Low Scores on the SAT? Try the ACT!

Students who are applying to universities, particularly those in the United States, will probably be taking the SAT (formerly known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test) at the end of their junior year and the beginning of their senior year of high school.  The SAT is a standardized test used in the college application process, and sometimes is the “make it or break it” element in college acceptance and financial aid decisions.  Although students are strongly encouraged to take the SAT, there is another test which is utilized by many U.S. universities and a good score on that examination can spell the difference between college acceptance and rejection.

The American College Test, now known as the ACT, has been around since 1959 and is the exam that is required by more colleges than any other test, including the SAT. It is accepted by all major four-year universities in the United States and all Ivy League universities. Like the SAT, the ACT is accepted at practically every college and university in the United States and among 2006 high school graduates in the U.S. more than 1.2 million took the ACT test.

The ACT multiple-choice tests cover English, mathematics, reading, and science. The writing test measures skills in planning and writing a short essay and is an optional test. The ACT and the SAT are structured differently; unlike the SAT, which is a reasoning test that measures critical thinking skills, the ACT is an achievement test that measures what a student has learned in school. Usually, students are better suited for one or the other and students who don’t do well on the SAT may find they score higher on the ACT.

Juniors who wish to register for the ACT can do so through the Harare International School Counseling Office.  The cost is $49 (U.S.) for the regular ACT and $69 (U.S.) for the ACT plus the writing test.  The ACT is being given in Harare on Saturday, April 14 and Saturday, June 9 at the Speciss Study Center, 42 Livingston Avenue  (telephone 722292; 924311). 

To register for either the April 14 or June 9 ACT testing session, students should bring Z$15,000 to the HIS Counseling Office by Thursday, March 1.  Students will receive ACT registration materials and ACT study questions.  On the day of the test, students must go to Speciss Study Center with either a U.S. bank check or money order for $49 or $69 plus completed registration materials; the registration envelope must not be sealed before giving it to the test supervisors as they will check for payment.  

Although the ACT can be submitted in lieu of the SAT for college application purposes, many colleges still require that students take the SAT Subject Tests.  Students are also advised to take the SAT Reasoning Test as some universities still require it.

To learn more about the ACT, go to http://www.actstudent.org/index.html

Important Dates:

ACT – Register for April 14 or June 9 test dates through the HIS Counseling Office by March 1^st.   Cost for materials and registration: Z$15,000.  Regular ACT test, $49 U.S.; ACT plus writing, $69 U.S.

SAT – Register online at collegeboard.com for May 5 test date by March 29; register for June 2 test date by April 27.  See Mrs. Morris in the Counseling Office for assistance.

Mock SAT - Mock SAT testing is on March 24, April 14 and May 12 from 8 a.m. until approximately 1 p.m. at Prince Edward School.  The cost is Z$15,000 if students pre-register; Z$20,000 for standby students on a first-come, first-serve basis on the day of the test. Students may register through the HIS Counseling Office. The same mock SAT will be administered in March, April, and May.

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