What are the Differences Between the SAT and ACT Tests?
Can’t decide which test to take yet? You are not alone in that!
When it comes to the SAT and ACT exams, students usually go back and forth to see which is more beneficial for them as they are both accepted by most colleges in the U.S. So, before jumping to conclusions, you should have a proper understanding of what makes them different yet so similar to see what’s best for you.
By the end of this blog, you’ll know!
What makes them so similar?
Both of these tests cover writing, reading, math, and an optional essay.
Both these tests give points for correct answers and do not penalize you for wrong answers or skipped questions.
These two tests take around three to four hours to finish, depending on whether you are taking the essay component or not.
Both the SAT and ACT reading sections have three question categories.
Both the SAT and ACT writing sections target your capability to understand and enhance written sentences.
The SAT and ACT math sections test your understanding of formulas, concepts, and computation.
The essay is optional and measures your ability to read, analyze, create, or explain.
Then what makes them so different?
Reading
You will find the reading section as the first part of the SAT and the third part of the ACT.
The ACT contains 40 questions based on four reading sections that you have to answer in 35 minutes. So, it's an average of 10 minutes per section.
On the other hand, the SAT has 52 questions based on five reading sections that you have to answer in 65 minutes, which makes it an average of nine minutes per section.
Question categories in the ACT: key ideas and details questions, craft and structure questions, and integration of knowledge and ideas questions. Question categories in the SAT: command of evidence questions, words in context questions, and analysis in history/social studies and in science questions.
Although both the SAT and ACT reading sections have three question categories, what they measure is different. The ACT measures your ability to draw conclusions, reading, comprehension skills, and differentiating between fact and opinion, whereas the SAT reading section measures your ability to use evidence from a passage(s)/informational graphic(s), understand unfamiliar terms, examine ideas, interpret data, and consider implications.
The reading section of the ACT is designed for the typical first year university student, whereas the complexity of the SAT’s reading section ranges from a ninth grader to a typical first year university student.
Which tests’s reading section do you think you’d score better, the SAT or ACT?
Worried about the advanced vocabulary in this section? Try out our free SAT/ACT Level 1 vocab lesson here: bit.ly/Freevocab
Need help getting prepared for the SAT or ACT? Click here.
Writing
The ACT contains 75 questions that you have to answer in 45 minutes, making it an average of 36 seconds per question.
The SAT contains 44 questions that you have to answer in 35 minutes, making it an average of 48 seconds per question.
You will find three question categories in the ACT English section, whereas in the SAT writing and language section you will find five.
Question categories in the ACT: production of writing questions, knowledge of language questions, and conventions of standard English questions. Question categories in the SAT: command of evidence, words in context, analysis in history/social studies and in science, expression of ideas, and standard English conventions.
The ACT writing section measures your ability to develop passage topics, maintain style and tone, and your application of the rules of sentence structure, punctuation, and usage. In the SAT writing section, they measure your ability to choose the best words, read passages about history, social studies and science, organize ideas, sentence structure and punctuation, and understand the author’s use of supporting information.
Which tests’s writing section do you think you’d score better, the SAT or ACT?
Need help getting prepared for the SAT or ACT? Click here.
Math
The math section of the ACT has 60 questions to answer in 60 minutes, which gives you 60 seconds per question, whereas the SAT has 58 questions to answer in 80 minutes, which gives you 83 seconds per question.
You can use a calculator only for a portion of the questions on the SAT, but on every math problem on the ACT.
Every ACT math question is a multiple choice one, whereas the SAT has questions that you will need to find the answer yourself.
There are two question categories in the ACT math section and three in the SAT.
Question categories in the ACT: higher mathematics questions and integrating essential skills questions. Question categories in the SAT: heart of algebra questions, problem solving and data analysis questions, and advanced math questions.
The ACT math section measures your skills in number and quantity, algebra, functions, geometry, statistics and probability, and your fundamental understanding of math. The SAT math section measures your skills in linear equations and systems questions, quantitative literacy, and your ability to manipulate complex equations.
Which tests’s math section do you think you’d score better, the SAT or ACT?
Need help getting prepared for the SAT or ACT? Click here.
Essay
You will get 40 minutes for the ACT essay and 50 minutes for the SAT essay.
In the ACT, you will get one writing prompt and three perspectives to build on, or you can come up with your own. In comparison, the SAT is known to use the same writing prompt for every test, but a different passage. This writing prompt is usually longer and more complex than that of the ACT.
Your ACT essay is scored from 2 to 12 while your SAT essay is scored from 2 to 8 in each category.
The ACT essay tests your proficiency in these categories: Ideas and analysis, development and support, organization and language use, and conventions. Your SAT essay tests you in these categories: Reading, analysis, and writing.
Which tests’s essay section do you think you’d score better, the SAT or ACT?
Need help with the essay? Click here.
Science
No, the SAT does not have a science section. Only the ACT does.
It tests your skills in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, reasoning, and problem-solving.
It contains 40 questions that you will have to answer in 35 minutes, which makes it less than a minute per question.
There are three question categories: Data representation, research summaries, and conflicting viewpoints.
Do you think you can score in the science section? While we don’t currently focus on the Science section in particular, we DO have lessons on data interpretation, main ideas/summaries, and comparing opposing viewpoints in our SAT/ACT Reading and Essay Prep classes!
Need help getting prepared for the SAT or ACT? Click here.
Pretty straightforward, right?
Now that you have a better understanding of the similarities and differences between these two tests, you can go ahead and choose. Pay attention to time frames and measurements. If you had an answer to this question: “In which test do you think you can score highest?” that was at the end of each section, you already know which test to take!
Whichever you take, it’s vital you *get prepared*! Want to know a few tips to warm up and get ready? Head to our previous blog: 12 Best Tips for SAT/ACT Test Day.
Ace it! You got this, and we are here to help every step of the way.