SAT vs. ACT


SAT vs. ACT

The SAT is a globally recognized college admission test that lets you show colleges what you know and how well you can apply that knowledge. It tests your knowledge of reading, writing and math — subjects that are taught every day in high school classrooms.

The ACT is an internationally administered, standardized test that helps universities to evaluate candidates for undergraduate study.

The SAT is more of an aptitude test, testing reasoning and verbal abilities. The ACT is an achievement test, measuring what a student has learned in school.

The new SAT format (compared to the prior format) will in many ways more closely resemble the ACT test, as it becomes more consistent with high school classroom work.

Admission Officers view both the tests equally. So which one should you or your child take?

Here are the two tests broken down:
1. SAT is a reasoning test while ACT is a content based test

2. Both tests have optional essays.  The New SAT essay asks you to evaluate an argument that someone else has already written for you whereas The ACT essay asks you to come up with your own argument and support it.

3. The New SAT has a “with calculator” and “without calculator” section, and 13 of its problems force you to fill in your own answer.  The ACT lets you use a calculator on all its math problems, and all the answers are multiple choice.

4. SAT covers reading, vocabulary, grammar & usage, writing(optional) and math  and ACT covers grammar & usage, math, reading, science reasoning, and writing (optional)

5.
i] SAT Test Format-
Reading: 52 questions, 65 minutes
Writing and Language: 44 questions, 35 minutes
Math: no calculator—20 questions,  25 min; with calculator—38 questions, 55 min
Optional essay: 1 prompt, 50 min
Total Time : 3 hours + 50 mins(Optional Essay)

ii] ACT Test Format-
Reading: 40 questions, 35 min
English: 75 questions, 45 min
Math: 60 questions, 60 min
Science: 40 questions, 35 min
Optional writing: 1 prompt, 40 min
Total time : 2 hours , 55 mins + 40 mins(Optional Essay)

6. For SAT, Time per question  roughly would be 1 min and 10 seconds and for ACT it is roughly 49 seconds.

7. Similar to ACT, there is no penalty  for the  wrong answers in SAT also, from this year.

8. The SAT test will shift from its current score scale of 2400 back to 1600, with a separate score for the essay whereas  ACT  will now be on a scale of 1-36, rather than 2-12.

9. SAT is offered seven times per year: January, March or April, May, June, October, November, December whereas ACT is offered six times per year: February, April, June, September, October, December

10. SAT registration deadline is typically about four weeks before the test date while the ACT registration deadline is typically about five weeks before the test date.

11. For New SAT, there is a free mobile app for daily practice questions and also free comprehensive test practice through Khan Academy.
For ACT, there there is a free mobile app for daily practice questions but no test practice through Khan Academy.

12. The Cost of applying for SAT is $54.50 ($43 without essay)  and ACT is $56.50 ($39.50 without essay)

Based on this information, you should take the SAT if you: 

require lots of breaks
like moving between subjects
really hate science
love vocabulary and writing

That means you should take the ACT if you:

want a slightly shorter test
like science and trigonometry
tend to guess answers on tests
are trying to save money



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