SAT vs. ACT
Many students (and parents) wonder which test they (or their kids) should take.
Although the SAT and ACT are very similar in terms of the foundational knowledge tested, there are key differences that may make one test more suitable for a particular student. I have outlined the key differences between the two tests and have also added a personal insight at the end.
| SAT | ACT | Analysis | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 5 Passages, 52 Questions 52 Questions/65 minutes About 13 minutes to read 1 passage and answer 10 or 11 questions. | 4 Passages, 40 questions 40 Questions/35 minutes Almost 9 minutes to read 1 passage and answer 10 questions | More time to answer questions on the SAT, but some questions require more analysis and interpretation. ACT focuses on detailed questions that are straight out of the passage. |
| Math | No Calculator Section: 20 Questions/25 minutes Exactly 75 seconds per question Calculator Section: 38 questions/55 minutes About 87 seconds per question | 60 Questions/60 minutes Exactly 60 seconds per question Calculator allowed in the entire section | Math levels tested are very similar; both tests cover up to fundamentals of Trigonometry. ACT focuses more on pure problem solving, whereas the SAT has more concept problems and word problems. |
| Grammar | Grammar Writing and Language Test 44 Questions/35 minutes About 47 seconds per question | English Test 75 Questions/45 minutes About 36 seconds per question | The material covered and the question format is almost identical. Must be quicker in answering the questions on the ACT. |
| Science | None | 40 Questions/35 minutes 40 Questions are divided among 5 to 7 passages | Not really science, but better described as reading about science. Many of the questions involve extracting information from tables, charts, and graphs. Does not require in-depth science knowledge but does require some science knowledge, for example, acidic means lower pH. |
| Essay | None | 1 Essay, 40 minutes The task is to analyze 3 perspectives on a particular issue and integrate a personal perspective. | The ACT essay evaluated separately and does not affect the composite score. |
Overall, the ACT is more straight forward than the SAT. However, it does require the student to go through the test at a quicker pace. It is this pace that is challenging for many students.
Although the SAT may initially seem more difficult, it is a more coach-able test, since it relies less on speed. Speed is one of the hardest things to coach. However, some students hit a plateau on the SAT and cannot seem to increase their scores any higher. Some of these students find success with the ACT afterwards. Although there are several factors for this, one of the main factors is that ACT rewards speed and students definitely get faster with their reading and information processing as they take more challenging AP classes in school.
To sum up, many students do well on the SAT. If that initial attempt was good enough for the schools, for which they are interested, great. End of story. However, if the SAT score was less than desired, these students may find success with the ACT, especially after they have more exposure to the rigors of AP classes.
If you want to take a diagnostic SAT or ACT, click here. It’s free and it may help you decide which test is a better option for you.