One important question many students will need to answer at some point is “Should I take the ACT or the SAT? Or both?” The answer often depends on WHO the student is. Many parents may remember ONLY taking the SAT in high school. Or some of us can even remember a time when certain colleges only accepted scores from one specific test. But times have changed!
All colleges and universities accept scores from both tests interchangeably. Students do not need to take an SAT when applying to specific schools, nor do they need an ACT-specific score for other schools. Regionally in the United States, there are many places where one test is more commonplace than another, but it does not affect what score ends up on a student’s application to college.
What factors determine a student’s test selection can depend on a few things. First and foremost, there are many students out there who have certain strengths that make them better suited for one test over the other. For example, a student’s math ability can have a large impact. For students intimidated by math, the ACT can often be a better test because it has much more straightforward questions. Additionally, all Math questions on the ACT are multiple-choice. If a student is worried about their Math score affecting their overall composite, Math only makes up 25% of a student’s ACT composite score. Conversely, the SAT contains more complex Math questions. On the SAT, Math makes up 50% of the overall score. Often when we describe the SAT Math section to a student, we explain that it focuses more on depth of knowledge (especially algebraically), whereas the ACT Math section is all about breadth of knowledge (i.e., more topics, but a shallower knowledge of Math concepts). It is important to note that the ACT does include a Science section (at least until July 2025, so stay tuned), and the SAT does not, but often a student’s Science ability does not necessarily impact a student’s score as much as their Math ability will.
Many students will need to assess their reading comprehension strength when deciding on the ACT or SAT. Specifically, students need to consider their reading speed when choosing between the tests. On an ACT, students do not have a significant amount of time (at least through July 2025) to read deeply, re-read, or take notes while reading the test’s 750-word passages. For students taking the test with standard time accommodations, they only have 8 minutes and 45 seconds to read each passage and answer the 10 questions that follow the passage. That is FAST! Fortunately, ACT uses very current readings with accessible vocabulary for most students. On the SAT, every Reading/Writing question has its own unique 150-word passage, so it is one and done. And there is considerably more time per question. However, there are also sentence completion questions that test a student’s contextual reading and vocabulary knowledge. Students must also manage many different high level reading passages and tasks on archaic (great SAT word) to contemporary passages from non-fiction, fiction, and poetry. The SAT Reading/Writing modules also include punctuation, usage, and transition questions that mirror concepts that they would see on the ACT English section. Therefore, the ACT Reading rewards faster readers with more concrete cognition, and the SAT Reading benefits slower readers with a higher degree of comprehension and vocabulary knowledge.
While there are differences in how math, reading, and writing are tested between the SAT and ACT, the important factors remaining are test modality, scoring, and available official practice test material. The SAT is now only available in a digital, adaptive format, which means that students must take the test on a computer and perform well on the first modules of each subject to have the opportunity to score above 600 per section. Each SAT has different modules that can be easier or harder, depending upon prior performance, so there are different permutations of SAT that a student could receive on test day. While the ACT is offered in a paper or digital format, students will find that most Saturday ACT administrations only offer a paper option (school day testing is shifting to more digital administrations). Students should make sure to practice in the digital or paper modality of their test. The ACT is NOT an adaptive test, so all students will receive the exact same test form on a test day. While practice doesn’t always make perfect, we do know that the more students practice the better they will perform on test day. To that end, students should seek out the official test materials available from the testing companies. For the SAT, there are six official tests available in the Bluebook App online, and for ACT, there is an official ACT prep guide that includes 6 paper – 9 digital official ACT. There are many more unofficial resources out there, but we advise and only use official tests that provide the best practice and predictive score capabilities.
We should clarify that test choice can often depend on whether a student receives any accommodations on the ACT or SAT. For students battling severe mental or cognitive challenges like ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, or dyscalculia, accommodations are available on the ACT and SAT if a student applies and can submit appropriate documentation to prove why an accommodation is necessary. Traditionally, students with an IEP or 504 plan tend to perform better on an ACT. For students with any kind of reading issue or deficiency who do not apply for or receive accommodations, the SAT can be a better choice because of the longer time limits across each section. The ACT is a fast-paced test, and that can cause an issue for students who struggle with timing but do not qualify for extra time accommodations. For more information, please speak with your student’s counselor one of our test specialists.
Overall, the best way to determine what test a student is better suited for is to take a practice test for both the ACT and the SAT. When finding or taking practice tests, make sure you’re taking an official ACT or SAT exam, made by either the ACT or College Board, rather than an outside company. It is critical that students take these practice tests in a way that replicates the real test environment. For more information on practice tests, we are happy to offer practice test opportunities. After taking an exam and reviewing the scores, families can decide based on actual numbers, rather than assumptions or feelings. We often hear students tell us that the SAT “felt easier” (likely because of more time per question), but when it comes down to the numbers that student may have a higher overall ACT score. Make this a data-driven decision based on quantitative factors, not qualitative ones. We offer all our students the chance to take full proctored practice tests so that we can assist you in making the best possible decision for your student.
We typically recommend that students start the test preparation process with a specific test in mind. This ensures that students can begin work immediately on what areas they need to prepare for most when taking that specific test. Trying to prepare for both tests at one time can be a lofty goal that often overwhelms or confuses many students. If you have any questions or want to discuss your student’s situation, email us at [email protected]. Considering registering for an upcoming ACT or SAT? Register with your student account at collegeboard.com or act.org. To learn more, listen to an engaging conversation on our podcast: Choosing Between the Digital SAT and ACT
