SAT vs. ACT: how are they different and which should you take?

“The most effective way to do it is to do it.”

Amelia Earhart

The SAT and ACT tests are often confusing to British (and many international) students. They play a similar role to law and medical tests for UK university applications, but are not subject-specific. Many U.S. universities require that students take either of these tests. They are formulaic assessments covering areas such as vocabulary, comprehension, maths and reasoning. They can take significant preparation. Don’t be daunted though - with the right work you can thrive on the SAT or ACT and make your application more competitive. Some people even end up enjoying the preparation and find it fun - like a good puzzle!

What’s the difference between the SAT and ACT?

The SAT is better known in Britain, but the ACT is more widely taken internationally. Both tests cover many similar areas and take similar amounts of time.

But there are also key differences. All of the ACT’s maths questions allow calculator use, for example, while the SAT has a no calculator maths section. The SAT covers fewer maths topics, but the questions go deeper and require more algebra knowledge.  The ACT has a scientific reasoning section (not science per se. but data, graphs and hypotheses.) and gives slightly less time per question

Here’s a summary of the main components of the two tests:

SAT

Testing time: 3 hours + 50 minute optional essay

Testing structure:

1. Reading (65 mins, 52 questions)

2. Writing and language (35 mins, 44 questions)

3. Maths no calculator (25 mins, 20 questions)

4. Maths calculator (55 mins, 38 questions)

5. Optional essay (50 mins)

ACT

Testing time: 2 hours 55 minutes + 40 minute optional essay

Testing structure:

1. English (45 mins, 75 questions)

2. Maths (60 mins, 60 questions)

3. Reading (35 mins, 40 questions)

4. Science (35 mins, 40 questions)

5. Optional essay (40 mins)
   
   

So should I take the SAT or the ACT?

Deciding whether to take the SAT or ACT depends on the candidate; there’s no categorical answer, but here are some guidelines for deciding:

· For applicants who usually feel rushed in exams and like to move more slowly, the SAT may be a better option as it allows more time per question on all sections of the exam.

· The optional essay for the SAT is more analytical and uses wider texts like historical documents; the ACT will require your personal opinion.

· If you are strong with maths it might be more sensible to do the SAT. Maths accounts for a quarter of your total score in your ACT, whereas on the SAT, it accounts for half of the total score.

The best place to start is by taking a practice paper of both the SAT and ACT and seeing which you’re more comfortable with, and where you score more highly. (We can send you mock tests if you’re taking lessons with us.) Some students, particularly those only applying to the US, choose to take both exams and declare whichever they score better in.

When should I take the SAT or ACT?

We recommend taking the test as far in advance as possible; there are several components to U.S. applications, so this helps to avoid stress. You can also take the tests multiple times, so taking them early means that if you get a good score it’s out of the way, and if you’re concerned it leaves lots of time to retake before your application. For UK applicants, we usually recommend working intensively in the summer after GCSEs and taking the exam around the autumn of year 12 (junior/AS Level year).

Do all U.S. universities require the SAT or ACT?

No - there are several test-free options and the list is growing. For example, the University of California has announced it won’t be considering ACT or SAT test scores going forward. (Some other schools, including Yale, have temporarily halted test requirements because of COVID-19.)

Is the SAT/ACT a good metric for evaluating candidates?

Some candidates find the tests rote and methodical. Others like them and see them as a blind/neutral chance to show your abilities and compete directly with other applicants. It’s definitely clear that formulaic tests like the SAT/ACT will never capture the full breadth of a candidate’s abilities and talents, though, and universities understand this. 

So if you’re someone discouraged by the tests hurdle, we understand; our tutors will help to make this fun for you, which is the key to doing better.  And for many schools, the test is an important but not determinative part of the application alone, so please don’t let the test requirement put you off applying to U.S. universities.