Info. for SAT/ACT Test Prep and it is FREE!

A fellow homeschooler and sweet friend sent me this extremely helpful and beneficial information, and she encouraged me to send it to my friends and/or homeschool group, so here it is!! If you can't use the information now, file it away for the future!

Hi Homeschooling Friends!
 

Feel free to share this info with your friends and/or homeschool group.  

 

I have been searching for FREE resources for SAT/ACT prep and found some good sites. 

 

KHAN ACADEMY Sal works through every problem in the first edition of the College Board "Official SAT Study Guide" (ISBN Number: 0-87447-718-2 published in 2004). You should take the practice tests on your own, grade them and then use these videos to understand the problems you didn't get or to review. Have fun! If you're using the second edition of the study guide with 10 practice tests, you can still use some of these videos. Practice tests 4-10 in the newer book correspond to tests 2-8 below. https://www.khanacademy.org/math/test-prep/SAT-math-topic/sat-math/v/sat-prep--test-1-section3-part-1

I ordered this edition of the SAT book from Amazon for 3 cents plus $3.99 shipping. What a deal!

 

Through the Gwinnett Library System 

This link is under the "Research" tab on the Main Page. 

http://www.gwinnettpl.org/database-category/learning-and-test-prep

There are two really good resources: RB Test Prep & Learning for Life. You can set up a schedule for the Math, Reading and Writing sections! You do need a Gwinnett Library card for FREE access and registration. 

What Standardized Tests Should My High School Student Take?

Recommended Schedule of Testing for High School Students:

9th Grade: ITBS, Stanford or Terra Nova 2/ CAT 6

10th Grade: PSAT

11th Grade: PSAT, SAT and/or ACT

12th Grade: SAT and/or ACT

What is the difference between the SAT and the ACT?

The following information was taken from the ACT website. (FAQ: ACT/SAT)

"The ACT is an achievement test, measuring what a student has learned in school. The SAT is more of an aptitude test, testing reasoning and verbal abilities.

The ACT has up to 5 components: English, Mathematics, Reading, Science, and an optional Writing Test. The SAT has only 3 components: Critical Reasoning, Mathematics, and a required Writing Test.

The College Board introduced a new version of the SAT in 2005, with a mandatory writing test. ACT continues to offer its well-established test, plus an optional writing test. You take the ACT Writing Test only if required by the college(s) you're applying to.

The SAT has a correction for guessing. That is, they take off for wrong answers. The ACT is scored based on the number of correct answers with no penalty for guessing.

The ACT has an Interest Inventory that allows students to evaluate their interests in various career options."
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In Gruber's Complete SAT Guide 2011, Dr. Gruber answers the question, SAT vs. ACT: How Should students Decide Which Test To take? His answer follows.

   "The correlation happens to be very high for both tests; if you score well on one, you will likely score about as well on the other. They cover a lot of the same material. Both exams test grammar, math and critical reading skills. However, the ACT includes a whole section on scientific data interpretation (the SAT has a few similar questions in it's Math sections); fortunately, you don't have to have a scientific background to excel on the ACT.
   The ACT is more memory-oriented, while the SAT is more strategically-oriented. If you memorize quickly and retain facts well under pressure, I recommend the ACT. If you are more prone to strategizing or you like puzzles, I would take the SAT. In any event, I would check with the schools that you are applying to and find out which test they prefer."
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*Also worth noting is that students get 25 minutes to write an essay for the SAT while they get 30 minutes for the ACT essay. 

What is the ACT?

The following information was taken from the ACT website. (What is the ACT?)

"The ACT is a national college admissions examination that consists of subject area tests in:

English

Mathematics

Reading

Science

The ACT Plus Writing includes the four subject area tests plus a 30-minute Writing Test.

ACT results are accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the U.S.

The ACT includes 215 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete, including a short break (or just over four hours if you are taking the ACT Plus Writing). Actual testing time is 2 hours and 55 minutes (plus 30 minutes if you are taking the ACT Plus Writing).

The ACT is administered on six test dates within the United States, U.S. territories, Puerto Rico, and Canada—September, October, December, February, April, and June. In other locations, the ACT is administered on all of the above dates except September, and the ACT Plus Writing is not available on the February test date."