Q: Last year my daughter took the SAT and ACT and submitted both sets of scores to colleges. (She’s going to Harvard in the fall.) Now, as my son, who is a rising junior, starts the process, I was wondering: Do colleges expect kids to take both tests? All things being equal, does a kid who takes the SAT and ACT — and scores well on each — have a ‘leg up’ on a kid, who only took one test, and scored about the same? Is ‘more data’ better? Or, is ‘less’ more?

A: No, colleges do NOT expect you to take both tests and actually don’t much care WHICH one you take as even if you take an ACT, they simply convert it to an SAT scaled score. In other words, if you score a 36 on the ACT and a 35 on the combined English writing section, that would convert to an SAT score of 800/800/780. If your SAT scores were higher, you’d submit those instead, or if it were a close contest, you could do as your daughter did and send BOTH and let colleges pick. But remember, they are picking whichever makes their stats look better. The moral of the story is, if you can’t decide, send both scores, but do NOT feel obligated to take two tests – figure out which one you would do better on and take just that one.

This is also a good time to remind your guidance counselor and teachers if you’re applying early to please get your materials in by the November 1 deadline (some schools are the 15). As a safety measure, if you’re applying early, call your school early around November 10 to make sure everything is complete. Every year we hear of tragic cases where admissions offices misplace or lose things. Basically, if they don’t have something they need, you’ll be deferred. The problem is that the time frame is short for early (they have to read thousands of apps and decide in four weeks) so they often don’t have time to inform you if something is missing. Just call and check so that you have some peace of mind!

As for students taking SAT I’s or Subject Tests, scores will be available in late October, in time for early. As long as you’ve already sent all your scores by now, colleges will NOT see your new scores unless you send them. If they are better, send them. If not, don’t!

Some schools, however, will accept the ACT in lieu of SAT Subject Tests.

We think that taking the ACT benefits the majority of applicants. Since the colleges will take your highest scores on either the SAT I or the ACT, you can let them choose your best score. Also, it can offset a weaker writing SAT I score if you take the writing section of the ACT. Since the ACT is a bit less aptitude-oriented, some students do better on it than on the SAT I. Plus, it’s shorter than the SAT I so those who have trouble concentrating for four hours have an alternative. Science students tend to like the ACT as it has a science section.

There are two noticeable advantages to the ACT: 1) they have complete score choice so you can take the test ten times and report one score, no scores, two scores, etc… to colleges. The SAT I has recently changed their scoring policies to remain competitive with the ACT and after 2009 they too will go back to scores choice. 2)There is no guessing penalty, which means you can fill in every answer instead of figuring out which ones to leave blank.

Some colleges (you have to check each one individually) will accept the ACT in lieu of SAT Subject tests, so that is often a convenient option. In short, you have little to lose, but could have a lot to gain by taking the ACT.

To sign up visit: http://www.actstudent.org/regist/dates.html