The New SAT vs. the ACT A Simple Test Comparison

â€Å"Are ‘SAT’ and ‘ACT’ the same thing?† If you’ve been thinking about this question, you’re not alone. Many high school students are curious about the similarities between these two tests and how different they really are. A quick SAT-to-ACT comparison can help you to decide whether to take the new SAT, the ACT, or both. Scoring The scoring scales for the ACT versus new SAT are very different. The highest score you can earn on the ACT is a 36. There are four sections on the ACT, and you receive a raw score for each section, which is changed into a scaled score ranging from one to 36. Your final score is the average of your four scaled scores. On the other hand, the highest score you can achieve on the new SAT is 1600. You receive a subscore for each section of the new SAT, and your final score is the sum of your subscores. Math Questions When making an SAT-to-ACT comparison, you’ll find that both tests include questions on advanced math concepts such as geometry and trigonometry as well as algebra. Of course, knowledge of arithmetic is necessary on both tests. One difference between the two Math sections is that you’re given 60 minutes to complete 60 questions on the ACT and 80 minutes to complete 58 questions on the new SAT. You’re also allowed to use a calculator throughout the Math section on the ACT, but your calculator use is limited on the new SAT. Science Questions One major difference in the new SAT versus ACT test is that there’s no specific Science section on the new SAT. However, some of the skills you use in science class are tested in other sections on the new SAT. For instance, in the Math section you’re often asked to analyze the information given on a chart or graph, and the Reading section contains passages that cover science-related topics. The ACT does have a section of Science questions   earth science, chemistry, and biology are among the sciences found on the ACT. You must answer a total of 40 questions in 35 minutes in the Science section of the ACT. Reading Questions When making an SAT-vs.-ACT comparison, you’ll see that the Reading sections on both tests share a lot of similarities. The Reading sections on both exams  feature several passages accompanied by questions. The SAT has five passages, while the ACT has four. In addition, the two tests share many of the same question types. For instance, they both have main idea, detail, vocabulary-in-context, and inference questions. In addition to those, the new SAT has data reasoning, technique, and evidence support questions. You’re given 35 minutes to finish 40 questions on the ACT and 65 minutes to finish 52 questions on the new SAT Reading section. Writing and English Tests There is a Writing Language section on the new SAT that requires you to improve on phrases found within the given passages. There may be grammar or punctuation errors in the passage or problems with sentence structure. You’ll read the passage and select the better options for the underlined phrases. The ACT has an English section with passages that also contain underlined phrases. Your task is to find a better alternative to the phrase or, in some cases, select the â€Å"no change† option. Once again, there may be grammar errors or problems with punctuation, sentence structure, or organization. You are given 45 minutes to finish 75 questions in the English section on the ACT and 35 minutes to complete 44 Writing Language questions on the new SAT. The Essay When it comes to the essay on the ACT vs. new SAT, both tests make this section optional. For the new SAT Essay section, you’re required to analyze an argument and offer evidence as to why the author’s argument is valid or invalid. Alternatively, the ACT Essay section presents you with three different perspectives on a particular issue, and your job is to evaluate each of them. On both essays, your score depends on your ability to organize your thoughts, present evidence, and convey your ideas in a clear way. Are â€Å"SAT† and â€Å"ACT† the same? In some ways, the answer is â€Å"yes,† but in many others, the answer is â€Å"no.† Regardless of which test you take, our professional instructors can help you practice for it. Look at our video tutorials and sign up for our in-person or online test prep courses today! Want to learn more about how the SAT and ACT differ? Attend one of our upcoming free live online SAT vs. ACT workshops to determine which exam is right for you. And be sure to find us on Facebook, YouTube, Google+ and Twitter!

Tips from Writers Advice on Content Creation

Writing content, such as articles, blog posts, and e-books is a little different today than it was a decade ago. It’s a lot less formal for one thing. But regardless of what genre you write in, people are busier today than they’ve ever been. Very few people have time to read about things that interest them. They definitely don’t have time to read something that doesn’t have interest or value. For this reason, content intended for busy audiences has to be easily digestible, engaging and error-free. Write First, Edit Later. Experienced writers produce a quality article or blog post pretty quickly when creativity is flowing. If your inner critic gets out too soon though, it can dry up creativity. For me personally, if I switch to editing mode before I’ve written at least three-quarters of an article, it will take me three times as long to finish it.So select your topic and just write until the ideas stop flowing. Take a break, come back, and write more. When you have most of what you want to say on the page in some form, organize it, expand upon each point, and then start your editing process. Keep It Simple Sweetheart. This is true not only for paragraphs but for sentences too. Aim for four sentences of twelve or fewer words per paragraph when possible. Skip unnecessary words and avoid fancy jargon or buzzwords. If you can say it simpler, than do so. Check for unnecessary wording and flowery descriptions when editing your work. One Idea Per Heading. Busy people skim by reading main headings first. Many times, they will make a decision about whether to keep reading or not after only reading your headings. Whatever the topic, break it into the smallest parts possible. Write about one idea, step, or topic per paragraph. Give each section a heading that identifies it. Variety Is the Spice of Life AND Writing. One really great way to spice up your writing and stand out from the crowd, is to use metaphors and imagery that is unique and does not normally go together. Throw things together that don’t belong and then make a connection. Write from the perspective of the villain or the sidekick instead of the hero. Find something that most people would overlook and emphasize that aspect in your story. Anything to make your angle on the topic different than what’s already out there.Every writer has a group of words and/or phrases that they fall back on repeatedly. This occurs often when you are writing to meet a fast-approaching deadline. It can also happen when you are overtired, or just not in the mood to write. To help identify your own favorite repetitive words or phrases, ask others who read your work to point them out to you. There are also several software programs designed to highlight repetition in your documents. Connect to Your Readers. The best way to engage people is to connect with them and the best way to connect with a reader is to speak to them directly. The guidelines for writing have changed and for online content, casual is better. Use the word â€Å"you†, talk to readers as if you are talking to your best friend or your neighbor. Put Your Best â€Å"Pen† Forward. Error-free writing is crucial to making a good first impression. With so many free tools available, an article filled with errors or typos indicates the writer just doesn’t care enough. If you don’t care enough to make sure your writing is error-free, then I can’t really trust the information or advice you are providing not to be sloppy as well. Take advantage of all the resources out there to correct your spelling, your grammar, and to root out any other â€Å"bad habit† errors you may have. Avoid Passive Voice. You will have heard about passive voice if you’ve been writing for any length of time. Consider:The zombie ripped her to shreds. OR She was ripped to shreds by the zombie.Which of those sentences is more exciting? If you still aren’t clear on what passive voice is, never fear. Just get a software program that will identify it in your writing so you can correct yourself before you submit your work. Readability. When you create content for electronic distribution whether for a website, blog post, electronic newsletter, or e-book, you don’t truly know where that content might end up. People of all ages and educational levels have access to the Internet and to your content. Find a free tool, such as Hemingway or WebpageFx and use it to gain insight into grade level and readability. Aim for a score of 60 to 80 on the Flesch Kincaid Readability Scale to be comfortable for most readers. Tell a Story or Tell Why It’s Important. If you’re writing about water safety, tell your reader about the time you were out boating on the lake, everyone was drinking, and your friend fell overboard without a life jacket. Or if you prefer, present the dire water safety statistics that drive home to the reader why they need to care about water safety. Create an Editing Checklist. In all honesty, this last tip is as important as all the rest. Create a checklist that you run through during your proofreading process and just prior to submitting or finalizing your work. A checklist will help you systematically review your written work to ensure you’ve covered all bases. Many writers fail to become good writers partly because they fail to follow some or all of these tips when creating content. Readers want quality, error-free writing. It needs to be engaging, provide value, or make them feel good about some aspect of life. It needs to do all that without errors. If you follow these 10 tips on content creation, you’ll be on the right track.