We had the opportunity of interviewing SN, a student at the University of Pennsylvania about: SAT/ACT Score
Here are some of his qualifications:
A sophomore at UPenn, Wharton School of Business
Maintained a 4.4 GPA in high school
Previously involved in Model United Nations, Varsity Soccer, Varsity Tennis, Wind Orchestra, Marching Band, Mu Alpha Theta, National Honor Society
Here are some important words SN shares:
"If I could go back, I would probably try to do more full practice runs just to get a feel for the timing a little better."
"Khan Academy was my greatest resource. I highly recommend taking advantage of it."
Q: Which standardized tests did you take? How did you determine which one fit you best?
A: I took both the SAT and ACT. Personally, I liked the SAT a little better even though it is considered harder by most people. Despite the difficulty, it seems you get a little more time to complete each question, and I would prefer the more difficult questions if it means I get more time. I was never a super fast worker, but I have always been pretty good at reasoning through things so the SAT worked much better for me. If you are the type of person that blows through things quickly, consider trying the ACT.
Q: How was your routine structured when practicing for ACT/SAT? (ex. prioritize ACT/SAT, schedule time for each section, do a separate section each day, etc.)
A: I used online resources (Khan Academy, Kaplan) to study and I prioritized the SAT. I typically only did one section of practice at a time. If I could go back, I would probably try to do more full practice runs just to get a feel for the timing a little better.
Q: What do you think has helped you most in taking the SAT/ACT? (practice tests, tutors, Khan Academy, books, study groups, school, etc.)
A: Khan Academy was my greatest resource. I highly recommend taking advantage of it. For the ACT, Kaplan is a great practice site.
Q: Can you share some advice on how you approached the essay section if you did it?
A: The essay section doesn’t matter too much in my opinion, but I typically take the first 10 or so minutes to brainstorm a thesis/line of reasoning and then jump right into writing.
Q: Which section was the hardest for you and how did you overcome that?
A: Reading was my hardest section because I'm much more of a math guy and have never been a fast reader. To be completely honest, I didn’t really overcome it to the degree that I probably could have but more so just relied on my ability to get a perfect score on the math to bring my combined score up.
Q: Did you prioritize the ACT/SAT for college applications?
A: I submitted both, but prioritized SAT.
Think you know someone or are someone that can give some advice? Fill out this form here!
Have more questions based on what you’ve read? Submit them here!