Everybody wants to get into a good college or university after highschool. To do that, in the past, you would have had to take the SAT, but as of June 30, 2024 the contract ended with the College Board who administered the SAT. This gave the ACT corporation a chance to put in a bid so their tests would be taken in Illinois. An interview was conducted with Susan Sangwa, the Head of the English division of Buffalo Grove High School, who is very informed of the SAT and ACT. She answered how the ACT and SAT differ, why the state chose one over the other, and how it affects students.
The ACT and SAT are tests to get an objective understanding of an individual’s college readiness. A higher score, in theory, gets you into a better college than someone with a lower score. Susan Sangwa claimed that there is a very little difference between the two, academic wise. The SAT covers fewer topics such as the following: math, reading, and EBR (evidence-based reading). While the ACT covers English/grammar, math, reading, and science. The substantial difference between the two is the way it’s formatted. Technically yes, the format will make the student adjust the way he/she studies, but they contain very similar academic content.
The Illinois Board of Education, otherwise known as ISBE, chose the ACT over the SAT for one very simple reason. In an interview with Sangwa she revealed, “It is very clear that the state chose the ACT instead of the SAT because of money”. It’s not that schools or people voted on which one to choose. The state is forced to take the cheaper test when each corporation puts in their bid. There was not an exact number but it was implied that the ACT seriously lowballed the SAT. They both test for the same thing so it’s not like one is better than the other. With these things in mind it would be fiscally irresponsible to pick the more expensive test.
This may seem like a large change to some, but in reality it is a very minimal difference. For people in their junior year they may have had to take the SAT then their senior year take the ACT. Yes, the format will make the student modify the way he/she studies but the material covers the same bases. It is easier to have the same test every year without change for maximum results, but with a bit of preparation, it should be very easy to carry over from one to the other.
Overall, the only difference between the SAT and ACT is the way it’s formatted. The common core material is very comparable. The state didn’t per say choose as much as it was forced to pick the cheaper option, that being the ACT. Students are not affected by this except a bit of adjusting on the way the student studies for the test.
