The ACT is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. It is a multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper test administered by ACT, Inc.

The purpose of the ACT test is to measure a high school student's readiness for college, and provide colleges with one common data point that can be used to compare all applicants. College admissions officers will review standardized test scores alongside your high school GPA, the classes you took in high school, letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors, extracurricular activities, admissions interviews, and personal essays.

Overall, the higher you score on the ACT and/or SAT, the more options for attending and paying for college will be available to you.

The SAT is a multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper test created and administered by the College Board and used as an entrance exam.

Register online on the College Board website. SAT registration deadlines fall approximately five weeks before each test date.

Most colleges and universities will accept scores from either the SAT or ACT, and do not favor one test over the other. That said, college-bound students are increasingly taking both the SAT and ACT.