Concordance Tables

As a school counselor I receive questions about the ACT and SAT tests all the time - which test should I take, do I *have* to take a test, how many times should I take a test, what does my score mean, what if I didn't score as high as I think I should have and how do you figure out how the scores compare to one another... and quite honestly the list goes on and on.

Today, let's talk for a second about the score comparisons. A lot of students took both the Pre-ACT and the PSAT or will attempt both the ACT and SAT and then consider which test to focus on preparing for in the future.  It's important to review the requirements for the schools you are considering and see what they are looking for and where you fall compared to their averages. Some students will want to take both tests and some will elect to focus on the test they did "better" on the first time through and try to improve that score.

But how do you know which test you did "better" on? Well, the ACT and SAT are different tests with different score structures, but you can see what scores would be most comprable by using the concordance tables. These tables can help students (and colleges) compare scores for students across the different tests. I'll be honest - these tables can seem a little confusing at first, but if you spend a little time looking at the information it will help you understand them. 

Try not to get stressed out about the college admissions tests... I know it can be frustrating, but remember it is only one piece to the puzzle that the colleges will be considering when evaluating students!