1. There is an alternative. Before you embark on the arduous journey to earning a good SAT score, ask yourself an important question that many students often neglect: Is this even the right test for me? The ACT is an alternative to the SAT and, contrary to popular belief, is accepted at all four-year schools that accept the SAT. The ACT is different from the SAT in both structure and the type of questions that are asked. The best way to determine which is best for you is to take a timed practice version of each test. Yes, it's time consuming, but those hours you sacrifice are a wise investment, experts say. "Ultimately, the best way to know for sure is to take practice tests," says Kristen Campbell, director of college prep programs at Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions. "At the end of the day, until you're actually experiencing what it's like to go through the tests, it's hard to get a feel for which way you should go."

2. Love books? You'll love the SAT. The SAT directly tests vocabulary in its sentence-completion section. In order to excel, experts say students need to be well read and eager to look up words when they come across one they can't define in the years prior to the test. Experts say the test favors verbally inclined students and that the math is easier than that found on the ACT. While the SAT directly tests vocabulary, the ACT does not, so it may not be the right test for you if you've found yourself favoring your iPod over a novel during recent summers spent poolside. Joya Ahmad, a junior at William Penn Charter School near Philadelphia, received a perfect 2400 on the SAT she took this March. She credits her love of books over the years with her success on the verbal side. "I'm a hugely avid reader," she says. "I'll read through parts of the dictionary for fun."

3. Pressure cooker. If taking tests has not been your forte through your academic life, the SAT might not be your best option. Testing experts say the test is best suited for students who don't mind being under the gun repeatedly and thrive under pressure. The test has nine sections, which means students must be prepared to answer questions in short bursts, something that could pose a problem for students who need to take time or skip around broader sections like those found on the ACT. "[Nine] times you have this pressure, of 'Five minutes left … put your pencils down!'" says Ed Carroll, executive director of high school program development at thePrinceton Review.

4. Don't get fooled. While the math on the SAT is a bit easier than it is on the ACT, it's certainly not simple. Rather than relying on complicated concepts or delving into trigonometry, the SAT math section will oftentimes try to trick students who rush and don't read each question carefully, according to Carroll. He notes that the tricks aren't intricate, but they can be easily overlooked by students who aren't paying attention to detail. "The classic example is that [the test] often asks, 'What is X+1?' instead of 'What is X?'" he says. "And of course, the bad answer will be there. Your math and your calculations are perfect. X equals five and you circle five, but the answer is six."

5. When in doubt, leave it blank … sometimes. One of the best-known strategies for tackling the SAT is to simply leave an answer blank if you don't know the answer. The test has a "guessing penalty" that punishes students who take a wild swing at a question that is beyond their intellectual reach by deducting points for incorrect answers. While leaving the answer blank on questions you don't know is a wise strategy, in some cases, it's actually better to guess. If you're able to narrow the answer down to two or three choices, guessing is the wiser option, as the odds of you getting the question right outweigh the penalty for a wrong answer. "I tell students, 'If you have no idea, skip it,'" says Carroll. "If you can narrow it down to two or three, you should be aggressive. Statistically, it will benefit you across the whole test."

6. Your mind may be ready, but prepare your body, too.Nervous students oftentimes spend the weeks leading up to the test cooped up in their rooms, studying feverishly. Sometimes it's best to put the books down, get some fresh air, and clear your mind. Ahmad, who got a perfect score, runs cross country and claims that she garnered tremendous benefit by taking some time away from cramming and lacing up her running shoes. "One of the best things is to center the mind, get rid of that nervous energy, and clear everything out so that I had room to absorb all of that information was to run," she says. "Staying active allowed my brain not to get overloaded because I had time to decompress."

Plus, at roughly four to five hours, these tests require physical stamina. It's important to be rested on test day and let your body acclimate to the testing experience by taking timed practice tests. Just like training for a sporting event, your mind and body will be better prepared for the testing situation if you've been through it before. Ahmad took five practice tests in the months leading up to her SAT. "[Five hours] is a long time to be in a highly focused state of mind—likely longer than most students' testing experiences," says Campbell of Kaplan. "So, you want to get a couple of those sessions under your belt before you go into the real thing."

[See the median SAT scores at America's Best Colleges.]

7. Know the classes that matter. On the math section, what you learned in algebra I and geometry comprise nearly everything on the test. It's most important to review those materials. There are some elements from algebra II, but they aren't tested heavily. The multiple-choice questions in the writing section test some of the basic elements of grammar, which regularly go uncovered in high school English classes. "If you've ever had a grammar class, that would help," says Carroll. "A lot of kids don't even know what a preposition is."

8. Don't fret about comma splices on the essay. Twenty-five minutes is not nearly enough time to craft an intricate, polished piece of writing, making the essay the most intimidating portion of the test for many students. But don't stress. There's no need to strive for perfection, experts say. Yes, grammar does play a small part in the grading of the essay, but essay readers are primarily looking for you to demonstrate that you can answer the question posed to you using a well-structured, coherent argument. If a few semicolons are misplaced and a few words misspelled, do not despair. "The essay is not as scary as it seems," says Carroll. "The best thing you can do is answer their questions clearly with support. Details like facts, spelling, and punctuation are not emphasized as highly in terms of grading. They certainly matter, but in reality, the essays are largely graded on how accurately you answer the question and the logic and support of your argument."

9. Use every second. If you get bogged down trying to answer a question that has you stumped, skip it and revisit it using whatever extra time you have after you've worked through the full section. "You will do better on the test overall if you give each question its fair share of time, versus spending all your time on question number seven," says Alexis Avila, founder and president of Prepped & Polished, a Boston area-based college counseling and tutoring firm. "If you get stumped on any question, circle the question and go back to it at the end if time permits."

Also, even if you've answered every question in the section, rework the problems that gave you the most trouble if you have spare time. Ahmad found she had ample time at the end of each section to go back and rework some of the tougher problems. She says double-checking her answers helped contribute to her perfect score.

1. You have options. It's wise to invest some time to pick the test that best suits your skills and test-taking strengths, rather than simply selecting the ACT or SAT at random. Experts agree that students should take a timed practice version of each test to determine which one they're more comfortable with and which one might give them the best score. Colleges put equal weight into both tests, so there's no drawback in taking the ACT if you feel you can perform better. The official practice tests provided by the College Board (SAT) and ACT, Inc. can take several hours each but are the most effective way to help you earn a high score. "The ACT is a shorter and more straightforward test than the SAT," says Alexis Avila, founder and president of Prepped & Polished, a Boston area-based college counseling and tutoring firm. "To decide which test is best suited for you, I suggest taking a practice test for both the SAT and ACT, and go for the test that yielded the best results."

2. Are you a math whiz? If so, the ACT is for you. Experts say that the math section on the ACT offers more challenging problems than those on the SAT. While the SAT might try to trick test takers with subtle wording in its otherwise simpler math questions, the ACT tests harder material and requires a deeper background in math in order to be successful. There are four trigonometry questions on the ACT and a higher concentration of intermediate algebra questions. Why should you take a test that has tougher math? There is a trade-off, experts say. The ACT does not directly test vocabulary like the SAT does. A strong working vocabulary is useful for the reading sections, but not essential for a good score. If you're a stronger math student, but have some catching up to do on the English side, the ACT is likely your best choice. "I think the ACT is a viable option for a lot of [mathematically inclined] students," says Ed Carroll, executive director of high school program development at the Princeton Review.

3. Pay attention in the science lab. Unlike the SAT, the ACT has a science reasoning section. While only a handful of these questions are based on science content assimilated during school, a working knowledge of and familiarity with scientific concepts is advantageous. A bulk of the questions in the scientific reasoning section require you to examine graphs and data to draw conclusions. While simply reading these questions carefully, examining the data closely, and ignoring any superfluous information is enough to excel at these questions, a background in science keeps the questions from looking too complex at first glance. "They do a good job of making it look really confusing," says Carroll. "That section can be trouble for people who aren't necessarily science inclined."

The time limit can be a significant obstacle in the science section as well. Those who have had success on the test advise students not to spend too much time dissecting the scientific data or graphs. "There's not enough time to read all of the articles and graphs in the science section of the ACT," says Anna Lawrence, a high school junior from Illinois who scored a 35 out of 36 in April. "Go to the questions first and refer to the information as needed."

4. Take practice tests. After taking those initial tests that help you decide whether the ACT is right for you, it's important to test frequently. Schools sometimes don't provide their students with ACT prep questions as part of classwork like they do with SAT questions, so familiarizing yourself with the subtle differences in question style and format by practicing is beneficial. And don't simply sit down with a book and try to knock out a few problems when you have a spare 10 minutes. People that have had success on the test claim that they would block out time to complete a whole practice section, or an entire practice version of the test, to prepare them for the actual testing experience. Ryan Pope, now a Harvard University graduate, took the ACT during his junior year of high school in 2003, scoring a 34. The biggest key to his success? He took five practice tests on his own. "Going through previous tests did a lot for me," he says. "In my opinion, there's no substitute for sitting down with a book of old exams and just going through them."

5. Don't skip questions. Another key difference between the SAT and ACT is that there is no penalty for getting a question incorrect on the ACT. The SAT's penalty is in place in order to keep students from guessing, but ACT test takers can guess freely if they're stumped or out of time. Experts say it's best to work through each section in its entirety, skipping questions that prove to be problematic. Return to those questions when you've finished the entire section, but if you run out of time and are still clueless, pick a letter and bubble in any questions you have skipped. "No answer should be left blank," says Carroll. "Even if you run out of time, you should just pick the letter of the day."

6. Know your directions. Through practice, you should get to know the directions for each section before you take the actual test. Because there are only four sections, learning what to expect from each type of problem should come easily with enough repetition. If you know the directions, experts say, there's no need to waste precious minutes reading the descriptions at the beginning of each section. This will buy you added time to solve tougher questions at the end of a section. This can be a risky strategy, but it could pay off if you practice enough before the test. It's particularly beneficial to slow test takers. "You want to know what the directions are for each section," says Kristen Campbell, director of college prep programs at Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions. "It's about time saving. You're going to need every second you can get to answer the questions. The last thing you want to do is spend a couple of minutes up front reading directions."

2. Decide which tests you will take this fall: If you have already taken the SAT two times and are disappointed by the results, you might be facing a point of diminishing returns. Consider turning your attention to the ACT. Achieving a respectable score on the ACT means that admissions officers have options with regard to the test results they can use to rationalize offering you a place in their respective classes.

[Get 6 tips for ACT success.]

3. Consider waiting to see the results first: For tests taken this fall, you may want to wait until you have seen the results before deciding to have official score reports sent to colleges. This is an option afforded you through Score Choice by both testing agencies (College Board and ACT) in acknowledgement of the fact that you own the results and can control where they are sent. With Score Choice, you can choose, for a fee, the test results that are to be submitted to each college.

4. Keep the "superscore" in mind: At most colleges, admissions officers will look at the best combination of scores. If you have taken the SAT two to three times, your best Critical Reading score might have come on your third test while your best math score might have come on your second test. In order for colleges to pull results from different test administrations for a "superscore," you will need to submit scores from each. The prevalence of "superscoring" makes Score Choice an unnecessary consideration at most colleges.

[Explore the U.S. News college test prep guide.]

5. Arrange for test results to be sent directly to schools: Colleges strongly prefer to receive SAT and ACT test results directly from the testing services. Make arrangements with the appropriate testing service to have your results sent directly to the colleges to which you are applying. If you are electing the Score Choice option, you will need to designate the date(s) of the test administration(s) for which you want scores submitted.

6. Find out which colleges require SAT Subject Tests: Some will require specific tests while others simply indicate that you must submit a certain number of test results for subjects that you may choose.

[Learn 9 tips for SAT success.]

7. Submit your college applications: Don't hold off on submitting your applications for admission until you have all of the results from tests to be taken this fall or winter. You shouldn't have to report actual scores on your applications. As long as you register with the testing service to have your scores sent to the colleges in question, the results of fall testing will be forwarded automatically to those colleges within two to three weeks.

8. Consider test-optional opportunities: Compare your results with the range of scores reported for each test-optional college. If your scores fall in the bottom 50 percent of the score ranges, logic would suggest that you elect not to submit your scores, as they will do nothing to enhance your application. A complete list of test-optional colleges can be found online at The National Center for Fair and Open Testing.

9. Choose colleges at which your testing profile is a good fit: Remember, colleges are fond of reporting high scores for their entering classes. Target schools where your scores are in the top 25 percent of those reported for enrolled students—they will establish you as a viable candidate. The further your scores fall below the midpoint of the reported range of scores at a college, the less likely you will be admitted at that college.