• Online: SAT Test Registration

• Online Practice Test: Click Here to Take The SAT Practice Test

• Format: 3 Hours, 35 minutes.

• Sections: (3) Critical Reading, Math, Writing & Essay. See table below.

* Table compliments of the Princeton Review ®.

• Critical Reading (70 Minutes, 3 Sections, 67 Question)

  • This section totals 70 minutes and is comprised of 67 questions. These questions test critical reading as well as diction and vocabulary.

• Math (70 Minutes, 3 Sections, 54 Questions)

  • This section totals 70 minutes and is comprised of 54 questions testing basic arithmetic, algebra I & II, and geometry. It’s scored on a 200 to 800 point scale. While calculator use is allowed, it is not required.

• Writing (60 Minutes, 2 Sections, 49 Questions and 1 Essay)

  • This section totals 60 minutes and is comprised of one 25 minute essay and 49 multiple-choice questions testing grammar, usage, and word choice.

• Scoring: Each section is from 200 - 800 points.  Students receive 1 point for each correct answer but it is NOT beneficial to guess on the SAT unless obvious wrong choices can be eliminated to increase the odds of guessing a correct answer.  The Essay is scored on a 2 - 12 scale.  Combined SAT scores range from 600 - 2400.

ACT & SAT Test Prep

CollegeinColorado.org

 A superb website to give one much information about college and career searching but also an excellent place to take an ACT or SAT tutorial.  Take a mock test and receive immediate feedback as to why answers were incorrect or additional information with correct responses.  It is all free!

CollegeDrive Test Prep:  If you're planning on taking the upcoming ACT or SAT exams, now is the time to prepare!  Faith Christian Academy has teamed up with CollegeDrive Test Prep to offer you a great program to get you ready!  To register or for more information about this solid prep program, call 720.496.2244. They offer test prep sessions at FCA or private tutoring in your home. See their website (http://collegedrive.com/) for details.  A ten-hour ACT Express Prep will be offered at Faith Christian High School on October 6 and October 13, 2012 from 9:00 a.m.--2:30 p.m.  This $249 value is being offered at a reduced price of $199.  Registration is required and materials are included.

Kaplan:  A fully proctored practice ACT test Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012 from 8:00--12:00 will show students what to expect on test day.  Students will receive a comprehensive analysis, detailing individual strengths and weaknesses on the test.  Faith Christian students receive free access to ACT On Demand, an online tutorial.  Students may also seek private tutoring.  For more information contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 720.413.1976.

  ACT & SAT Testing Overview

Knowledge Versus Reasoning

• The ACT is considered a curriculum-based test, meaning it tests a student’s knowledge of subject matter covered in high school. On the other hand, the SAT is traditionally thought of as a test that measures a student’s reasoning or critical thinking skills.

• The College Board's SAT is not as straight-forward and is more of an "aptitude" test. Known for using tricky and sometimes intentionally confusing phrasing to determine test-taking skills, the SAT is better suited to the student with strong deductive reasoning capabilities.

Differences In Content

• The SAT puts more emphasis on vocabulary; the ACT is largely focused on grammar and punctuation.

• The ACT has a Science Reasoning Test, which tests the the student's ability to access scientific charts and tables, research, and conflicting scientific viewpoints – whereas the SAT does not.

• The ACT covers four sections: English, Mathematics, Reading and Science.  The SAT contains three sections: Critical Reading, Mathematics and Writing, including a required 25-minute essay.  Writing is not required on the ACT, but strongly recommended.

• In the ACT Math section, about 7 percent of questions are based on trigonometry, which is not tested on the SAT.

Differences In Structure

• The ACT has all multiple choice questions, whereas the SAT also requires students to produce answers to mathematical questions.

• Questions on the SAT become more difficult as the test progresses; the level of difficulty remains fairly constant on the ACT.

• The ACT has 215 questions and the SAT has 140; however, both are three hours long, which means students have less average time to answer ACT questions.

Differences In Strategy

• SAT takers are penalized slightly for wrong answers. The conventional wisdom is to try and eliminate one or two answers and then make the best guess from the remaining choices.

• ACT test takers are not penalized for wrong answers. Before time runs out, students should guess on any questions they didn’t know or were unsure about. But like the SAT strategy, it make sense to eliminate as many choices as possible before making a final section.

• The SAT is riddled with questions designed to slow the test taker down. Professional test strategists like the Princeton Review recommend moving on to the easier questions and coming back to the harder ones.

Differences In Scoring

• A student taking the ACT can earn a maximum of 36 points on each section, which the ACT then averages for a composite score. On the SAT, students earn a maximum of 800 points on each of the three sections.