Choosing between the SAT and the ACT: Is there a difference?

One of the ultimate college prep questions many families struggle with is whether to take the SAT or the ACT. Here you’ll find facts and figures on each test as well as essential similarities and differences to equip you to make an educated decision about which test is right for you or your student. You’ll also find all the reasons why in most cases we think you will have an easier time with the ACT. If after discerning the differences between the tests you’re still not sure about what to do, feel free to book a session with Paragon; much like the Harry Potter Sorting Hat, Dr. Zanetti can quickly assess testing strengths and skills to determine which test is right for you.

Both tests are acceptable for the college admissions process. That is, colleges do not have a preference when it comes to the SAT or the ACT. As long as either your SAT or ACT score is within the range—and preferably in the top quartile—of the scores the college accepts, then either test will work!

Before we break it down, here is a condensed overview of the similarities and differences between the two tests:

Differences	​SAT	ACT
Test structure and Timing	Reading (65 mins) Writing & Language (35 mins) Math No Calculator (25 mins) Math Calculator (55 mins)	Reading (35 mins) English (45 mins) Math (60 mins) Science Reasoning (35 mins)
Essay	None	Optional (40 mins)
Length	3 hrs	2 hrs, 55 mins (without essay) 3 hrs, 40 mins (with essay)
Reading	5 passages	4 passages
Science	None	1 section that tests the ability to analyze data and basic experimental design; no specific scientific knowledge is required
Math	Covers: Arithmetic Algebra I & II Geometry, Trigonometry, and Data Analysis	Covers: Arithmetic Algebra I & II Geometry, Trigonometry, and Probability & Statistics
Calculator Policy	You can only use a calculator in the first of the two math sections	You can use a calculator on all math questions
Scoring	Scored on a scale of 400-1600 The two ELA and two Math sections are each combined on a scaled score of 200-800	Each section of four subsections is scored on a scale of 1-36 and are then averaged into a “composite” score (The optional essay is scored on a scale of 2-12 and does NOT count toward the final score)

Critical differences to keep in mind...

Time: The SAT gives you more time per question than the ACT. The SAT questions tend to be harder and require more analysis and interpretation. The ACT questions are easier and require greater speed.

Science: The ACT has a separate “Science” section, which is a hybrid of ELA skills with data analysis; virtually no scientific knowledge is required. The ACT Science section requires only careful reading and interpretation of data, graphs, and hypotheses. In contrast, while the SAT may seem simpler because it does not have its own Science section, questions of similar types are actually integrated throughout the test, requiring a constant switching of gears.

Math: While the ACT tests a broader range of math skills, the questions tend to be easier and more skills-based, whereas the SAT questions often require a rather more nuanced understanding of math fundamentals. If you are not confident in your math skills and enjoy the comfort of having a calculator handy to check your work, the ACT might be a better option since the use of a calculator is allowed on all questions. However, keep in mind that both on the ACT and the SAT nearly all math questions can be solved without a calculator.

The specifics of the math sections:

The ACT Math section has a greater focus on geometry and trigonometry than the SAT. The ACT also tests various concepts that do not appear in the SAT at all, such as matrices, graphs of trigonometric functions, conics, occasional formal logic questions, and logarithms.

The ACT Math section provides five possible answer choices while the SAT offers four. Paradoxically, because of how the ACT questions are structured, it is actually easier to guess correctly on the ACT math questions than on similar SAT questions. Moreover, the ACT math questions are all multiple-choice, while the SAT asks some grid-in questions, where you must fill in your own answer (both on the Calculator and the No Calculator Sections). These questions can be particularly challenging because if the student does not know the answer to these questions, it is effectively impossible to guess the correct answers.

Finally, the SAT provides test takers with the most relevant math formulas, whereas the ACT does not. This means that students will have to memorize a handful of rudimentary math formulas for the ACT, which they should likely know in any case.

Reading: Within each SAT reading questions are presented in the order in which the answers appear in the text. Whereas ACT questions are not similarly organized, the questions often refer to specific places in the text and the questions are relatively easier than the SAT questions. The SAT also offers enough time that most students can finish the entire section without rushing too much. In contrast, without effective training, many students struggle to finish the ACT Reading section within the allotted time.

Essay: The SAT recently got rid of its essay portion. While the ACT still offers the essay, very few US schools require this writing sample. It is often in the student’s interest to assess whether the colleges they are looking at require the essay. The essay requires students to take a position on a topic and offer a nuanced argument for their position. This is a fairly standard five-paragraph essay with an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Because the essay response is hand-written, 40 minutes is not a lot of time to get organized and craft a sophisticated, high-scoring response.

How to Proceed: Generally speaking, it is a good idea to start the discernment process by taking a practice ACT to identify whether or not the timing constraints make it a feasible test option. It is not necessary to be able to finish the entire test within the time restrictions the first time around. An effective tutor should be able to save students enough time so that they can get through all or nearly all of the test in time. Ultimately, we recommend having an experienced tutor assess your outcome early on to identify whether or not the ACT time requirements can be overcome.

If it turns out that the ACT is simply not feasible because of timing constraints, it's easy to pivot to the SAT and continue training from there. However, because the ACT requires greater speed and because it has an additional section, most students find it harder to move from the SAT to the ACT if they have already begun training on the former.

Get in touch now for a free consultation about which test is right for your child at nik@paragonacademic.com or fill out the contact form on our website!