Zephyrus: How do students pick whether the ACT or SAT is better for them?
Dylan Hackbarth: In the upper Midwest, we are very ACT-centric, to the point where, by state law, every public high school in the state has to offer the ACT, and that determination is made because of lobbying from those organizations at the state legislature. I worked in northern Virginia, and we had to offer the SAT. Part of it is just regional, but it’s really important to know that most colleges and universities are going to accept either the ACT or SAT. It just so happens that the vast majority of Edina kids will lock in on the ACT, partially because of that ease of access. It’s as basic as access; there are fewer SAT test sites in the Twin Cities than there are ACT test sites. Another factor that students need to consider is the modality with which they take their exams. The SAT has gone completely digital, whereas the ACT still offers paper or online. Edina High School has remained a paper and pencil site for the ACT, and you can look for a computer-based site if that’s a better modality for you, but for those who prefer something more tactile and real in front of them, it’s nice that the ACT still has that option. Another delineator between the two exams is that the ACT still does offer an optional science section, whether or not colleges and universities care about that anymore. If you’re going to take the ACT, just take the science section, just so you have it.
Z.: Should students take standardized testing?
D.H.: Every student should take an ACT or SAT, regardless of whether their dream school is test-optional, because so much can happen between junior and senior year so every student needs that in their back pocket in case something changes and they decide they’re going to apply to the school that’s going to require it. I come from a stance of “build a very full menu of options as you’re getting into your college application season so you have lots of choices to choose off the menu later.” We can help refine those decisions. Sometimes parents who went to school in the 90s have a perception that if you’re going to the coast, you need the SAT, but that’s not the case anymore. Students who know what their potential colleges require are at a benefit. If you’re really focused on getting into a California public school, they are test blind. So, if Berkeley is your dream, your SAT score is just not going to matter. But if you want to go to a public college in Florida, Georgia, or Tennessee, by law in those states you have to have an ACT or SAT when you apply.
Z.: How should students prepare for standardized testing?
D.H.: With preparation, it’s okay to do one of the diagnostics or exams without a ton of prep so you know where you fall and how it feels. Taking an official exam early without a ton of prep will definitely give an insight into where you’re falling, but if you don’t want to take a full exam without prep, Edina Public Schools has access to free online prep through our media center and Learning Express Library. Ms. Swenson made a really wonderful guide on it. There is a full ACT or SAT prep course. Use what’s free and structure some prep. Treat it like a part-time job; if you are bagging groceries at Lunds, from four to seven you’re locked in, you’re doing that, and you’re done. Maybe not a three-hour chunk, but maybe one hour of studying twice a week. Once it’s done, it’s done, but I would really take the time to assess my skills. What helps is to backwards-map it and know what your schools will require before you invest that time and energy, so starting with the college search is pretty important.
Z.: What resources would you recommend students use to study?
D.H.: Public libraries have a lot of free ACT and SAT prep. Before we think we need to go spend a lot of money on a private tutor, explore the free stuff first. If a kid doesn’t know how to start that process, come talk to us and we can help you figure that out.
Z.: What do you think students don’t know about the ACT or SAT that they should know?
D.H.: Most colleges out there exercise something called score choice, where if a student has taken an ACT multiple times, they only report their highest score per section. Also, planning is really important because you can’t expect you’re going to get a seat a week before an SAT. In the end, there’s so much to stress about, and I would also suggest there’s so much we don’t need to stress about. In so many ways, in the current environment with college admissions and test-optional policies, it’s really important to remember there are so many wonderful options that exercise holistic admissions without test scores. If the ACT or SAT does not go the way you want it to go, it is one test on one day and not indicative of your potential. I would suggest every student should take it, but do I think every kid is going to be using it for their admissions? No.
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on April 9, 2026
