ACT vs. SAT: How to Decide Which Test to Take

One of the most common questions that high school juniors and seniors ask is ‘Should I take the SAT or ACT?’. In 2023, over 1.9 million took the SAT (SAT Annual Report) while nearly 1.4 million took the ACT (ACT Profile Report), so the confusion isn’t surprising.

Different states show different preferences over time. In popularity, the SAT has overtaken the ACT in states like Idaho and New Mexico. Against that, the ACT has more test-takers than the SAT in Nevada and Arizona (Source).

Before we compare the SAT and the ACT, it’s important to look at their similarities. Both are standardized tests evaluating college-readiness and both have math sections and reading passages. Also, neither of the tests penalizes students for wrong answers.

This article begins by studying the key differences between the SAT and the ACT. Next, we compare the sections of the SAT and ACT. We then examine how each test reports their standardized test scores. Finally, we conclude by helping you decide which of the two you should write.

But, first a quick overview of the facts, advantages, and disadvantages of the SAT and the ACT.

What is the SAT?

The SAT is a standardized test for college admissions. Anyone hoping for college admission in the USA may take the test, irrespective of where they are currently based.

The SAT is adaptive and now fully digital. It is conducted only on designated devices; the pencil-and-paper version was phased out in March 2022. Take a free practice digital SAT to see how it works.

It comprises two sections: the Reading and Writing section, and the Math section. Each section is divided into two sub-sections called modules. It is a multi-stage adaptive test, which means that the questions a student gets in the second module depend on their performance in the first module.

Although not mandatory, most colleges consider the SAT scores an important component of the admission process. It has been held since 1926, and a not-for-profit body called the College Board owns and conducts it.

Advantages of the SAT

Here are some of the advantages of the SAT:

If you get a good score on the SAT, your chances for college admission improve considerably even if your bio-data isn't strong otherwise.
There is clear evidence that preparing for the SAT improves SAT scores.
It's a standardized test, so everyone competes on a level playing field.

Disadvantages of the SAT

Against the advantage mentioned above, there are some of the disadvantages of the SAT:

It may not assess all your skills correctly.
Using only the SAT scores to determine college-worthiness can be faulty.

What is the ACT?

Originally known by its full name American College Testing, the test is currently known only as the ACT. It is one of the two major tests whose scores are an important component for university admissions, including test-optional colleges.

Unlike its counterpart (the SAT), the ACT is linear and not adaptive. That means the questions on the test are fixed and do not vary based on your performance. In such tests, students sometimes feel less stressed because they don’t have to worry about the first module impacting their second module.

As of today, the ACT is conducted over computers only at international locations. Within the USA, test-takers can choose whether they'd like to go for the pencil-and-paper version or the digital version. It comprises four sections, each of which will be scored between 1 and 36.

Advantages of the ACT

Below are the advantages of taking the ACT:

Till the ACT switches over to the digital model completely, students have the choice to decide between taking the pencil-and-paper version and the digital version.
If your math skills are not particuarly good, you might fare better with the ACT.

Disadvantages of the ACT

The ACT has its limitations too. Here are the two principal ones:

Because it's not adaptive (not yet, at least), the ACT doesn't reflect the skill levels of all the test-takers with full accuracy.
Fewer students take the ACT than take the SAT. Hence, you'll find fewer test-prep resources too.

SAT vs ACT: A quick overview

As two leading tests in the USA, the SAT and the ACT have quite a few differences. Some of them are quite significant while others aren’t so.

Here is a summary of how the two compare:

The ACT is a little longer than the SAT. To be precise, the ACT will last 41 minutes more than the SAT.
Both tests have a different fee waiver policy. Further details are available in the SAT fee waiver document and the ACT fee waiver program.
In terms of number of questions, the ACT has over twice the number of questions as the SAT: 215 questions in the ACT versus 98 in the SAT. Of course, that alone doesn’t make the ACT more or less difficult than the SAT.
The SAT has two sections, and both are divided into two subsections. Against this the ACT has four sections.
The SAT scores range from 400 to 1,600. The ACT composite scores range is 1 to 36. Again, this alone is not any indicator of the nature of these tests.
The last major difference between the SAT and the ACT is important. The SAT is a digital, adaptive test. In contrast, the ACT is optionally digital in the USA, but it is linear in nature, and not adaptive. This means that while the SAT will adapt its questions based on how the student has fared in the previous module, the ACT does no such adaptation. In other words, the ACT remains the same, no matter what your performance. Such tests that do not adapt to the student’s performance are called linear tests.

The image below captures the principal differences between the SAT and ACT exams:

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ACT vs SAT: What's the difference

While the SAT and ACT are similar to some extent, they have vital differences. The time allotted per question, their scoring styles, the way they are administered, their preparation and test-taking strategies… there are many differences that matter to test-takers.

Let’s look at all the important differences between the SAT and the ACT.

Overall differences

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Differences in the SAT and ACT Math sections

First, a simple fact: Some of the SAT questions are student-produced response questions, while the ACT has only multiple-choice questions.

Now let’s see how it impacts your test-taking strategy. Below are two screenshots; the first is a question from the ACT practice questions for math, while the second is from the SAT official practice test.

You’ll see that both questions test almost identical skills: solving an algebraic expression. But there’s a fundamental difference.

In the case of ACT, you have answer choices. So if you can’t think of anything else, you can simply plug the given value (in this case, the value of “x”). Whichever satisfies the expression is the correct answer.

With the SAT, there are no choices given. So the only way to get the correct answer is to solve the expression.

Of course, most SAT questions are multiple-choice questions, so this difference isn’t always a deciding factor. However, the absence of answer choices can turn an easy question into a moderately difficult question.

Besides this, there are other differences between the ACT math and SAT math sections. For instance, the ACT covers more syllabi, but the questions mostly test math concepts. The SAT, on the other hand, will involve more reading and thinking skills, so you’ll need to stop for a while and think through the question before you freeze your answer choice.

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Reading and Writing Section: Key Differences between the ACT and the SAT

While both the SAT and the ACT assess the student’s linguistic skills, the nature and goals of their questions are slightly different. The ACT passages, for instance, are nearly five times as long as the SAT passages. That means students taking the ACT will have to develop the ability to read and understand longer passages.

Let us take up a few official ACT and SAT questions to see how the two are different.

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(Source: Free official ACT practice test and ACT Official Practice Questions)

The screenshot above juxtaposes two different ACT reading questions. The one on your left requires you to not only take a broad view but also apply strong thinking skills. You need to understand the passage from a larger perspective and then extrapolate beyond what is directly stated. You’re unlikely to answer this question correctly without reading the entire passage.

Against that, the question on your right asks you about a particular detail (in this case, the McNaghten case). You can scan the passage quickly, spot the particular case, and answer the question. You don’t need to read the entire passage.

Now see the SAT question below

(Source: Collegeboard SAT practice test 1)

While the above SAT question also asks about the passage in general (“main purpose of the text”), there are only a few lines you need to read and understand. Because the text is short, you can read and re-read it till you’re sure you’ve found the answer.

The details are right there; no need to spend time looking for the right information. It’s just that you might need longer to think and eliminate the wrong choices.

So this is what it means. Because the ACT reading section has long passages, you’ll need to carry more information in your mind while you answer certain questions. In contrast, the SAT has shorter text to read but it can often be pithier.

In the strictest sense of the word, some students feel that the SAT Reading and Writing section should be called the Reading section in the SAT. That’s because the SAT optional essay section has been removed, so there’s no writing per se in the SAT. In contrast to that, the ACT has a writing section, albeit optional.

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Experimental or pretest questions

SAT vs ACT differences: What they mean to you

Okay, now you have enough information to compare the SAT and the ACT.

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But how do these ACT vs SAT differences impact your selection of tests and your test-taking strategies?

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Let’s look at the five most important areas:

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1. Time per question

Fact:

The SAT gives you 2 hours 14 minutes for 98 questions: an average of 82 seconds per question.

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Against that, the ACT has 2 hours 55 minutes for 215 questions; an average of 48 seconds per question.

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What it means for you:

The SAT gives you almost double the time as the ACT.

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If you’re someone who needs more time to think, you’re probably better off with the SAT. On the other hand, if you’re better at quickly moving from one question to another, taking the ACT might be a good idea for you.

Key Takeaways