The SAT is a standardized test taken by over 140,000 students annually in Illinois, designed to test students’ readiness for college and provide colleges with one common data point that can be used to compare all applicants, as stated in the Princeton Review. Freshman, sophomore, and junior students at Niles North are set to take the PSAT on Wednesday, Oct. 23, despite the change to the digital ACT for the state-required exam, which was made by the Illinois State Board of Education based on technical specifications, commitment to diversity, and financial factors.
Many students report feeling frustrated with the change because, for the past three years, they have been preparing to take the SAT, not the ACT, which they will take in the spring. “I think that the change to the ACT doesn’t really make sense because we’ve been practicing for so long to take the SAT,” junior Yasya Reznikova said.
Although both tests have the common goal of providing data for colleges, they differ in a number of ways. Firstly, the ACT consists of four sections: English, math, reading, science, and an optional writing test. It is important to note that the SAT does not have a science portion, so many students have not had the opportunity to practice that skill in the manner of standardized testing. This change has the possibility of being detrimental to students’ scores who only review for the test through the opportunities provided by the school, even more so for those who do not have the financial means to review the ACT with a tutor or organization.
In addition, there are significantly more questions in the ACT in comparison to the SAT. Specifically, The ACT has 215 while the SAT has 98. Taking the ACT will be a different experience for students, as it will take almost 41 minutes longer and will require quicker responses. While taking the test, there is a high chance students will end up feeling overwhelmed or stressed simply because of the amount of questions they must answer in a limited amount of time. In fact, studies have shown that slower response times are correlated with higher accuracy on test questions, which shows that students will perform better when taking more time to answer questions. Although test-taking under limited time is a valuable skill, it is a valid reason for annoyance from the perspective of a student.
As well as the change in the number of questions and the amount of time given to answer those questions, the ACT provides straightforward and less complicated questions, while the SAT provides more critical thinking and problem-solving skills which often require more in-depth analysis. This is another example of how the experience will be different and could prove more difficult for uninformed students.
“I heard about the change to the ACT, but I don’t understand why or what it means for me to take it in the spring,” junior Andre Hrisca said.
For students, it is crucial that they are well-informed regarding the discrepancies between the ACT and SAT in order to optimize their opportunity to take the test. This might mean they begin preparing for the ACT with practice questions or tutoring, as that may allow them to feel more confident and comfortable when they eventually take the test in the spring. Large changes like a standardized test can be stressful and frustrating for students nationally, but with proper preparation, students at North can go into the test with a fresh and informed perspective. As always, students, before the test, be sure to get a good night’s rest, eat a nutritious breakfast, remember a score does not define you, and of course, try your best.
