What is the difference between the SAT and ACT? Which one should you take?

The SAT and ACT are two of the most widely used college admissions exams in the United States. While they have many similarities, they also have some key differences. The core main differences of the SAT and ACT are that the ACT has a science section, the SAT permits the calculator, the ACT math section has 5 answer choices as opposed to 4 on the SAT, and there is more time per question on the ACT. However, in this blog post we will explore in depth all of the differences of the exam to help you choose which exam is right for you.

Format

The SAT is a 3-hour exam that consists of four sections: Reading, English, Math (without calculator), and Math (with calculator). On the other hand, the ACT is a 2-hour and 55-minute exam that includes four sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science.
 
SAT Format:
Total Time: 3 Hours
Section Timing Number of Questions
Reading
65 minutes
52 questions
English
35 minutes
44 questions
Math (No-Calculator)
25 minutes
20 questions
Math (Calculator)
35 minutes
38 questions
ACT Format:
Total Time: 2 Hours 55 minutes
Section Timing Number of Questions
Reading
35 minutes
40 questions
English
45 minutes
75 questions
Math (Calculator)
60 minutes
60 questions
Science
35 minutes
40 questions

Content

Overall the content on the SAT and ACT are nearly identical with a few small tweaks. Therefore, if you want to prepare for both exams, you can do so with little additional studying for the alternate exam. I will break down each section on the exam and explain the differences in content.
 
As for the Reading section, the ACT has more simplistic reading passages, but even though the SAT is more complicated, the SAT allows for more time for reading the passage and answering the questions. Later, we will dig deeper into how many minutes are allowed per question.
 
As for the English sections, both exams have the exact same content. The only type of question that the ACT has that the SAT does not is misplaced modifiers.
 
As for the math section, once again, both exams have the same content; however, the ACT also includes matrices and scientific notation, which the SAT does not.
 
And finally and most importantly, the ACT has an additional science section that the SAT does not have. The SAT only has one passage on the reading section that is geared towards science topics. This is biggest difference between the SAT and ACT.

Scoring

The SAT scores range from 400 to 1600, with separate scores for the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math sections, which each have a total of 800 points awarded to those sections. The Evidence-Based Reading and Writing includes the Reading and English sections, while the Math score includes both the Math Calculator and Math No Calculator section.
 
On the other hand, the ACT scores range from 1 to 36, with separate scores for each of the four sections (Reading, English, Math, and Science), as well as a composite score that takes the average of all four sections.

Pacing

Pacing is one of the most important factors in deciding if you should take the SAT or the ACT. Since these both are timed exam, addition time per question is an added bonus. The SAT gives you much more time per question as opposed to the ACT. The SAT is a bit slower paced, with more time to think through questions. The ACT is faster-paced and tests students’ ability to process information quickly. Below is the breakdown of timing for each section on the SAT and ACT.
SAT Timing Per Question:
Section Amount of Time Per Question
Reading
75 seconds per question
English
48 seconds per question
Math (No Calculator)
83 seconds per question
Math (Calculator)
86 seconds per question
ACT Timing Per Question:
Section Amount of Time Per Question
Reading
52 seconds per question
English
36 seconds per question
Math (Calculator)
60 seconds per question
Science
52 seconds per question
A chart explaining the differences of the SAT and the ACT in terms of timing, scoring, and more.

Should I take the SAT or ACT?

As you can see, the SAT and ACT are very similar, but the core differences can help you decide which exam is the right fit for you. For many reasons, Prep For Success Tutors typically recommends the SAT exam; however there are only a few instances where the ACT might be best.
 
Considering the SAT is a slower paced exam, most of our students do better on the SAT and are all to improve more when studying for the SAT. This allows the student to not feel rushed and take more time working through each question. Also, there are more sections and content to study on the ACT, so why make more work for yourself? Studying for the SAT allows you to eliminate studying for the science section, matrices, scientific notation, and misplaced modifiers.
 
However, there are a few cases where we might recommend the ACT instead. One instance would be if a student is stellar at science and reading, but struggling in math. Math is only 1/4 of the ACT but is 1/2 of the SAT. Therefore, use the sections strategically to raise your score. Additionally, one added bonus is that the ACT allows more accommodations, so if you are needing multiple day testing, extra breaks, or alternative testing formats, the ACT might be the route for you.

Do Colleges Prefer the SAT or ACT?

In the past, schools in the Midwest had a slight preference towards the ACT; however, since the SAT changed in 2016 (and the exam changed to resemble the ACT more), colleges now do not prefer either the SAT or the ACT. Both exams are sufficient to apply to college as well as to apply for merit-based scholarships.
Ultimately, the choice between the SAT and ACT comes down to personal preference and strengths. It is important for students to take practice exams of both and see which exam they perform better on before making a final decision. If you would like help deciding which exam is best for you or would like a tutor to walk your though and teach the content on either exam, don’t hesitate to reach out to Prep For Success and our perfect score tutors would be happy to help!

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Prep For Success has a team of amazing SAT and ACT tutors, who have all scored in the 99th percentile. Additionally, all of them have been rigorously trained on all of our tips, tricks, and strategies to obtain a high score! Each tutor takes the time to understand your specific strengths and weaknesses so you don’t waste time in your studies and have the most effective study plan! Feel free to reach out to get assistance on the SAT or ACT.

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