Standardized testing remains a key part of the college admissions process. Many students and parents begin their admissions journey by comparing the SAT and the ACT. One of the most commonly asked questions for Insight Counselors is “which test is easier/better?”
The SAT and the ACT generally cover the same topics. Both ACT and SAT scores are used for college admissions decisions and awarding merit-based scholarships. Most colleges do not have a preference for which standardized test scores are submitted. Neither the SAT nor the ACT is harder than the other. The deciding factor is often your preference.
Before you dive in and pick one test over the other because all your friends are doing it, here is our detailed breakdown of both standardized tests.
Want to learn more about the digital SAT? Check our Insights to the New Digital SAT
Insights into the ACT and the SAT
SAT |
ACT |
|
| Purpose |
Colleges use the SAT test scores for admissions consideration, merit-based scholarships, and sometimes placement purposes
|
Colleges use the ACT test scores for admissions consideration, merit-based scholarships, and sometimes placement purposes |
| Test Structure |
Reading Writing & Language Math (No-calculator section) Math (Calculator allowed sections) |
English Math Reading Science Essay (optional)
|
| Length | 3 hours |
2 hours, 55 minutes (without essay) 3 hours, 40 minutes (with essay)
|
| Test Breakdown |
Reading – 52 questions, 65 minutes Writing & Language – 44 questions, 35 minutes Math (no-calculator) – 20 questions, 25 minutes Math (calculator allowed) – 38 questions, 55 minutes |
English – 75 questions, 45 minutes Math – 60 questions, 60 minutes Reading – 40 questions, 35 minutes Science – 40 questions, 35 minutes
|
| Essay |
None
|
40-minute optional essay testing your abilities to evaluate and analyze issues
|
| Test Score System |
The SAT test is scored on a scale of 400 – 1600
|
The ACT test is scored on a scale of 1 – 36 |
| Test Dates |
The SAT is typically offered on a Saturday in these months: March, May, June, August, October, November, and December
|
The ACT test is typically scheduled on a Saturday in these months: February, April, June, July, September, October, and December |
Which should you focus on, the ACT or the SAT?
In our previous article, “Should You Be Taking Both the ACT and the SAT?”, Insight Senior College Admissions Counselor Zach Pava listed these three criteria:
Which test are you most comfortable with?
Which test is the best fit from a timing perspective?
Which test can you score better on?
He also analyzed a few differences between the two standardized tests (summarized below)
– The ACT tends to be more straightforward in its questions and presentation of material.
– If you’re a student who is generally science-focused, and you enjoy reading, graphs, & data, the ACT may be a good fit for you.
– The SAT allows students more time to spend on each question and therefore presents fewer timing challenges than the ACT. If you find time management to be a big obstacle, then you may want to consider the SAT.
– The SAT contains one Math section in which no calculator is allowed. If you are not very confident with your computational skills, this may also be a point for consideration.
Compare your scores – Click here for the ACT – SAT Score Conversion Table.
However, the only way you would know for sure which test is more suitable for you is through experience. At Insight, we strongly encourage students who have not tried either test to take both for practice before making a decision. Doing this will expose you to the style and structure of both exams, and then we can establish which test you are more comfortable with in terms of content and timing, and ultimately which test you’re likely to score better on. From there, we can plan for when to take the exam, which is important because the SAT and ACT are offered on different dates and in some cases, different months throughout the year. We also want to establish a goal score for each student, as well as an end date when we want students to be finished with testing altogether. Ideally, you should be done before the start of your senior year, because once senior fall starts, your college applications truly will become a full-time class away from school, and you don’t want to have to give up valuable weekends preparing for these standardized tests.
Want to know which tests you should take? Contact us and schedule your full-length SAT and ACT practice tests today and see your score analysis!
Curious whether you should opt for test-optional? Check out our article: To Test, Or Not To Test? and see if your top choice colleges are in our List of Test Optional Colleges
