Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

No parents guide to the ACT/SAT would be complete without a conversation about the differences between the tests. This is the number one question parents have about their students test prep process. The best way to determine which test is right for your student is to take an official practice test for both the SAT and ACT. The Mindfish Practice Test Program allows students to take both a full-length practice ACT and SAT (on separate occasions) at one of the Mindfish offices. After your student has taken both tests, we will then contact you to schedule a 45-minute consultation meeting with one of our directors, who will sit down with you and your student to design a test preparation plan and timeline that is specific to your student’s skill set and practice test scores. You can also visit act.org to compare your student’s ACT and SAT scores.

Below is a chart that summarizes the major differences between the SAT and ACT:

In addition, the chart below summarizes the differences between the SAT and ACT per section:

Below is a list of skills needed to excel on the SAT:

• Attention to Detail: Your student is a critical thinker with an analytical mind
• Problem-Solving: Your student can apply familiar concepts in new ways and can think “outside the box”
• Strong Reading Skills: The SAT is a difficult test for weak readers. It is essential that your student have a solid and robust vocabulary.
• Comfortable Foundation in Math: The math score is half of the total score on the SAT (compared to 25% on the ACT). In addition, one section prohibits calculator use, so it is essential that your student has solid arithmetic and algebra skills.

The SAT is a good option for students who:

• Have solid skills but have trouble with time management: The SAT provides much more time per question than does the ACT (making it easier to finish each section in the time provided).
• Don’t love charts or graphs: While the Reading and Writing sections involve some charts and graphs, there is not a complete section on them (unlike the ACT, which contains an entire Science section).

The aforementioned lists are general guidelines, not hard and fast rules. Students should always take a practice test of the ACT and SAT to determine which test is better for them. Please refer to the Mindfish Practice Test Program to learn more.

Below is a list of skills needed to excel on the ACT:

• Good Work Ethic: Your student is willing to put in time and energy to improve
• Extra Time Accommodations: The ACT is generally a better fit for students  with accommodations.
• Familiarity with more advanced math or far behind in their math curriculum: Math concepts on the ACT go through precalculus & trigonometry; however, math is only worth 25% of the total score.
• Comfort with Charts & Graphs: The science section tests students’ ability to interpret data and information presented in charts, tables and graphs; your student does not need a strong foundation in scientific content to do well on this section of the ACT.
• Quick Reading Speed: The ACT is fast-paced, so students who can read and process material quickly are often well-suited to the ACT. However, your student can still do well on the ACT without answering every question on the test.

The ACT is a good option for students who:

• Seek a huge score improvement: If you are looking for more than 160 pts improvement on the SAT or more than 4 points on the ACT, then the ACT is the test for you.
• Aim for the highest score levels: Today, prepping for a 35 or 36 is easier than a 1550 or 1600.

The aforementioned lists are general guidelines, not hard and fast rules. Students should always take a practice test of the ACT and SAT to determine which test is better for them. Please refer to the Mindfish Practice Test Program to learn more.

Many parents and students receive faulty guidance about what schools accept ACT/SAT. All US institutions accept both the ACT and SAT. US institutions have no preference between either test. It is not necessary, nor recommended, to prepare for or take both the ACT and SAT. It is in your best interest to commit to one test at the onset of your test preparation.

Most students should take a practice test for both the ACT & SAT and choose which one is a better fit for them. Few students should consider taking both.

Students who should consider taking both the SAT & ACT:

• If you go to public school and have a free state-sponsored test
• If you are going for a 99th percentile score or above
• If you have hit a ceiling with your score improvement

We no longer recommend that students take the optional essay portion of the test. The College Board announced that the SAT Essay will not be offered after June 2021. There is an optional essay section still available on the ACT, but most students will not need to take it. SAT and ACT essays are no longer required or considered by the vast majority of schools in the country (West Point is the only notable exception)

“As of January 2021, the College Board has discontinued the SAT Subject Test program. International students can still take SAT Subject Tests through June 2021, but Subject Tests are no longer available for US students.”

SAT subject tests are generally offered six times each year, and they are held on the same test dates and at the same testing locations as the regular SAT.  However, not all 20 subject tests are offered on every test date.  You can find a list for each specific test on the College Board website.

Mindfish used to offer tutoring for the SAT subject tests, but since the College Board announced in January of 2021 that they would no longer be offering subject tests for U.S. students (effective immediately), we will no longer be doing SAT subject test tutoring. The SAT subject tests were used by students who wanted to demonstrate their aptitude in particular academic subjects. With the elimination of the SAT subject tests, AP classes and exams are now the main way that students will be able to highlight their strengths in specific disciplines. We will continue to offer AP tutoring in a wide variety of subjects (as well as IB tutoring for students enrolled in the IB program).

Students who miss a small group session will be able to catch up on what was covered during the session by watching the relevant videos through their Mindfish student dashboard. Additionally, students use their one-on-one tutoring sessions to reinforce their knowledge of concepts discussed in the group class, so their tutor can help them catch up at their next individual tutoring session. However, if your student will be missing more than two small group classes during their course, we highly suggest you consider a one-on-one tutoring program instead.

While many states offer a free exam for public school students, it is usually encouraged but not usually required. You will want to double-check with your school to make sure that the student’s score from this exam is not automatically published on their transcript. In that case, taking this test could negatively affect your students chances of getting into a school. If a student’s scores are automatically published on his/her transcript, make sure that the student is properly prepared for the exam. For most students, this means completing 8 to 10 weeks of test prep prior to the exam. If a student is preparing for a different exam (ACT or SAT) than their school-sponsored one, and their score is automatically published on their transcript, you may want to opt your student out of the test. In some cases you can remove a student’s score from his/her transcript after the fact, but you have to contact your school directly to find our their policy.

There is not a huge downside to taking this test to simply compare with the other test. If you end up doing well, you can always use those test scores for admissions. However, if you already have a great score on one test, make sure you can score similarly before taking the other test. School counselors often guide high-scoring students to take the state-sponsored ACT/SAT as their scores will reflect well on the school.

For a student with a learning disability, the ACT and SAT are drastically different. While both tests offer similar accommodations, how the exams are constructed and what they are looking to test makes one significantly easier than the other. The short answer: if your student has extra time accommodations on both the ACT and the SAT, they should take the ACT.

For additional details, please see our blog post on Everything you need to know about choosing the ACT vs the SAT for students with a learning disability.

In the spring of a student’s sophomore year, families should contact their high school to discuss the ACT and SAT’s policies and schedule additional evaluations if needed.

Make Sure Your Student is Eligible

ACT Policy for Documentation

SAT Documentation Guidelines

In general, students are eligible for accommodations if:

• They have a disability that has been diagnosed and documented by a credentialed professional
• Their disability directly impacts their performance on the ACT or SAT
• Their documentation includes use of accommodations made in similar settings (mostly school testing)

How to Apply for ACT Accommodations

The ACT website has the most up-to-date instructions on applying for accommodations.

Step 1: Start by registering for a specific ACT test date. When registering online, you can indicate a request for accommodations. You will specify which type of accommodations you’re requesting.

Step 2: After you submit your online registration, you’ll get an automated email informing you of how to communicate with your high school to submit the documentation. To begin the process, forward that email to your school along with the Consent to Release Information to ACT Form.

Step 3: Your school will submit your request and the documentation. ACT will review the request and then will notify your school. You should hear back from the school within two weeks.

How to Apply for SAT Accommodations

The College Board’s website has the most up-to-date instructions on applying for accommodations.

Step 1: Start by choosing a target test date out of the official test dates posted on the College Board’s website. Do not register your student for this test date yet. You must apply for SAT accommodations before registering to take the test. The application and review process can take upwards of two months, so plan accordingly.

Step 2: Your student’s high school should be able to help you in applying for accomodations. Contact your student’s guidance counselor to get more information regarding who you should be working with.

Step 3: Sign the Parent Consent Form and make sure that the school has documentation of your child’s learning and attention issues on file. Ensure that the documentation explains how your child’s issues affect test-taking and provide the school with any missing documentation. Your counselor or other staff member must submit your child’s disability documentation along with the SAT Accommodations application.

Step 4: Once you receive an approval letter, you will be assigned an SSD number. Use the SSD number when applying online to take the SAT. This will ensure that your child gets the approved accommodations. Please note that some testing sites may or may not be able to accommodate certain requests, or may only have a specific number of seats for students with disabilities. Therefore, you should make sure to apply as early as possible.

If your student has a learning disability, psychological disorder, or physical disability, you should apply for accommodations. These accommodations can be paramount to succeeding on these tests. The ACT and SAT are not written for individuals with language impairments or learning disabilities. Accommodations can make all the difference to a student’s testing experience and his or her score. Contact your student’s high school early to start this process as accommodations can take months to be approved by the testing agency. Lastly, no college or admissions officer can see that your student took the test with accommodations, and students should be encouraged to use the full extent of their accommodations.

No. It is illegal for testing agencies to divulge who receives accommodations on their exams. Therefore, colleges or admissions officers cannot see that your student took the test with accommodations.

Both the PSAT 9 and PSAT 10 are practice tests. They each offer an opportunity to build confidence and familiarity with standardized tests, but they should not cause any student stress. Neither the PSAT 9 nor the PSAT 10 is used for National Merit. In addition, colleges do not and cannot see these scores.

Khan Academy will create a custom SAT Study Plan based on your PSAT 9 & PSAT 10 results.

The PSAT is a practice test, and these scores cannot be used for college admissions purposes. Additionally, these scores do not affect your GPA or high school transcript. Therefore, in most cases, extensive preparation for the PSAT is not necessary, nor is it recommended. Many students do benefit from a small amount of test prep instruction to help them acclimate to the test and get a better understanding of how test content relates to their course materials. For these students, we typically suggest they come in for a practice test and meet for a small number of 1-on-1 hours, complete our fall PSAT class or our spring PSAT 10 seminar to prepare.

A minority of students will be looking to prep to try and receive National Merit status. If a student receives this, they may be eligible to win scholarships, including a National Merit Scholarship, based on your performance on the National Merit Qualifying Test (NMSQT), the PSAT offered junior year of high school. In order to qualify for National Merit, you will need to perform exceptionally well on the PSAT. If your goal is to qualify for National Merit Recognition, you should definitely consider preparing in advance for the NMSQT. For these students, we typically recommend a rigorous training program that will likely have students studying for 8 to 10 weeks prior to the PSAT. We often recommend that these students plan to take the official SAT in October as well.

The NMSQT stands for the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. This test is a PSAT that occurs in October of your junior year of high school. It is the only test the counts for National Merit. Most students do not need to prep for this exam: the PSAT cannot be sent to colleges and is not allowed to be used for college admissions purposes. However, students scoring a 1300 or above on practice exams should consider preparing in advance in order to try to qualify for National Merit.

In order to qualify for National Merit, you will have to do exceptionally well on the NMSQT (the PSAT in October of your junior year). In most states, your score will need to be nearly perfect: you can only miss a handful of questions on the entire test (pay no attention to percentiles). To be a National Merit Semifinalist, you will need to score in the top 1% of your state, not the country.

The PSAT is scored from 320 to 1520. In addition to that composite score, your score report will include scores for Math, Reading, and Writing and Language. These scores fall between 8 and 38. These scores are added and multiplied by 2 to create a National Merit Index Score, which determines your National Merit eligibility. For example, if you scored a 32 on Reading, 33 on Math, and 34 on Writing & Language, this would amount to a National Merit Index Score of (32+33+34) x 2 =198. In order to be a National Merit Semifinalist, you’ll need a National Merit Index Score in the top 1% of the state. This will vary by state and from year to year. Historically, for Colorado this means that you will need an Index Score of greater that 220.

Students receive a total score out of 1520. This score is the sum of the students’ scores on each of the two sections: (1) Reading & Writing, and (2) Math. Students receive scores in the range of 160 – 760 for each of these two sections. The Reading & Writing score combines scores from the Reading and Writing & Language sections. The Math section score combines scores from the calculator and non-calculator portions of the test.

While there is no single definition of a “good score,” you can use national average and percentile charts to rank a student’s score. The charts below summarize the national average and percentiles from the the SAT (2017-2019).

It is also advised that you check the 25th, 50th and 75th percentile of the school you/your student is interested in.

The degree of improvement possible on the ACT/SAT is specific to each student and depends on his/her starting score and length of test preparation. In addition, some score levels are easier to improve than others. In general, deliberate and consistent practice, self-awareness,  and completing regular practice tests will lead to consistent score improvement while lackluster effort with homework and cramming at the last minute will not.

The table below summarizes the average score improvements for Mindfish Students for both the SAT and ACT:

A minority of schools require you to send in scores from every official ACT and/or SAT you have taken. Most colleges will only require you to send in one score. In this case, you can choose which test (your best score) you would like to send in. Some schools will allow you to super score, which means you can send in your highest subscores from multiple tests to create a higher total “composite” score, or “super score”. We recommend you look up the score reporting policy for the college(s) you are interested in.

Score choice means that you get to decide which score you send to colleges. This means that you can send in your highest score on the ACT and/or SAT. We recommend you look up the score reporting policy for the college(s) you are interested in.

Superscoring means that you get to cherry-pick the highest section scores (ACT: English, Math, Reading, Science; SAT: Evidence Based Reading and Writing, Math) from different testing dates to create your highest composite score. We recommend you look up the score reporting policy for the college(s) you are interested in.

A minority of schools will require you to send all of your scores from every official test you have taken (you do not need to send in scores from official practice tests). For these schools, be careful about taking the test more than 2 or 3 times. We recommend you look up the score reporting policy for the college(s) you are interested in.

Test Optional means that the school does not require an SAT or ACT score as part of your application. You can search and find a list of these schools at www.fairtest.org. Certain students are a great fit for test-optional schools: if your scores are drastically different than your academic record and scores don’t represent you well, consider going test-optional.

Even test-optional schools might want your score (especially if they’re at the 75th percentile or higher.) We recommend you call the admissions office and ask if they want your score.

Good grades do not automatically ensure high standardized test scores. School classes and standardized tests require different skill sets. Test taking is a skill that is related to, but distinct from, the skills taught in school. Moreover, your standardized test scores say nothing about you or your intelligence: your score only reflects how well you take these tests. Additionally, grade inflation in schools is becoming more prevalent and is motivating a need for standardized exams such as the ACT and SAT. The good news: ACT & SAT skills are learnable and coachable. Some other good news: GPAs and transcripts are generally weighted more heavily than test scores when it comes to admissions decisions.

School classes and standardized tests require different skills. While they do cover the same material, the format and logic of the SAT/ACT are unique. If you do well on these exams, but don’t have great grades, it typically means you have great problem-solving skills. You may be lacking subject matter expertise that will help you do even better on these tests, and your score will typically improve dramatically with test preparation. In addition, the SAT may be a better fit for students that test well but have poor grades.

Although your ACT/SAT scores are important, GPAs and transcripts are weighted more heavily than test scores. For this reason, we recommend that you work on improving your GPA: a little bit of studying can go a long way to help improve your grades in classes. Improving your GPA during your junior and senior years can give you a boost when it comes to college applications.

There is no such thing as a “good” or “bad” test taker. People are not naturally good test takers: test taking is a learned skill.  Familiarity with the test is key. Many students think they’re “bad” test takers because they don’t have much experience with these tests. A little bit of test prep goes a long way.

Junior year is the best time for most students to begin preparing for the SAT and ACT. Taking these tests during your junior year allows you to take the test more than once, if necessary, before college applications are due in fall/winter of your senior year. We recommend you begin by taking both a full-length SAT and ACT the summer before your junior year to determine which test you prefer.

To determine the specific date to begin your test preparation, first choose a target test date. You should start preparing 2-3 months prior to your chosen test date. Depending on your specific goals, you may want to consider either starting in the fall or spring of your junior year:

Note: You may want to consider taking the ACT/SAT one last time to improve your score for scholarships or waitlist applications.

It is important to keep in mind that prepping too early can be detrimental for a lot of students. Too much pressure too early on can lead to burnout on testing and test preparation.

It is rare for a student to take the SAT or ACT only once (this is because you can improve your scores with test prep, and most people want a higher score). Most students will take the test 2-3 times. We recommend you take your first official test in your junior year, 2-3 months after starting your test preparation. This allows you to take the test two more times before you send your score to your colleges in the fall of your senior year. You may also want to take the test one last time your senior to improve your score for scholarships or waitlist applications.

What to avoid when taking the ACT/SAT:

• Do not take the test cold: This is unnecessary. Take an official practice test instead so you have at least some experience before taking the real thing.
• Do not wait too long between official tests: A break of more than a month or two causes most students to lose momentum.

Do not take the test more than 5 or 6 times: It’s exhausting, unnecessary, and can lead to burn out.

Recruited student athletes should aim to take the test earlier rather than later. The sooner you have a score, the easier it is for a coach to determine if he or she can get you on the team. The NCAA specifies that coaches can start contacting you via phone on September 1st of your junior year (you can reach out earlier via social media if you wish). Therefore, you should aim to take your first official test the fall of your junior year or even the summer before. This means you should start preparing in the summer or even spring before your junior year.

A coach can typically give you a fixed number for a target score (e.g. “If you get X on the SAT, I can get you on the team”). In addition, coaches do not care how many times you take the test, so you can take the test as many times as necessary to get the target score.

Students are encouraged to try and prepare on their own for these exams. There are some fantastic resources out there to help students identify areas of weakness and work on practice problems. The SAT has worked with Khan Academy to develop a self-study curriculum that can be incredibly beneficial to students.  Additionally, the ACT has developed ACT Academy to help students prepare on their own. The best thing you can do to self-study is to start by taking a practice test, identify your areas of weakness, work on specific curricula and strategies to target those areas, and then repeat the process.

There are more test prep materials available to students than ever before, but working with a tutor can provide a few additional benefits:

• Guided Structure: The questions on the ACT and the SAT cover a broad range of topics, and it can be overwhelming for a student to know where to start. A tutor who is an expert on the test can sequence a course of study so that the most important skills are covered early and often.
• Testing Strategies: Content knowledge is only part of improving your ACT or SAT score. While many students can bolster their content knowledge independently, learning the strategies and processes of the test is very difficult without a tutor.
• Consistency and Motivation: Working one-on-one with another person can foster student accountability in terms of completing their homework. A tutor can also provide encouragement in moments of frustration or self-doubt.
• Enhancing Self-Awareness: A tutor can observe what a student is doing and reflect it back, helping the student to understand his or her own test-taking instincts. Gaining an awareness of one’s current process is often the first step to making positive changes or adjustments.

In addition to SAT and ACT test prep , Mindfish can help your student prepare for AP Exams, the ISEE, SAT Subject Tests, the SSAT, the GRE, the LSAT, the HSPT, and the GMAT.