The ACT exam is an alternative to the SAT exam that is accepted by every US university that accepts the SAT.  The test is offered six times a year in the US and around the world (excluding China - but can be taken in Hong Kong and Macau) and is considered by many to be a slightly easier test - especially for those who have less time to study.

The major difference in the ACT is the addition of a Science section. This section is a 35 minute section composed of five passages (with a total of 40 questions) covering a range of high school science subjects.  For many students, the Science section's biggest obstacle is the sheer number of information to process within the allocated time.  A significant proportion of students find it difficult to complete the section without guessing a few remaining questions.  However, this is probably the biggest benefit of taking the ACT exam.  Whereas the SAT gives students five answer choices per multiple choice question with a 1/4 mark deduction for each question wrong, the ACT gives students four answer choices (except for math - which is still five) and no penalty for incorrect answers.

The ACT test has 4 or 5 sections (depends on whether you take the optional Writing section).  The four sections of every ACT exam appears in the following order: 1) 45 minute English section that tests grammar and prose awareness with 75 multiple choice questions 2) 60 minute Math section with 60 math questions (all multiple choice) covering a bit more than the SAT math as it also tests trigonometry and matrices 3) 35 minute Reading Comprehension section that four passages and 40 multiple choice questions 4) 35 minute Science section as explained above.  For those taking the optional Writing section, it is a single assigned persuasive essay topic in which you are given 30 minutes to complete.

The combined sections are scored from a range of 1 - 36, with 36 being the highest score.  Those scores are then combined to result in a composite score - also ranging from 1 to 36.  An increasing number of students in the US are beginning to take both the ACT and SAT exams as it offers them more opportunity to achieve a higher score for submission of their university applications.  We at Capstone believe the exams are minutely different and depending on your study habits and foundational knowledge (and familiarity with that knowledge) a better result on the ACT may be achieved with less studying.

For more information on how Capstone can help you prepare for the ACT or to do a free ACT assessment, please contact us.