SAT vs ACT: Which Test Should You Take?

In 2024, approximately 1.9 million students took the SAT and 1.4 million took the ACT [1]College Board, SAT Suite Program Results, 2024. Both tests are accepted equally by every four-year college in the United States. The question isn't which test is "better", it's which test is better for you.

The SAT underwent a major overhaul in 2024, moving to a fully digital, adaptive format. The ACT remains a traditional linear test (with a digital option).

Scoring Differences[3]College Board, 2024

These concordance tables are jointly developed by the College Board and ACT Inc. Colleges use them to compare scores across tests, so a 1400 SAT and a 31 ACT are treated as essentially equivalent.

Content Differences

Reading and Writing

SAT: Combines reading comprehension and grammar/writing into a single section. Passages are shorter (the digital format uses discrete passages of 25–150 words each). Questions test vocabulary in context, text structure, evidence use, and grammar.

ACT English: A standalone section with 75 questions in 45 minutes. Tests grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills using longer passages. The ACT Reading section is separate: 40 questions in 35 minutes on four longer passages.

Key difference: The SAT gives you more time per reading question. The ACT requires faster processing of longer passages. Students who read quickly tend to prefer the ACT; students who need to re-read tend to prefer the SAT.

Math

Key difference: ACT math covers more advanced content (logarithms, matrices, more trigonometry) but every question is multiple choice. SAT math is less advanced but requires you to produce answers without choices on some questions.

Science

The ACT has a dedicated Science section (40 questions, 35 minutes). The SAT doesn't, but it includes science-oriented passages in the Reading & Writing section.

Important nuance: The ACT Science section doesn't really test science knowledge. It tests data interpretation, experimental design reasoning, and reading graphs/tables under time pressure. Students who are comfortable with charts and can read quickly often do well regardless of their science background.

Which Test Favors Which Student?

The Best Way to Decide

Don't guess, test. Take a full-length, timed practice test for both the SAT and ACT. Compare your scores using the concordance table above.

If one score is clearly higher (equivalent to 2+ ACT points or 100+ SAT points), take that test.

If scores are roughly equivalent, consider:

• Which test felt less stressful?
• Which pacing worked better for you?
• The SAT is now shorter (2h14m vs 2h55m), does test fatigue affect you?

Many students take both tests once (real administrations) and then prep seriously for whichever yields a better score. This is a legitimate and common strategy.

Superscoring Policies[1]College Board, SAT Suite Program Results

Superscoring means a college takes your highest section scores across multiple test dates and combines them into your best possible composite.

Strategy implication: If a school superscores, you can take the test multiple times and focus on improving one section at a time. This is especially powerful for the SAT, where there are only two sections.

Check each school's specific policy. Some schools "consider" all scores but officially only use the highest. Others want all scores submitted. Don't assume, verify.

How Many Times Should You Take a Test?

Data from the College Board shows that most students see score improvements on a second attempt, with diminishing returns after the third sitting [1]College Board, SAT Suite Program Results, 2024:

Most guidance counselors recommend taking a test 2–3 times maximum. Beyond that, you're likely at your ceiling without a significant change in preparation strategy.

The Test-Optional Factor

Since 2020, many schools have gone test-optional (see our full article on test-optional policies). This doesn't mean tests don't matter, it means you have a choice about whether to submit. If your scores are at or above a school's median, submit them. If they're significantly below, you may benefit from withholding.

But having strong scores remains an advantage at virtually every institution, including test-optional ones. Data from multiple schools shows that admitted students who submitted scores had higher acceptance rates than those who didn't [4]Common Data Sets, 2024.

The Bottom Line

There's no universally "easier" test. The SAT and ACT measure overlapping but distinct skill sets, and individual students often perform meaningfully differently on them. Take a practice test of each, compare your concorded scores, and invest your prep time in whichever test gives you the higher ceiling. Then take it 2–3 times with focused preparation between sittings.

That's the entire strategy. Everything else is noise.

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