Guide to the 2018
ACT
®
/SAT
®
Concordance
-
What Is Concordance?
The term “concordance” refers to establishing a relationship between scores on assessments that measure
similar (but not identical) constructs. A technically sound concordance allows students and professionals to
compare scores from similar assessments to inform decisions. A concorded score is not a perfect prediction
of how a student would perform on the other test.
How Were the ACT/SAT Concordance Tables Developed?
ACT and the College Board periodically produce ACT®/SAT® concordance tables to show how scores on
each test compare. With the redesign of the SAT in 2016, researchers from the College Board and ACT, in
collaboration with the NCAA Technical Advisory Board, developed updated, technically sound concordance
tables that will serve the needs of students and institutions going forward. The 2018 ACT/SAT concordance
tables in this document are now the only official concordance tables and should be the single source of
reference moving forward when comparing SAT scores to ACT scores for students applying for terms after
fall 2018. These tables replace the concordance tables released in 2016.
The concordance tables show ACT and SAT scores with the same percentile rank for a group of students
who took both tests. The sample of students used to develop the concordance tables took the ACT test and
the new SAT test. For students who took the ACT and/or the SAT more than once, their ACT and SAT scores
with the closest test dates were used. The tables were produced using data from 589,753 students who were
graduating seniors in 2017 and who took both the ACT and the new SAT tests between February 2016 (for
the ACT) or March 2016 (for the SAT) and June 2017. The sample was statistically weighted to reflect the
demographics, school attributes, and high school grade point average (GPA) of all students who are likely to
take the ACT, SAT, or both tests.
Which Concordance Tables Are Provided?
The concordance tables are based on ACT and SAT tests that cover similar content and show a strong
statistical relationship between scores. A description of the content measured by the new SAT and the ACT is
provided in the Appendix. The table below lists the three sets of concordances.
ACT score SAT score
Tables
ACT-to-SAT
ACT Composite SAT Total Table A1 Table A2
ACT Mathematics SAT Math Table B1 Table B2
ACT English + Reading SAT ERW Table C1 Table C2
Note: Concordance tables for the ACT Composite were derived from concordances of the ACT sum score.
Note: ERW = Evidence-Based Reading and Writing.
Tables are provided in both directions (ACT-to-SAT and SAT-to-ACT). Each ACT score is related to a range of
SAT scores (or vice versa). For users who want to concord an ACT score to a single SAT score point (or vice
versa), the most appropriate score point within the range is also provided.
© 2018 The College Board, ACT, Inc.
1
SAT-to-ACT
2018 Concordance Tables
Table A1: SAT Total to ACT Composite Table A2 : ACT Composite to SAT Total
SAT ACT
36
36
36
36
35
35
35
35
34
34
34
34
33
33
33
33
32
32
32
31
31
31
30
30
30
29
29
29
28
28
28
27
27
27
27
SAT ACT SAT ACT
1250 26
*1240 26
1230 26
1220 25
*1210 25
1200 25
1190 24
*1180 24
1170 24
1160 24
1150 23
*1140 23
1130 23
1120 22
*1110 22
1100 22
1090 21
*1080 21
1070 21
1060 21
1050 20
*1040 20
1030 20
1020 19
*1010 19
1000 19
990 19
980 18
*970 18
960 18
950 17
940 17
*930 17
920 17
910
900
*890
880
870 15
860 15
*850 15
840 15
830 15
820
810
*800
790
780
770 13
*760
750 13
740 13
730 13
720
*710
700
690
680 11
*670 11
660 11
650 11
640
*630
620
610 9
600 9
*590
ACT SAT SAT Range
36 1590 1570–1600
35 1540 1530–1560
34 1500 1490–1520
33 1460 1450–1480
32 1430 1420–1440
31 1400 1390–1410
30 1370 1360–1380
29 1340 1330–1350
28 1310 1300–1320
27 1280 1260–1290
26 1240 1230–1250
25 1210 1200–1220
24 1180 1160–1190
23 1140 1130–1150
22 1110 1100–1120
21 1080 1060–1090
20 1040 1030–1050
19 1010 990–1020
18 970 960–980
17 930 920–950
16 890 880–910
15 850 830–870
14 800 780–820
13 760 730–770
12 710 690–720
11 670 650–680
10 630 620–640
9 590 590–610
*Use this SAT score when a single score point comparison is needed.
Note: Concordance tables for the ACT Composite were derived from concordances of the ACT sum score.
© 2018 The College Board, ACT, Inc.
2
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
1590
1580
1570
1560
1550
1540
1530
1520
1510
1500
1490
1480
1470
1460
1450
1440
1430
1420
1410
1400
1390
1380
1370
1360
1350
1340
1330
1320
1310
1300
1290
1280
1270
1260
1600 16
16
16
14
14
13
12
12
10
10
9
10
12
12
14
14
14
16
Table B1: SAT Math to ACT Math Table B2 : ACT Math to SAT Math
SAT ACT SAT ACT
800 36
35
35
35
34
33
33
32
32
31
30
30
29
28
28
27
27
27
26
26
25
25
24
24
23
23
22
21
20
*500 18
490 18
480
*470
460
450 16
440 16
*430 16
420 16
410
*400
390
380
370 14
*360 14
350 14
340
*330
320
*310 12
300 12
290
*280
270 10
*260 10
ACT SAT
36 800
35 780
34 760
33 740
32 720
31 710
30 700
29 680
28 660
27 640
26 610
25 590
24 580
23 560
22 540
21 530
20 520
19 510
18 500
17 470
16 430
15 400
14 360
13 330
12 310
11 280
10 260
*Use this SAT score when a single score point comparison is needed.
© 2018 The College Board, ACT, Inc.
3
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
780
770
760
750
740
730
720
710
700
690
680
670
660
650
640
630
620
610
600
590
580
570
560
550
540
530
520
510
790
19
17
17
17
15
15
15
15
13
13
13
11
11
Table C1: SAT ERW to ACT English+Reading
Table C2 : ACT English+Reading to SAT ERW
SAT ACT SAT ACT S AT ACT
800 72
72
71
71
70
70
69
68
67
66
64
63
61
60
58
57
55
54
52
51
49
48
46
45
44
43
42
40
39
500 37
490
480 34
470
460 32
450
440 30
430
420 28
410
400 26
390
380 24
370
360 22
350
340 20
330
320 18
310
300 16
290
280 14
72 790
770
70 750
740
68 730
720
66 710
700
700
690
680
680
670
660
660
650
640
640
630
630
620
610
610
600
590
580
580
570
560
550
*42 540
41 540
40
39 520
38
*37 500
36 500
35
34 480
33
32 460
31
30 440
29
28 420
27
26 400
25
24 380
23
22 360
21
20 340
19
18 320
17
16 300
15
14
Note: ERW = Evidence-Based Reading and Writing. Note: ERW = Evidence-Based Reading and Writing.
ACT English + Reading scores range from 2 to 72. ACT English + Reading scores range from 2 to 72.
*Use this SAT score when a single score point comparison is needed. *Use this ACT score when a single score point comparison is needed.
© 2018 The College Board, ACT, Inc.
4
*
*
*
790
780
770
760
750
740
730
720
710
700
690
680
670
660
650
640
630
620
610
600
590
580
570
560
550
540
530
520
510 38
35
33
31
29
27
25
23
21
19
17
15
71
69
67
65
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
64
63
62
61
60
59
58
57
56
55
54
53
52
51
50
49
48
47
46
45
44
43
530
510
490
470
450
280
430
410
390
370
350
330
310
290
SAT ACT
What Are the Potential Uses of Concordance Tables?
A variety of stakeholders use concordance tables to compare scores across the ACT and the SAT to inform
policies, processes, and decisions. College counselors, students, and their families use concordance tables to
inform college searches and explorations. Policymakers, researchers, and K–12 educators use concordance
tables to aggregate scores across tests to measure college readiness for groups of students. Colleges,
universities, scholarship organizations, and athletic conferences also use concordances in a variety of ways,
including determining eligibility for a program or scholarship.
§ Comparing SAT and ACT scores across different students. When scores from either test are accepted,
concordance tables can help institutions or other stakeholders who need to compare scores.
§ Establishing a policy using comparable scores from both tests. An institution, scholarship, or
program may use a specific test score as one factor to establish eligibility.
§ Converting scores for use in a predictive model or index. Many colleges and universities have
built indices or models to predict the likelihood that individual students will apply, enroll, or succeed
academically. These models typically include a variety of factors, including test scores, high school GPA,
and course rigor. Institutions can apply the concordance tables in these prediction models.
What Are the Key Considerations and Limitations When Using the
Concordance Tables?
Using SAT and ACT scores in a consistent, psychometrically appropriate way as one component of a holistic
admission process will help ensure all students are treated fairly in the admission process. While the
concordance tables can be used for a variety of purposes, higher education professionals should keep the
following considerations and limitations in mind:
§ The ACT and the SAT are different tests. The ACT and the SAT measure similar, but not identical,
content and skills. A concorded score is not a perfect prediction of how a student would perform on the
other test. Concorded scores should be interpreted as the scores with the same rank within a group of
students who take the tests at approximately the same time.
§ Concordances are used to compare individual scores, not aggregate scores. Users should avoid
converting aggregate scores (e.g., mean, median, ranges) using concordance tables, as this could
introduce additional sources of error.
§ Users should avoid making decisions based solely on a concorded score. Admission and enrollment
professionals should use multiple reliable and valid measures when making decisions to account for the
many factors that impact academic performance in college.
§ Note the prediction error (more details below). Users should consider this when using the
concordance tables to predict how a student would have performed on the ACT or the SAT.
§ Concordances are sample-dependent. While concordance results can vary by sample, the ACT/SAT
concordance sample was statistically weighted to more closely reflect the demographics, school attributes,
and high school GPA of the population of students who take the ACT, SAT, or both tests.
§ Institutions should not superscore across the SAT and ACT tests. Superscoring across 2 different
tests is an imprecise way of understanding whether a student meets a certain academic threshold.
Combining scores from the ACT and the SAT in a single superscore is strongly discouraged.
© 2018 The College Board, ACT, Inc.
5
Additional Notes and Technical Specifications
Like all concordance tables, the ACT/SAT concordance tables are somewhat dependent on the sample
of students who took both tests. The concordance tables reported here were produced using data from
589,753 students who were graduating seniors in 2017 and who took the ACT and the new SAT test between
February 2016 (for the ACT) or March 2016 (for the SAT) and June 2017. International students, students with
disabilities who tested with special accommodations, and students who took the ACT or SAT under state
or district testing programs were included. For students who took the ACT and/or the SAT more than once,
their ACT and SAT scores from the closest test dates were used.
To produce the concordance, statistical weighting procedures were used to accomplish two goals. The
first goal was to reflect the demographics, school attributes (size, locale, geographic region, public/private
affiliation, and percentage eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and high school GPA of the students
taking the ACT only, the SAT only, or both tests (i.e., the entire population of test takers). The second goal
was to minimize the time between students’ ACT and SAT testing and also ensure the students who took
the ACT before the SAT and the students who took the SAT before the ACT were counterbalanced. The ACT
and SAT scores were linked using equipercentile methods on the weighted ACT and SAT score distributions.
To the extent that the goals for the statistical weighting were accomplished, the concordance tables are
representative of graduating seniors who took either test or both tests.
As mentioned above, concordance tables should not be expected to provide perfect predictions of a
student’s SAT score from their ACT score, or their ACT score from their SAT score. To convey the uncertainties
associated with use of the table for predicting SAT or ACT scores that are close in time, we provide error
intervals for the SAT and ACT scales. These error intervals reflect the variability of students’ ACT scores from
the SAT-to-ACT concordance, and the variability of students’ SAT scores from the ACT-to-SAT concordance.
The size of these error intervals depends on the correlation of the ACT and SAT scores and the reporting
scale ranges of the ACT and the SAT.
§ When using the SAT Total and ACT Composite concordance table to estimate a student’s proximal
ACT Composite score from their SAT Total score, the estimates in the table have a standard error of
approximately ± 2.26 (2) ACT Composite score points on its 1–36 point scale. When using this table to
estimate a student’s proximal SAT Total score from their ACT Composite score, the estimates have a
standard error of approximately ± 79.57 (80) SAT Total score points on its 400–1600 point scale.
§ When using the SAT Math and ACT Mathematics concordance table to estimate a student’s proximal
ACT Mathematics score from their SAT Math score, the estimates in the table have a standard error of
approximately ± 2.65 (3) ACT Mathematics score points on its 1–36 point scale. When using this table to
estimate a student’s proximal SAT Math score from their ACT Mathematics score, the estimates have a
standard error of approximately ± 50.33 (50) SAT Math score points on its 200–800 point scale.
§ When using the SAT ERW and ACT English+Reading concordance table to estimate a student’s proximal
ACT English+Reading score from their SAT ERW score, the estimates in the table have a standard error
of approximately ± 5.93 (6) ACT English+Reading score points on its 2–72 point scale. When using
this table to estimate a student’s proximal SAT ERW score from their ACT English+Reading score, the
estimates have a standard error of approximately ± 46.66 (50) SAT ERW score points on its 200–800
point scale.
© 2018 The College Board, ACT, Inc.
6
SAT and ACT Item Counts and Test
Content Descriptions
Content experts at ACT and the College Board jointly agreed that the SAT Math Test and the ACT
Mathematics Test are sufficiently similar in what they are measuring to justify a concordance. An additional
criterion for concordance is the strength of the relationship between two such measures: our research
demonstrates that the correlation between ACT and SAT math scores for the concordance sample was 0.885,
which met this criterion (i.e., a correlation of 0.866 or higher). The content similarity and score correlations
provide sufficient evidence to support a concordance between the math tests.
The experts at the two organizations also jointly agreed that the SAT Reading Test and SAT Writing
and Language Test are sufficiently similar to the ACT Reading Test and the ACT English Test to justify a
concordance. The correlations between the combined tests, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and
ACT Reading and English, was 0.884.
The table below provides the item counts for each of the concorded tests. Additional descriptions of the
test content for the SAT can be found at collegeboard.org/SATtestcontent. Additional descriptions of test
content for the ACT can be found at act.org/theACTcontent.
Concorded Components
Item Counts
ACT SAT
Total/Composite*
Reading and Writing**
Math
ACT Composite Score is the
average of the four ACT test scores
(215 items total):
SAT Total Score is based
on the three SAT test scores
(154 items total):
§ English Test
§ Reading Test
§ Reading Test
§ Writing and Language Test
§ Mathematics Test
§ Math Test
§ Science Test
ACT English Test (75 items) SAT Evidence-Based Reading
ACT Reading Test (40 items) and Writing
§ Reading Test (52 items)
§ Writing and Language Test
(44 items)
ACT Mathematics Test (60 items) SAT Math Test (58 items)
*Concordance tables for the ACT Composite were derived from concordances of the ACT sum score (i.e., the sum of the English, Reading,
Mathematics and Science Tests).
**Does not include the optional ACT Writing Test or the optional SAT Essay
© 2018 The College Board, ACT, Inc. 00989-006
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