EPISODE · Jun 4, 2026 · 40 MIN
SAT vs. ACT: What Families Need to Know About Test Scores in 2026
from Ol' College Try · host Matt and Peg's College Planning Podcast
Should your student take the SAT or ACT? Do test scores still matter? And if a college is test-optional, is it really optional?In this episode, host Matt Carpenter and co-host Peg Keough are joined by College Aid Pro admissions expert Joe Korfmaker to break down everything families need to know about standardized testing in today's admissions landscape.Joe brings experience from both the high school counseling and college admissions sides of the process, helping families understand how test scores fit into admissions decisions, scholarship opportunities, and overall college planning.In this episode, we cover:📝 The key differences between the SAT and ACT💻 How the new digital SAT works (and what's changed)📊 Which students tend to perform better on each test🎯 How many times a student should realistically take the SAT or ACT🏫 What "test optional," "test required," and "test blind" actually mean📈 Why test scores still matter at many colleges—even in a test-optional world💰 How higher scores can unlock additional merit scholarships🔍 How to decide whether to submit scores to specific colleges⭐ What superscoring is and how it can help students maximize their results📚 Why building the right college list matters more than obsessing over a single test scoreThe episode also includes an important FAFSA update from the Department of Education, including new changes that allow families to see FAFSA results and corrections in real time—making financial aid planning easier and faster than ever.💡 Key takeaway: Standardized tests still matter, but they shouldn't drive your entire college strategy. Take a practice SAT and ACT, choose the test that fits your student best, take it two or three times, and focus just as much on financial fit and college affordability as you do on admissions.🎵 This episode's song pick: Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker — Joe Korfmarker's ultimate summer road-trip anthem and a guaranteed crowd singalong.🎧 Listen to our full podcast playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7qS...📚 Resources & Links🔢 Understand your college costs for FREE→ Create your MyCAP Account: https://hubs.li/Q03PTJ_x0→ Student Loan Fact Sheet: https://hubs.li/Q04cmnWD0💰 Get 15% OFF sitewide with code COLLEGETRY15→ https://collegeaidpro.com
What this episode covers
Should your student take the SAT or ACT? Do test scores still matter? And if a college is test-optional, is it really optional?In this episode, host Matt Carpenter and co-host Peg Keough are joined by College Aid Pro admissions expert Joe Korfmaker to break down everything families need to know about standardized testing in today's admissions landscape.Joe brings experience from both the high school counseling and college admissions sides of the process, helping families understand how test scores fit into admissions decisions, scholarship opportunities, and overall college planning.In this episode, we cover:📝 The key differences between the SAT and ACT💻 How the new digital SAT works (and what's changed)📊 Which students tend to perform better on each test🎯 How many times a student should realistically take the SAT or ACT🏫 What "test optional," "test required," and "test blind" actually mean📈 Why test scores still matter at many colleges—even in a test-optional world💰 How higher scores can unlock additional merit scholarships🔍 How to decide whether to submit scores to specific colleges⭐ What superscoring is and how it can help students maximize their results📚 Why building the right college list matters more than obsessing over a single test scoreThe episode also includes an important FAFSA update from the Department of Education, including new changes that allow families to see FAFSA results and corrections in real time—making financial aid planning easier and faster than ever.💡 Key takeaway: Standardized tests still matter, but they shouldn't drive your entire college strategy. Take a practice SAT and ACT, choose the test that fits your student best, take it two or three times, and focus just as much on financial fit and college affordability as you do on admissions.🎵 This episode's song pick: Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker — Joe Korfmarker's ultimate summer road-trip anthem and a guaranteed crowd singalong.🎧 Listen to our full podcast playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7qS...📚 Resources & Links🔢 Understand your college costs for FREE→ Create your MyCAP Account: https://hubs.li/Q03PTJ_x0→ Student Loan Fact Sheet: https://hubs.li/Q04cmnWD0💰 Get 15% OFF sitewide with code COLLEGETRY15→ https://collegeaidpro.com
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SAT vs. ACT: What Families Need to Know About Test Scores in 2026
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