Kentucky plans to move from ACT to SAT. Here’s what that means for students
Kentucky is moving from the ACT to the SAT for high school juniors’ college entrance exams, the state Department of Education announced.
The Kentucky Department allowed its contract with ACT to expire, and it has a new contract with the SAT, Jennifer Stafford, associate education commissioner, said in a July 15 webcast.
The move has been protested — a typical part of fielding bids from new vendors, as the department did to make the change, Stafford said. The department declined to comment on the change while the protest was ongoing. It was not clear who protested the change.
Students previously took the ACT during the spring of their junior year. They could opt to retake the ACT on their own, and they can still do that under the new contract, which applies only to the junior-year test paid for by the state.
Though the ACT and SAT are similar, there are a few differences between the two admissions exams.
What’s different between the ACT and SAT?
The ACT and SAT cover three of the same topics: math, reading and writing.
The ACT also includes a science portion, while the SAT does not, although the SAT does deliver an “analysis in science” score generated by students’ performance on relevant questions in the math, reading and writing sections.
The SAT does not include an essay portion, while the ACT includes an optional essay section. The ACT is a longer test, allowing three hours and 40 minutes for tests with the essay portion, while the SAT allows two hours and 14 minutes.
The ACT is scored on a scale from 1 to 36, and the SAT is scored on a scale of 400 to 1600.
Both tests are used by colleges in admissions and awarding merit-based scholarships. While students in Kentucky have taken the ACT, colleges accept both ACT and SAT scores in the admissions process.
Which states take the ACT and SAT?
It varies by state whether the ACT or the SAT is taken by high school students. Some students may opt to take both the SAT and ACT and submit their highest score, or if they are applying to out-of-state colleges.
Generally, the ACT is more commonly taken in the South and Midwest, while the SAT is more commonly taken on the East and West Coasts, according to CollegeRaptor, a website for college-bound students.
Kentucky schools remain test-optional
During the COVID-19 pandemic, schools across the country became “test optional” for admissions, as it became difficult for high school students to take the ACT, SAT and other standardized tests during the pandemic. That meant test scores were not required to be submitted when applying for college.
Since then, schools in Kentucky have remained test optional, including the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville. When test scores are not submitted, colleges look at high school grades and curriculum for admissions.
Students can still submit their scores for consideration for certain scholarships or programs.