Bristol Central High School

The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) is a measure of the critical thinking students need for academic success in college. The SAT focuses on the knowledge, skills, and understandings that research has identified as most important for college and career readiness and success. Each section of the SAT is scored on a scale of 200-800, and the optional writing section will contain three sub scores on a scale of 2 to 8. The SAT is typically taken by high school Juniors and Seniors. It is administered seven times a year in the United States. Many competitive colleges and universities require the SAT for admission.

When to take SAT I: Juniors will take the SAT during the school-day in April. They also have the option of taking the test on their own in May or June of Junior year. Seniors usually take the test again in October or November of Senior year. More information can be found online at College Board website.

ACT Access high school students' general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work. The multiple-choice tests cover four skill areas including: English, Mathematics, Science, and Reading. The Writing Test, which is optional, measures skill in planning and writing a short essay. The ACT is required by public colleges and some private colleges in the South, West, and Midwest. At some colleges the ACT can replace the SAT Reasoning Test™ and the SAT Subjects Tests. The ACT is scored with separate section scores plus a composite score averaging the tests.

When to take the ACT: Junior/Senior year. More information can be found online at The ACT Test website.