When it comes to the ACT vs. the SAT, both exams are universally accepted by U.S. colleges, which often prompts students to ask: Which test should I take?
The answer to that question lies in understanding the differences between the two tests.
The idea behind both exams is similar: to demonstrate college readiness. But despite similar aims, the tests differ in structure and timing as well as the content matter and scoring.
The SAT features 154 questions vs. 215 for the ACT. According to the College Board, which administers the SAT, test-takers have more time on the SAT with 1 minute and 10 seconds per question, compared with 49 seconds on the ACT.
The scoring for each test also differs. For the SAT, total scores range from 400-1600; for the ACT, the composite score runs from 1-36. Those ranges do not include the optional essays, which are scored separately from each exam.
ACT or SAT: Choosing Which Test to Take
Students hoping to find the easier testing option are out of luck.
"These are high-stakes tests; neither of them is going to be easy," says Mai Jumamil, director of college prep programs at Kaplan Test Prep, a New York-based company.
Korfmacher seconds that opinion: "I can definitely say, with certainty, that there's not an easier test."
To help students make their decision, experts suggest they begin with a practice test and see which exam is best suited for them.
"Your actual ability, how well you do percentile-wise on these tests, is really hard to determine unless you sit down and take a full-length official practice test from both the SAT and ACT," says Chris Lele, senior GRE/SAT curriculum manager for Magoosh, a California-based test prep company. "I think in general it makes sense to put all of your time and resources into the test that you're going to do better on percentile-wise. I think the complication is when you do around the same."
The two exams may have appeal to different types of students, says Jumamil, who is based out of a Kaplan office in California. Students with a strong English background "may flourish on the ACT," which puts more emphasis on verbal skills, she says, while for students who are strong in math, "the SAT may reflect that much better."
Broken down by test components, the SAT has a reading test that takes 65 minutes, a 35-minute writing and language test and an 80-minute math section. The ACT is comprised of a 35-minute reading test, 45-minute English test, 60-minute math section and 35-minute science test. The SAT does not include an independent science section but incorporates science questions throughout the exam.
Deciding to Take or Skip the Optional Essay
Experts have different views on whether or not a student should take the optional essay.
"We're actually advising our students not to do the (optional) writing section," Korfmacher says, explaining that many colleges no longer require or recommend it.
But Levine encourages her students to take it: "The last thing you want to do is not take the optional writing section and find out that the school you're applying to requires or recommends it."
To Lele, it depends. "Unless you really struggle with writing, it's probably a good idea to take the essay so that can be an extra data point that colleges have to assess you by," he says.
SAT vs. ACT Score Conversion
For students who are interested in comparing scores on the SAT and ACT, both the College Board and the ACT organization provide conversion charts to show how these composite scores stack up. The table below offers a breakdown of these data. According to figures from both organizations, the average SAT test score for 2018 high school graduates is 1068, and the average ACT score is 20.8.
SAT SCORE ACT EQUIVALENT
1600-1570 36
1560-1530 35
1520-1490 34
1480-1450 33
1440-1420 32
1410-1390 31
1380-1360 30
1350-1330 29
1320-1300 28
1290-1260 27
1250-1230 26
1220-1200 25
1190-1160 24
1150-1130 23
1120-1100 22
1090-1060 21
1050-1030 20
How to Be Successful on the ACT or SAT
Regardless of which test students decide to take, the goal is the same: earning a score that shows college readiness.
To help students be successful, experts offer strategic test-prep tips. Some are simple, such as bring a snack on test day and take breaks when offered. Others require much more time and deliberation on the part of the student, such as identifying and working on weak spots in testing.
One best practice recommended by test-prep experts is to study well ahead of the date for the SAT or ACT once a student has decided which one to take.
"You really need to give yourself enough time to work out the areas you struggle in," Lele says.
-Josh Moody
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