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Which test do colleges prefer – SAT or ACT?
There used to be an idea that some colleges preferred the SAT and that some preferred the ACT. Although a handful of colleges are moving away from college admissions tests entirely, at this point in time every accredited 4-year US college and university accepts both the SAT and ACT for admissions.
How much do the SAT and ACT cost? Where can I sign up?
The SAT is $52.50, and registration is available on the College Board website. The ACT Plus Writing is $54.50, and registration is available on the ACT website. Fee waivers based on need are available for both tests.
Should I sign up for the ACT with or without the optional writing section?
There are some schools that neither require nor suggest the optional writing section, there are some that suggest but don’t require it, and there are a very few that require it. Since there are some schools that require it, we suggest that all students take the optional writing section. First of all, it doesn’t affect a student’s overall (composite) score. Second, if a student does well on the ACT without writing and then chooses to apply to a school that requires writing, the student would need to retake the entire test to submit a new score with the optional writing section. Name of the game? Take it – it can’t hurt you.