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ACT vs. SAT: Which Should You Take For College?

ACT vs SAT

Most university and colleges will require you to take a standardized entrance exam to test whether you will be accepted into the major or program of your choice. Schools normally accept both the ACT and SAT for admissions scores.. It sometimes gets a bit confusing for you to choose between these two options since so many things are similar, but different. In order to make the correct choice, you have to take a lot of considerations into account.

Below we give an ACT vs. SAT comparison table and go over the differences and considerations you need to take into account while deciding between the two.

ACT vs. SAT Comparison Table

ACT
vs.
SAT
3 Hours
English - 45 min
Math - 60 min
Reading - 35 min
Science - 35 min
Test Format
2 Hours 55 Minutes
Reading - 65 min
Math (no calculator) - 25 min
Math (calculator) - 55 min
Writing - 35 min
Grammar & usage, math, reading, science reasoning
Content Covered
Reading, relevant words in context, math, grammar & usage
Difficult math and faster paced questions
Emphasis
More focus on multi-step problems and thinking through answers
English, Math, Reading, and Science scores will each range between 1-36.
Composite ACT score is the average of your scores on the four sections; ranges between 1-36
Scoring
Math and Evidence-Based Reading & Writing are each scored on a scale of 200-800.
Composite SAT score is the sum of the two section scores and ranged from 400-1600.
There is no penalty for guessing.
Wrong Answer Penalty
There is no penalty for guessing.
1,800,000+ test takers a year
Popularity
1,600,000+ test takers a year
6 times per year:
February,
April,
June,
September,
October,
December
Offered When?
7 times per year:
January,
March or April,
May,
June,
October,
November,
December
ACT
More Information
SAT

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GMAT vs. GRE: Which Should You Take For Your MBA?

GMAT vs GRE

Most graduate schools require you to take a standardized entrance test to judge whether you will be accepted into the program. The main exam for business schools is the GMAT. But the main standardized exam for the majority of graduate schools is the GRE. It sometimes gets a bit confusing for you to decide between these two options. In order to make the correct decision you have to take a lot of considerations into account.

Only just recently, within the past 10 years, have business schools started to accept the GRE in place of the GMAT for entrance into business school type programs. This may be a positive for schools since many applicants that have already taken the GRE exam for other graduate programs can transfer their scores over to apply for graduate business schools. In any case, you will need to decide whether you should take the GMAT or the GRE for your entrance exam into your MBA program.

Below we give a GMAT vs. GRE comparison table and go over the differences and considerations you need to take into account while deciding between the two.

GMAT vs. GRE Comparison Table

GMAT
vs.
GRE
3.5 Hours
Analytical + 1 essay - 30 min
Integrated Reasoning - 30 min
Quantitative - 75 min
Verbal - 75 min
Test Format
3 Hours
Analytical + 2 essays - 75 min
Verbal - 30 min x 2
Quantitative - 30 min x 2
Experimental - 30 min
Grammar, algebra, geometry, arithmetic, analytical writing, problem-solving, data sufficiency, logic, and critical reasoning
Content Covered
Verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing, and critical thinking
Difficult math and English grammar questions
Emphasis
More focus on verbal skills, vocabulary and writing
Quantitative section: 0 to 60
Verbal section: 0 to 51
Integrated reasoning: 1 to 8
Analytical writing: 0.0 to 6.0
Total score: 200 to 800
Scoring
Analytical writing: 0.0 to 6.0
Verbal reasoning: 130 to 170
Quantitative reasoning: 130 to 170
The penalty of not finishing a section in time is much greater than getting a question incorrect.
Wrong Answer Penalty
There is no penalty for guessing.
250,000+ test takers a year
Popularity
600,000+ test takers a year
Multiple times per month
Offered When?
Multiple times per month
MBA GMAT
More Information
ETS GRE

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