SAT or ACT+Writing? But most of all When?

[you'llneverknow]

Hey guys, this is my first year in IB. I am planning to take etiher SAT or Act with Writing but I don't know which one to choose? I want to prepare for them in IBDP1 so I wouldn't get all busy next year. I would like to get into a uni either in USA or Canada. So which one should I choose? I have always heard that ACT is more simple and more direct than the SAT, what do you say? Also one important question I have in my mind is that I am not taking bio as one of my IB classes, but if I take SAT Bio test would that count for getting into some programmes like Molecular Biology, Biochemistry etc. ? Also, when do you think I should take those tests? When should I start preparing for them? 

Help me please!!! 

[Guest Sonia]

1) you should start preparing asap if you want a good score and also start taking them now so that you get practice!

 

2) the ACT is more direct, cause you get each section separately so it's like 45 minutes english, then 60 minutes math etc. The SAT is in sections of around 20 minutes and they are they are mixed so you jump from reading to math to reading again etc. But the SAT does not have a science section, and personally I do pretty bad on it on the ACT because it's towards the end and my brain is dead by then. What I liked about the SAT is that you do the essay first (in ACT is last), so I am focused and energetic and get it over with So it really depends how your brain works I guess: some people work better in 25 minute sections than one hour long sections. You might want to take both the ACT and SAT to see which one seems easier to you. But, another thing that happened to me is that I've taken both tests twice, once in June of junior year and then fall of senior year, and my ACT score improved A LOT, while my SAT score only improved a bit. 

3) If you don't take IB bio but you want to take the SAT bio test, you have to study a lot to learn the material! So get a book or two and start studying as soon as you can. The good thing is there are 2 SAT bio tests, one is more molecular, while the other is more environmental. So since you're going for molecular bio, you can take that specific test and you need to learn only that specific material (instead of all of biology). 

Just a thought though: why don't you take the SAT Chemistry test? It's pretty much the same syllabus as in IB and if you get a SAT book for chem, it would also help you for IB. And if you're going for biochem, even molecular bio, I assume unis would accept either bio or chem, no?

 

Good luck!