

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

PSAT 8/9 (120-720)

SAT (200-800)

PSAT 10, PSAT/NMSQT (160-760)

PSAT scores show what you would have scored on the SAT on that same day.

PSAT IS PRACTICE FOR THE SAT

WHICH TESTS – PURPOSE

Purpose of PSAT

--”P” stands for preliminary, but might as well stand for practice. Like a preseason scrimmage or rehearsal for a play.

--Useful but imperfect predictor of scores

--Indicator of strengths and weaknesses and ultimately that is the benefit of the PSAT and any practice test you take. Feedback.

--PSAT scores are used to determine eligibility for scholarships and awards through National Merit program

Purpose of SAT/ACT

--Key component for admissions for most colleges in US. 3^rd most important factor.

--One factor of many. 850 out of 2400 4-year schools are Test Optional. BUT, when you get rid of open enrollment schools, schools that provide religious instruction and technical training, etc., there are roughly 20-30 selective test optional schools (e.g., Bates, Bowdoin, Hamilton, Holy Cross

--Note also that ACT is accepted everywhere and sometimes in lieu of SAT and Subject Tests. Check with schools. BC, Brandeis, Brown all examples of schools that do this. Cornell and Harvard are examples of schools that require STs no matter whether you submit SAT or ACT.

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ACT STRUCTURE / DIGITAL SAT STRUCTURE

Reading & Writing

(32 min)

Math

(35 min)

DIGITAL SAT (2 hours, 14 minutes)

200 - 800

Reading & Writing

(32 min)

Math

(35 min)

English

(45 min)

Math

(60 min)

Reading

(35 min)

Science

(35 min)

Writing

(40 min)

ACT (3 hours, 35 minutes)

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optional

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NEW SAT—SCORING AND STRUCTURE

Be careful about going into too much detail here. We suspect that colleges will mainly (only) be focused on the high level, 200-800 section scores. Also don’t forget the stuff on the right. For parents, that’s probably more interesting than the subscore stuff.

--2 Area (or Section) Scores: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Verbal) and Math

--3 Test Scores: Reading, Writing & Language, Math (10-40)

--2 Cross-Test Scores: Analysis in Science (ACT!) and Analysis in History/Social Studies (10-40). Note that CB decided not to add an entire Science section (as on ACT), but instead intersperses Science throughout. These questions contribute to your Science Cross Test score. Same thing with History/Social Studies

--7 Sub Scores: Expression of Ideas, Standard English Conventions, Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Mathematics, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, Words in Context, Command of Evidence (1-15)

--Essay. End of test. 50 minutes. Reading 2-8, Analysis 2-8, Writing 2-8. Combined score of two raters, each scoring on a 1-4 scale.

Other: 4 answer choices per questions; rights only scoring (ACT); old SAT score will not necessarily equal new SAT score. Concordance after Mar 2016

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SAT Reading & Writing

71 seconds

SAT & ACT TIMING PER QUESTION

ACT English

36 seconds

SAT Math

95 seconds

ACT Math

60 seconds

ACT Reading

52 seconds

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DIGITAL ADAPTIVE SAT STRUCTURE

~450-800

200 - low 600s

Don’t worry about it.

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DIGITAL SAT - READING & WRITING

SAT Writing tests more transitions, commas, and verb tense.

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9

ACT ENGLISH

ACT English has longer passages and a wider variety of questions.

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DIGITAL SAT - READING & WRITING

SAT Reading tests more vocabulary and rhetorical analysis.

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The passage points to which of the following as a characteristic of trap-jaw ants’ mandibles that prevents the ants from harming themselves with their powerful bite?

A hinge prevents the mandibles from snapping together forcefully.
Mandibles with cushioned inner edges provide a buffer when the mandibles snap shut.
A latch mechanism prevents the mandibles from closing completely.
The mandibles begin to decelerate before they meet

ACT READING

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If two lines in the standard (x, y) coordinate plane are perpendicular and the slope of one of the lines is 3, what is the slope of the other line?

–3
–1
–1/3
1/3
3

ACT

dSAT

The graph of the linear function f has intercepts at (a, 0) and (0, b) in the xy-plane. If a + b = 0 and a ≠ b, which of the following is true about the slope of the graph of f ?

A) It is positive.

B) It is negative.

C) It equals zero.

It is undefined.

Digital SAT MATH/ACT MATH

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Inner Core

Outer Core

12.7–13.0

9.9–12.1

3.3–3.5

3.0 oceanic crust

2.7 continental crust

DENSITY (g/cm³)

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

DEPTH (km)

TEMPERATURE (°C)

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

According to Figure 1, the temperature of the Outer Core is approximately between:

A. 1000º C and 2500º C

B. 2500º C and 5000º C

C. 4800º C and 6300º C

D. 6200º C and 6500º C

Outer Core

TRENCH

CASCADES

PACIFIC OCEAN

CRUST

MID-ATLANTIC RIDGE

ATLANTIC OCEAN

NORTH AMERICA

Stiffer Mantle

ASTHENO-SPHERE

(Plastic Mantle)

LITHOSPHERE

(Crust + Rigid Mantle)

Rigid Mantle

Inner Core

ACT SCIENCE

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SAT Questions

More challenging

Require deep understanding

Narrower focus of skills

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CHOOSING SAT or ACT

We were originally thinking SAT, but then Noah’s admissions advisor told us left-handed students born on Tuesdays do better on the ACT.

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The best way to make this decision is by taking each one

and comparing scores using a Concordance Table.

CHOOSING SAT or ACT

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CONCORDANCE TABLES

SAT	ACT
1600	36
1590*
1580
1570
1560	35
1550
1540*
1530
1520	34
1510
1500*
1490
1480	33
1470
1460*
1450
1440	32
1430*
1420
1410	31
1400*
1390
1380	30
1370*
1360
1350	29

SAT	ACT
1340*	29
1330	29
1320	28
1310*
1300
1290	27
1280*
1270
1260
1250	26
1240*
1230
1220	25
1210*
1200
1190	24
1180*
1170
1160
1150	23
1140*
1130
1120	22
1110*
1100
1090	21
1080*
1070
1060

SAT	ACT
1050	20
1040*
1030
1020	19
1010*
1000
990
980	18
970*
960
950	17
940
930*
920
910	16
900
890*
880
870	15
860
850*
840
830
820	14
810	14

SAT	ACT
800*	14
790
780
770	13
760*
750
740
730
720	12
710*
700
690
680	11
670*
660
650
640	10
630*
620
610	09
600
590*
580	N/A
570	N/A
560	N/A

SAT	ACT
1380	30
1370*
1360

SAT	ACT
1190	24
1180*
1170
1160

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CHANGES TO THE ACT

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CHANGES TO THE ACT

Coming April 2025 to the digital format only
Shorter test and more time/question and science will be optional but digital administration of the test only.
Changes to the paper test coming September 2025
Our recommendations for juniors:

Focus on the current paper and pencil version of the test for your spring of junior year
Availability of the new test is very limited
Have not heard from colleges yet about their response to these changes

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CURRENT VS. NEW ACT STRUCTURE

English

35 min

50 questions

Math

50 min

45 questions

Reading

40 min

36 questions

Science

40 min

40 questions

Writing

(40 min)

ACT (2 hours 15 minutes, 3 hours or 3 hours 45 minutes)

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optional

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English

45 min

75 questions

Math

60 min

60 questions

Reading

35 min

40 questions

Science

35 min

40 questions

Writing

(40 min)

ACT (3 hours, 35 minutes)

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optional

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NEW SAT—SCORING AND STRUCTURE

Be careful about going into too much detail here. We suspect that colleges will mainly (only) be focused on the high level, 200-800 section scores. Also don’t forget the stuff on the right. For parents, that’s probably more interesting than the subscore stuff.

--2 Area (or Section) Scores: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (Verbal) and Math

--3 Test Scores: Reading, Writing & Language, Math (10-40)

--2 Cross-Test Scores: Analysis in Science (ACT!) and Analysis in History/Social Studies (10-40). Note that CB decided not to add an entire Science section (as on ACT), but instead intersperses Science throughout. These questions contribute to your Science Cross Test score. Same thing with History/Social Studies

--7 Sub Scores: Expression of Ideas, Standard English Conventions, Heart of Algebra, Passport to Advanced Mathematics, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, Words in Context, Command of Evidence (1-15)

--Essay. End of test. 50 minutes. Reading 2-8, Analysis 2-8, Writing 2-8. Combined score of two raters, each scoring on a 1-4 scale.

Other: 4 answer choices per questions; rights only scoring (ACT); old SAT score will not necessarily equal new SAT score. Concordance after Mar 2016

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When should I take them?

CREATE A TESTING PLAN

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THE TESTS

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SAT

TEST PREPARATION

REVIEW

MAY JUN JUL AUG

SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY

JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT

SAMPLE TESTING PLAN

AP

Digital PSAT

SAT

AP PREP

Practice ACT & digital SAT

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Practice ACT & digital SAT

digital PSAT

ACT

TEST PREPARATION

MAY JUN JUL AUG

SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY

JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT

ACT

AP

SAMPLE TESTING PLAN

REVIEW

NEW

ACT

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March
Reading & Writing	Math
580	570
1150

May
Reading & Writing	Math
580	650
1230

August
Reading & Writing	Math
640	620
1260

Superscore
Reading & Writing	Math

1290

650

640

SUPERSCORING – SAT

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SUPERSCORING – ACT

	FEB	JUNE	SEPT	SUPERSCORE
ENGLISH	28	32	30
MATH	27	28	30
READING	33	29	28
SCIENCE	27	30	28
COMPOSITE	29	30	29

32

30

33

30

31

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How and when should I prepare for them?

CREATE A TESTING PLAN

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Test prep should allow for at least 6-15 weeks of study and practice before the official test date.

CHOOSE A START DATE

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Content

Mastery

Strategy

Practice

Tests

ELEMENTS OF TEST PREPARATION

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A good testing plan prioritizes school work over test prep. Testing early and often is generally not sensible.

Take a practice SAT and ACT for a baseline score and also to choose a path.

Encourage students to view the test with an ‘everything to gain, nothing to lose’ mindset.

Many schools on your final list will be test optional. You can decide which schools you submit scores to and which ones you do not.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

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Maintain perspective.

It’s just a test.

LAST, BUT NOT LEAST

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Practice SAT and ACT tests.
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