ACT vs SAT: Key differences between the ACT and SAT

ACT vs SAT: which test is a better fit for your student? Students may take whichever test they prefer (assuming there are availa-

ble testing locations for both tests). If you’re not sure which test your child would prefer, consider the key differences between the

ACT and SAT. Some students find that the ACT caters to their strengths more so than the SAT, and vice versa.

Need a quick side-by-side comparison of the tests? Check out our ACT vs. SAT Comparison Chart.

SAT vs. ACT

content-based test

Type of Test

content-based test

Reading: 1, 65-min section; Math: 1, 25-

min section (no calculator) & 1, 55-min

section (w/ calculator); Writing & Lan-

gauge: 1, 35-min section; Essay: 1, 50-

min section (optional)

Test Format

English: 1, 45-min section; Math: 1, 60-

min section; Reading: 1, 35-min sec-

tion; Science: 1, 35-min section; Writ-

ing: 1, 40-min essay (optional)

reading, relevant words in context, math,

grammar & usage, analytical writing

(optional)

Content Covered

grammar & usage, math, reading, sci-

ence reasoning, and writing (optional)

questions are evidence and context-

based in an effort to focus on real-world

situations and multi-step problem-solving

Test Style

straightforward, questions may be long

but are usually less difficult to decipher

Math and Evidence-Based Reading &

Writing are each scored on a scale of 200

-800. Composite SAT score is the sum of

the two section scores and ranged from

400-1600.

Scoring

English, Math, Reading, and Science

scores will each range between 1-

36. Composite ACT score is the aver-

age of your scores on the four sections;

ranges between 1-36

no – you do not lose points for incorrect

answers

Penalty for Wrong

Answers?

no – you do not lose points for incorrect

answers

yes – you can choose which set(s) of SAT

scores to submit to colleges

Score Choice?

yes – you can choose which set(s) of

ACT scores to submit to colleges

questions increase in difficulty level as

you move through that question type in a

section (except reading passage ques-

tions, which progress chronologically

through the passage)

Difficulty Levels

difficulty level of the questions is ran-

dom

arithmetic, problem-solving & data analy-

sis, heart of algebra, geometry, and trigo-

nometry; formulas provided.

Math Levels

arithmetic, algebra I and II, functions,

geometry, trigonometry; no formulas

are provided

with private schools and schools on the

east and west coasts; however, every four

-year college in the US accepts SAT

scores

Tends to be more

popular?

with public schools and schools in the

Midwest and south; however, every

four-year college in the US accepts

ACT scores

seven times per year: January, March or

April, May, June, October, November,

December

Offered when?

six times per year: February, April,

June, September, October, December

(note that some states offer the ACT as

part of their state testing requirements;

these tests are not administered on the

typically about four weeks before the test

date

Registration dead-

line?

typically about five to six weeks before

the test date

www.collegeboard.com

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