An important part of preparing for the college application process is to take standardized college entrance exams. Colleges may require either the ACT or SAT for admissions purposes, and all colleges will accept either test for admissions. It is important to note, some colleges are test blind (will not use test scores in the admission process) while others are test optional (explained below).
Students often wonder which test they should be taking. Students can decide between the SAT and ACT by considering several factors:
Test format and content
Math and calculator policy
Time management
Practice and preparation
Personal strengths
State requirements (Spring 2025 for Class of 2026 and beyond - ACT will be an IL graduation requirement)
Ultimately, the best way for students to decide is to take full-length practice tests for both the SAT and ACT, compare their performance and comfort level with each, and consider which test better showcases their abilities. It's also worth noting that many colleges have adopted test-optional policies, so students should carefully review the admissions requirements for the schools they are interested in. Please use Fair Test to explore the list of these colleges or check with individual colleges on their updated testing policy. We also recommend watching updated webinars from Compass Prep Education Group on College Admission and Testing.
Super Scoring: Some colleges will also superscore test scores, which means they will take the highest subscores from multiple tests and average them to get a higher composite score. Not all colleges will superscore, so please visit Compass Education Group or view the college website to see a list of superscoring policies.
Self- Reporting: Recently, there are colleges who will allow students to self-report ACT and/or SAT test scores in the application process. This means you do not have to send an official score report when you APPLY, but will only have to send an official score report when you ENROLL. Please access Compass to find a detailed list of these colleges.
Finally, this is information about TESTING AT DEERFIELD HIGH SCHOOL.
Resources:
ACT-SAT Concordance Table: ACT and the College Board have completed a concordance study that is designed to examine the relationship between scores on the ACT test and the SAT. These concordance tables do not equate scores, but rather provide a tool for finding comparable scores. You always want to send the score(s) that best represent your ability.
Freshmen:
PSAT 8/9: The PSAT 8/9 measures the skills and knowledge (at the level of content and skill appropriate for eighth and ninth grades) that research shows are the most important for success in college and career. The Reading Test measures comprehension and reasoning skills and focuses on close reading of passages in a wide array of subject areas. The Writing and Language Test measures a range of skills, including command of evidence, expression of ideas, and the use of standard English conventions in grammar and punctuation. The Math Test covers a range of math practices, with an emphasis on problem-solving, modeling, using tools strategically, and using algebraic structure. This test is required and is taken in April. The test is used to measure students' growth in verbal, mathematics, and writing skills and is considered practice for the SAT.
Sophomores:
PSAT 10: The PSAT 10 measures the skills and knowledge that research shows are the most important for success in college and career. The Reading Test measures comprehension and reasoning skills and focuses on close reading of passages in a wide variety of subject areas. The Writing and Language Test measures a range of skills, including command of evidence, expression of ideas, and the use of standard English conventions in grammar and punctuation. The Math Test covers a range of math practices, with an emphasis on problem-solving, modeling, using tools strategically, and using algebraic structure. This test is required and taken in April. The test is used to measure students' continued growth in verbal, mathematics, and writing skills and is considered practice for the SAT.
Juniors:
PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT): This test is taken in October. About a 1/3 of DHS students choose to take this exam. In addition to measuring growth, this test is used as the first step in qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship Program. Students will receive their scores in early December. Commended Students are named on the basis of a nationally applied Selection Index score, which may vary from year to year and is different from state to state. High scoring juniors will be designated as National Merit semi-finalists and will be asked to take an SAT test and fill out an application in order to be considered for the National Merit scholarship. Semifinalists are the highest-scoring program entrants in each state and represent the top 1% percent of the state’s students. From the semifinalist group, students may advance to finalist standing. Winners are the finalist candidates judged to have the strongest combination of academic skills and achievements, extracurricular accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous university studies. Sophomore and junior students have the opportunity to take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). We strongly encourage all students to take advantage of this opportunity. The school district will cover the costs to take this test for all interested students. DHS registration is required.
Takeaways:
The PSAT can be a great tool to help students prepare for the SAT at low or no cost to the family.
Scores won’t be a one-to-one predictor of a student’s SAT score, but they can serve as a good estimate.
Take advantage of the PSAT as a practice tool. The more you practice, the better chance you have of reaching your goal on the real test!
Practice or tutoring is a great option to learn test-taking strategies, and to help students understand the concepts that they will see on test day.
Resources:
Accessing Your Score Report
Understanding Your Scores
Calculating the NMSQT Selection Index
Understanding National Merit Semifinalist Cutoffs
The ACT is curriculum-based and tests four areas: English, mathematics, reading, and scientific reasoning (optional). Sub-scores ranges from 1-36 will be given in each of these areas as well as an overall composite score.
Score Reports - How to view and print ACT scores
The ACT test also includes an optional writing test, however unless you are applying to these 3 schools, we do not recommend taking the ACT with writing.
As of 2023, there are only 3 schools in the US that still require the ACT with Writing (or haven't clarified otherwise):
Martin Luther College (MN)
Soka University of America (CA)
United States Military Academy (West Point) (NY)
If you apply to any of these schools, you must take the ACT with Writing, otherwise your application won't be considered complete, and it won't be reviewed.
*Be sure to check with each college to which you apply before you register for any standardized test as requirements can change.
When registering, take advantage of sending your scores to 4 schools for free. If you score higher on another test, schools will consider your higher scores. You are not penalized for lower scores.
The spring of your junior year is the best time to take an ACT.
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has announced that starting next spring, the ACT exam will replace the SAT as the standardized test for high school students in the state. This change is set to take effect in the spring of 2025 and is part of the state's compliance with federal mandates under the Every Student Succeeds Act, which requires accountability assessments for high school students. More about the ACT changes can be found here.
Register: www.actstudent.org
Tests: 7 opportunties: September, October, December, February, April, June, July (limited availability)
In the summer of 2024, ACT announced it was undergoing two major changes to give students more options and flexiblity. The science section is becoming optional, and all the sections will have fewer questions with more time per question.
The changes are designed to make the test more appealing to students, but there is uncertainity around the transition. Testing sites will likely be very limited because the online ACT is only administered on school controlled devices and most school sites prefer to offer the paper ACT. It is also unclear whether the college will move to require the science section and how they will handle superscoring the new test.
Because of the uncertainity surrounding online testing availability and college admission policies, Compass Education Group advises most test-takers in the Class of 2026 to pursue the current ("classic") ACT or SAT.
The SAT test measures both critical thinking and achievement through math and evidence based reading and writing. Scoring ranges from 200-800 in 2 sections of reading and math for a maximum of 1600 points. The optional essay has been eliminated, except for required state testing. When registering, take advantage of sending your scores to 4 schools for free. If you score higher on another test, schools will consider the higher scores. You are not penalized for lower scores.
The spring of your junior year is the best time to take an SAT.
Test Prep - The best preparation for the SAT is to take challenging high school core courses and to work hard to learn the material. A variety of FREE test preparation materials are available through Khan Academy, who has partnered with College Board. Khan Academy will allow you to link your scores from the PSAT 8/9, PSAT 10, PSAT/NMSQT and/or SAT which will provide you with customized lesson plans based off of particular areas needing improvement. Deerfield High School also offers a Study Strategies course. Please see the Program of Studies for more information.
Register: https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register
Tests: 7 and 1 state (August, October, November, December, March, April (State), May, June)
*The State test in April is free and there is no need to register.
**The State test in April will be moving to ACT for April 2025.
The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a heavily researched and well-respected aptitude test developed by the Department of Defense. It measures a young adult’s strengths and potential for success in military training.
View some ASVAB sample questions and know what to expect on test day.
More information:
https://www.todaysmilitary.com/joining-eligibility/asvab-test
Ordering Official Score Reports
Deerfield High School does not send standardized test scores. It is the student’s responsibility to send official test scores to colleges directly from the testing agency. At the time of registration for the ACT, or SAT you may specify up to four colleges to receive your scores as part of your registration fee. For ACT, you can list up to four colleges within five days after the test date up until noon central time. For SAT, you can list up to four colleges up to nine days after the test date. You can also request to send ACT or SAT score reports to additional schools for an additional fee. After the test is taken, you can request your official test scores be sent to colleges through the following websites:
ACT: www.actstudent.org
SAT: www.collegeboard.org
When reporting scores, you can choose to submit test scores from a specific testing date or submit all your test scores. Students often prefer to send only their tests with the highest composite scores. However, some selective schools require ALL scores to be sent. Other colleges use the highest test score when multiple scores have been sent. And other colleges combine the highest sub scores from multiple tests to compute a higher composite score, known as a “superscore.” Here is a list of colleges who superscore. For these reasons, it may be a good idea for students to send all test scores that represent their highest and best. Check with each college to determine their policy.
PLEASE NOTE: When indicating colleges to receive your scores, All SAT scores are automatically sent to colleges unless you choose to use 'Score Choice,' which allows you to specify which SAT you'd like sent.
PLEASE NOTE: SAT scores are sent to colleges electronically on a rolling basis. College Board delivers rush scores two to three days a week, typically on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Non-rush scores ordered outside of registration are delivered once a week, typically on Wednesdays. Because of scheduling conflicts, scores might be delivered on different days or less frequently. IT IS RECOMMENDED TO ORDER YOUR SCORES TWO WEEKS BEFORE A DEADLINE TO HAVE AMPLE TIME TO BE RECEIVED AND ACCOUNTED FOR.
Use your My Colleges tab to double check the standardized test policy for each of your colleges. If your colleges do not require "ACT with Essay" or "SAT with Essay", you do not need to report your writing scores.
If you don't want to report your ACT or SAT writing scores when they are optional, please use the following steps. In the Testing section of your Common App tab, answer "No" to the following questions:
Have you taken the ACT plus Writing test?
Have you taken the SAT essay?
This will ensure that you do not have to enter SAT or ACT writing scores.
Test Optional Defined
Test-optional admissions describes the process by which many colleges and universities consider for admissions all or most applicants without requiring an ACT or SAT test score to be submitted. FairTest has been defining, tracking, and promoting such policies since the organization was founded in 1985.
The most common terms associated with these polcies are:
Test optional: This is both a blanket term for schools which do not require applicants to submit test scores before admissions decisions are made, including test-free institutions, and a more specific label for the more than 1,700 bachelor-degree granting schools that currently give students the power to choose whether ACT/SAT scores will be considered in the admissions process.
Test-free: This refers to institutions that will not consider ACT or SAT results in the admissions process even if scores are submitted. As of September, 2023, about 86 campuses, including the University of California and the California State University, the nation’s largest public higher education system, are test-free.Test-free is sometimes referred to as “test blind”.
Given that the U.S. has a large and varied higher educational system, each university with test optional admissions practices might administer these policies slightly differently. More information can be found at: https://fairtest.org/test-optional/
Additional Reading:
Defining access: How test-optional works (no date) National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Available at: https://www.nacacnet.org/defining-access-how-test-optional-works/ (Accessed: November 29, 2022).
Selingo, J. (2022) What does an SAT score mean anymore?, Intelligencer. Intelligencer. Available at: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2022/11/what-does-an-sat-score-mean-in-a-test-optional-world.html?utm_campaign=Next+newsletter+sample+campaign&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=234758202&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9zB4PBz32NoukWQ7RWrAReRrHOK95MiHbIqdKT-iakHOT1ytp0PLeIYgwBuEPzJUtrt8SVnLEAcWY8lSf-LNwZPLBUig&utm_content=234758202&utm_source=hs_email (Accessed: November 29, 2022).
Bello, A. and Feder, H. (2022) Why high school students don't need the sat anymore, Word In Black. Available at: https://wordinblack.com/2022/11/why-high-school-students-dont-need-sat-anymore/ (Accessed: November 29, 2022).
The best preparation for the ACT/SAT is to take challenging high school core courses and to work hard to learn the material. ACT/SAT offers FREE test prep on their website.
Deerfield High School also offers a Study Strategies course. Please see the Program of Studies for more information.
Study Strategies:
Open to: Grade 11 and 1st semester of grade 12
Note: This course does not fulfill the four-year English graduation requirement. Study Strategies, a semester-long course, is for students who want to improve their performance on standardized tests such as the PSAT, SAT, and ACT. The program includes instruction in reading comprehension, grammar, usage, vocabulary development, and mathematical and science reasoning skills. These skills directly prepare students for college admissions tests. Students will receive instruction and feedback in individual and large group formats. Students earn ½ credit per semester. The class meets two times per week. Classes can be scheduled opposite sciencelab periods, though the course can be scheduled separately. Grades are pass/fail. There is no homework for this class.
Free test prep:- If you’re planning to test, take advantage of these resources:
Deerfield Public Library: New online resource, Peterson's Test and Career Prep. Peterson’s Test and Career Prep helps students prepare for upcoming standardized tests, like the ACT, SAT, AP, CLEP, etc. Students will be able to find in-depth information on undergraduate and graduate programs, tuition and scholarship assistance, and more. Plus, Peterson's also has a wonderful partnership with VisualCV where students are able to use templates to create visually interesting resumés, cover letters, and websites that can be externally shared with prospective employers. All of this is free and ready to be used with a DPL library card! The CCRC wanted to make sure you knew about this new resource. This resource can be found on their website here. Under general resources>Peterson's Test and Career Prep