Which Test should you take? The SAT vs the ACT

So you’re starting to prepare for college, and you’re working to navigate complex maze that is the college admissions process…. One of the first things you’ll hear screamed in your face is that you have to ace the ACT/SAT in order to get into a good college. Eight months of crash courses, 100 hours of Khan Academy videos, and several panic attacks later, and you’re reeling from a thousand conflicting viewpoints. And you’re still no closer to accomplishing your goal. Sound familiar?

Contrary to popular belief, students can take either the SAT or ACT for their college application. In the Mid-South, college counselors preach about the ACT, and counselors in the North-East do the same for the SAT. However, every single US college/university will accept either test. There are no preferences, so worrying about which test to take simply adds unnecessary stress.

If colleges accept either test, how should you choose which to take? Are the tests identical? Surely if one was far easier, everyone would take it, right? Over the past few years, the SAT and ACT have become more similar. However, there are still some differences, and students should know about these while choosing the right test.

1. Do you work slowly on tests, or breeze through? The SAT gives more time per question.

   1. The toughest part of the ACT is actually timing. You have to move very quickly on the ACT if you’re going to finish. If you’re a slower test-taker, look at the SAT. It might be much easier to finish. After all, you’ll never get questions correct if you don’t answer them.

2. The ACT has a science section, but the SAT does NOT!

   1. If you score poorly on the ACT’s science section, it’ll bring your score down (The ACT averages 4 scores together, so one bad score will hurt your overall score significantly).

   2. The SAT does not have a science section, but there are always 1-2 reading passages based on scientific literature and data interpretation. If you’re weak with these skills, the SAT places less emphasis than the ACT, so consider using the SAT.

3. The SAT has a no calculator portion of math.

   1. There are 20 no calculator questions that can throw some students for a loop on the SAT. However, the ACT allows you to use your calculator throughout the entirety of the math section. If working out problems without a calculator bothers you, consider the ACT as your go-to test.

4. The SAT has 4 answers per question, but the ACT occasionally has 5.

   1. The ACT math section has 5 answer choices per question. If you’re guessing, that means you have a 20% chance of blindly guessing correctly. However, the SAT always has 4 choices/question, so your odds are 5% better!

Find the test that is right for you. If your school only offers prep for one of the two tests, reach out to our team today. We’ll partner you with one of our top 1% scoring tutors, and build you a plan for success. If you’re still confused about which test to take, connect with us for a diagnostic exam that will determine which test you’ll do best on before ever starting to study!

Remember, these tests often determine which college you’ll end up being accepted into, and also are a direct factor of how much college debt you’ll have upon graduation. Proper preparation ALWAYS pays for itself. Get started early, and study smarter, not harder!