What is the Difference Between SAT and ACT Test

When planning for college, many students face the choice between taking the SAT or the ACT. These are two major standardized tests used for college admissions in the United States.

What is the difference between SAT and ACT test? SAT gives more time per question and is somewhat slower-paced, while the ACT has more questions and is faster-paced.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is a SAT Test
     – Definition, Features
2. What is an ACT Test
     – Definition, Features 
3. Similarities Between SAT and ACT Test
     – Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between SAT and ACT Test
     – Comparison of Key Differences
5. FAQ: SAT and ACT Test
     – Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Key Terms

SAT Test, ACT Test

What is the SAT Test

The SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) is a standardized test used by many colleges and universities, especially in the United States, to help decide who gets accepted. It’s a multiple-choice test taken on a computer and is created by the College Board.

Most U.S. high school students take the SAT in Grade 11 or 12, but international students can also take it if they want to apply to colleges in the U.S. The SAT helps colleges compare students fairly by using one common test. However, it’s just one part of the application. Colleges also look at your grades, courses, recommendations, activities, interviews, and personal essays. Some colleges care a lot about SAT scores, while others may not focus on them as much.

In general, the higher your SAT score, the more chances you may have to get into good schools and receive scholarships or financial aid.

The SAT has two main sections, and each has two modules:

Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

Module 1: 32 minutes
Module 2: 32 minutes
Total: 64 minutes

Math

Module 1: 35 minutes
Module 2: 35 minutes
Total: 70 minutes

The test lasts a total of 2 hours and 14 minutes.

The SAT is an adaptive test, which means how well you do in the first module affects the difficulty level of the second module in that section. You can move around within a module, but once you finish it, you can’t go back.

Each section is scored on a scale from 200 to 800. Your total score is the sum of both sections, so the highest possible SAT score is 1600.

What is the ACT Test

The ACT is a standardized test used by colleges and universities in the United States to help with admissions and scholarship decisions. It’s designed to measure how ready a student is for college by testing skills in English, Math, and Reading, with optional sections in Science and Writing.

The ACT has three required sections: English, Math, and Reading

There are also two optional sections: Science and Writing (a 40-minute essay)

Total Test Time:

Core test (English, Math, Reading): 125 minutes
With Science: 165 minutes
With Writing: 165 minutes
Both With Science and Writing: 205 minutes

You can choose to take just the core test or add the optional sections, depending on what your chosen colleges require.

Each section (English, Math, Reading, and Science) is scored from 1 to 36. The Composite Score is the average of your English, Math, and Reading scores (Science is optional and not included in this average). The Writing test is scored separately on a different scale. Moreover, the average ACT score in the U.S. is around 19.4.

If you take the ACT more than once, superscoring allows you to combine your highest scores from different test dates. This gives you the best possible Composite Score, which some colleges accept to help boost your chances of admission.

Similarities Between SAT and ACT Test

1. Both are standardized tests used for college admissions in the United States.
2. They test skills in English, reading, and math.
3. Both are multiple-choice exams.
4. Both can be taken multiple times, and students can send their best scores to colleges.

Difference Between SAT and ACT Test

Definition

• SAT or Scholastic Assessment Test is a standardized test used for college admissions that measures reading, writing, and math skills. ACT or American College Testing is a standardized test for college admissions that assesses English, math, reading, and includes an optional science and writing section.

Section

• The SAT includes three main sections: Reading, Writing & Language, and Math. The ACT includes four sections: English, Math, Reading, and an optional Science section.

Scores

• The SAT is scored on a scale from 400 to 1600, while the ACT gives a composite score from 1 to 36, which is the average of all section scores.

Essay

• The SAT no longer includes an essay section, whereas ACT offers an optional 40-minute Writing Test, which some colleges may require.

Time to Answer

• The SAT gives more time per question, so the pace is slower. The ACT is faster-paced, giving you less time to answer each question.

Use of Calculators

• On the SAT, some math questions do not allow the use of a calculator. On the ACT, you can use a calculator on all math questions.

FAQ: SAT and ACT Test

1. Is the ACT easier than the SAT?

Some students find the ACT easier because it has more direct questions, while others prefer the SAT because it gives more time per question.

2. Does Harvard prefer SAT or ACT?

Harvard does not prefer the SAT over the ACT, or vice versa. They accept both tests equally, so there’s no preference for one exam in their admissions process.

3. What does a 1500 SAT equal in ACT?

A 1500 SAT score is roughly equal to a 34 on the ACT.  Both scores are excellent and place you in a very competitive range for top universities like Harvard, Stanford, or MIT.

4. Does MIT prefer ACT or SAT?

MIT does not favor the SAT or ACT over the other. Generally, MIT uses a “superscore” approach for the SAT (taking the highest section scores across multiple test dates) and also considers the highest ACT scores if it’s submitted.

5. How much SAT score is required for Oxford?

Oxford requires a minimum SAT score of around 1460 to 1480, depending on the course. The score must be from one test sitting, and Oxford does not accept superscores.

Reference:

1. “What is the ACT?” Princeton Review.

2. “What is the SAT Test?” Princeton Review.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Students in a Library Looking at a Tablet Screen” (CC0) via Pexels