The ACT (American College Test) is also used by colleges in the college admissions process; most schools will accept either the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT and leave the selection to the student. The ACT is a four-hour exam designed to measure critical reading, mathematical, science and social studies reasoning abilities; the writing sub-test is optional, but we strongly recommend that our students take this optional portion. As is the case with the SAT Reasoning Test, students’ scores usually improve with repeated testing and we recommend that our juniors test two or three times; the test is offered multiple times through the school year. Some students find ACT testing to their advantage on two accounts. First, the ACT focuses on four, rather than two, areas of study. Second, the ACT does not subtract points for incorrect answers as does the SAT. The test is administered at the high school, but students must register at www.actstudent.org. Scores are mailed to students’ homes approximately four weeks after the exam.