It’s a perennial dilemma: SAT or ACT?  However, soon the choice will get far more interesting.

Beginning September 2020, students will be permitted to retake individual sections of the five-part ACT to improve their scores, removing the need to take the whole three-hour test in one sitting. 

Senior Anannya Pushkarna, who has taken the ACT three times, was not surprised to learn about the change.

“Every ACT test ends with a small questionnaire asking students if they prefer individual ACT sections instead of taking them all again in one sitting,” Pushkarna said. 

Currently, the ACT and SAT are similar in format.  Except for a slight change in time allotment and an added science section on the ACT, the two tests cover the same material. Students at NASH commonly take both tests multiple times in the hopes of achieving the highest score possible. Yet the change to the ACT holds the potential to alter student strategies.

Juniors are generally pleased about the change, as they will be some of the first to experience and most likely benefit from the new policy.

“I think the new super score policy is extremely beneficial to all students,” junior Ali Morrison said.  “Being able to retake individual sections allows for students to focus on the areas they need to improve on.”

Katrina Evancho, however, questioned the news.

“I think that it will make ACT scores less effective in determining intelligence in specific areas,” the junior said, “because students will just continuously take a section that they may struggle with for a higher final score that would make them appear to excel in all sections.” 

For seniors, the response to the ACT’s new policy has been less divided.

“I think it is unfair that you are allowed to retake certain sections because it’s the challenge of covering many subjects in an allotted time that makes the ACT hard,” Sami Ky said.

With the new policy, the question remains whether the SAT will follow suit in order to remain competitive with the rival ACT, which until last year has been the more popular test nationwide.

For now, the only thing students can do is accept the change and plan accordingly. Seniors can put the chapter of standardized testing behind them as they look forward to graduation. Juniors, on the other hand, now have to re-strategize for next year.

“I’m all for the new ACT,” junior Lillian Wolfe said. “I think it’s going to be very helpful.”