I’ve heard that . . .

When I hear that phrase, I know what follows: a rumor. Sometimes the rumors are new, sometimes they have been around the block before, but they usually have one thing in common – they are not true.

While the rumor mill becomes a little quieter over the summer, when it’s back-to-school time it grinds louder. And for some reason, there are so many rumors about the college process! Here are some of the “I’ve heard” stories concerning standardized testing, namely about the SAT and ACT.

I’ve heard that the ACT is easier than the SAT.

No, they are both challenging tests. They are different tests, but they assess the same skills.

I’ve heard that some colleges will look down on an applicant who takes the ACT instead of the SAT.

Not true. Colleges do not care which one an applicant takes. They are different tests, created by different companies that are competing with each other. However, some colleges asking for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests are willing to accept instead the ACT with Writing; that means you can take care of your testing on one day and save money. Please check the requirements of each individual school.

I’ve heard that some colleges will combine the highest scores you get on each part of the SAT.

This is called “superscoring,” and ALL colleges do this! If you take the SAT twice, and have results like these:

|

CR

|

Math

|

WR

|
|

540

|

600

|

560

|
|

600

|

570

|

580

|

the higher score in each column will be added, giving you a total of 1780.

With the ACT, the individual components are not looked at, just the “Composite Score,” so send the highest composite you earn.

I’ve heard that colleges will look down on you if you take a test only once or more than three times.

There is a certain element of truth to this, but it is more likely that the college will voice some concerns. If an applicant takes the SAT only once and scores 2390 or 2400, the testing can stop. However, this is an extremely rare occurrence. Most students take the SAT twice – the first time to see how it goes, and the second time after working on areas that need improvement. Sometimes, a student will take it a third time (perhaps he or she wasn’t feeling well during an earlier test). But after three scores, there will not be much change. Taking it more than three times will cause admissions readers to feel the applicant is putting too much emphasis on the test instead of on school work (which counts for much more in an admissions decision).

Let’s say that the first time an applicant takes the test the scores are good enough for admission to many schools – good scores, but not excellent scores. If the student does not take the test once more, the admissions readers might think: I guess he or she was satisfied with the original scores, and didn’t want to put in the time or effort to see if they might go up on the second try.

Don’t be satisfied with one score. Take the test (SAT or ACT) twice. If you are concerned about the cost, speak to your school’s guidance office about test fee waivers.

Happy back-to-school, everyone! Remember that if you plan ahead and pace yourselves, there is less stress!