ACT vs. SAT
What is the ACT and SAT?
Two of the most popular standardized tests taken each year in the United States are the ACT and the SAT. “In 2012, 1,666,017 students took the ACT. This was the first year that the ACT over took the SAT by the number of test takers. The SAT only had 1,664,479 test takers in 2012” (Lewin 1). Compared to each other, both tests have many similarities. “Both the SAT and ACT test essentially the same skills in reading, math, and writing” (5 Similarities between the SAT and ACT 1). The ACT does have a science section, but most of the questions involve interpreting a graph or chart and are not content based. “Both of the tests use the multiple-choice format for all questions” (Top 5 Similarities between the SAT and ACT 1). On the ACT though, there is an optional essay section along with the standard multiple choice questions. On the ACT a student can get a score from 1-36, while on the SAT a
student can get a score from 0-2400. Overall, the ACT and the SAT are very much alike. Even though they have many similarities, both of these standardized tests, along with all other standardized tests, need to be removed from the United States.
Problems with Both Tests
The many flaws in the ACT and the SAT are endless. In a
standardized test that is taken by both males and females, the scores should
reflect on the grades of each gender. This is not always the case. “The ACT
regularly underestimates the abilities of females, who earn higher grades than
males in college, despite lower ACT scores” (The ACT: Biased, Inaccurate, and
Misused 1). Gender should not influence the outcome of a standardized test that
is so important for a student’s future. "An Education Testing Service
study conducted in 1994 also found that SAT scores under-predicted the college
performance of females and over-predicted that of males, showing a gender bias
as well” (Abesamis 1). The scores of these standardized tests also fluctuate. “The
margin of error in ACT scores is 1.55 points in English, 1.43 in Mathematics,
2.20 in Reading, and 1.75 in Science” (The ACT: Biased, Inaccurate, and Misused
1). This means that if a student took the ACT and then retook the test, their
scores on average would fluctuate in each testing category by each of these
amounts. When taking the SAT, a student can expect similar results. “If someone
takes the SAT and receives a 2250, and then takes the test multiple times,
their score will most likely fluctuate between the range 2160-2340” (2250 SAT
Score 1). Both of these tests have scores that can vary tremendous amounts.
Since the scores can be so inaccurate, should they really be used when
determining a student’s future? Standardized testing must be put to an end in
order to prevent problems such as these.