SAT verse ACT: Which Exam Should Students Take?

There are two exams that are widely accepted for the purposes of college admissions and the distribution of merit scholarship money: SAT and ACT. While students throughout the U.S. know that they can choose whichever test they want, geography tends to play a major role in their decision.

 

In New Jersey, for example, 90.3% of students choose the SAT, while only 9.7% choose the ACT, according to statistics from Niche.com. This ratio of 9 to 1, or even greater, in favor of the SAT is also reported in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia.  

 

Local students find the SAT to be a natural progression from the PSAT which they typically take in the fall of both their sophomore and junior years.  Also, students often find the SAT to be an easier test as it covers fewer subjects and gives students more time per question than does the ACT.

States where students strongly favor the ACT include Alabama, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

Although the section titles vary, both tests cover critical reading, grammar, and math.  The most significant difference in content is that the ACT includes a science section, filled with reading passages on science topics including charts, graphs and tables, while the SAT does not.

 

While both tests currently have a similar time frame (three hours for the SAT, two hours and 55 minutes for the ACT) there are 40% more questions on the ACT resulting in substantially less time per question for test-takers.

 

The ACT also offers an optional essay, which adds an additional 40 minutes to the test.  The SAT eliminated its optional essay in 2021.

 

While students can certainly take both tests, it’s most productive to choose one and put substantial time and effort into preparing for that specific exam. Students can take whichever exam they choose as many times as they like, and colleges never know.  Basically, they get unlimited “do-overs.”  When the time comes to submit college applications, in the fall of senior year, students check off exactly which scores they want to send and those are the only scores colleges can view.

 

Students interested in viewing actual past tests should check out The Official SAT Study Guide by The College Board and The Official ACT Prep Guide 2023-2024.

 

Upcoming SAT test dates for the remainder of 2023 are August 26^th, October 7^th, November 4^th, and December 2^nd.  ACT test dates are July 15^th, September 9^th, October 28^th, and December 9^th.   

 

The cost of the SAT is $60 while the cost of the ACT is $66, plus an additional $25 if choosing to include the essay section.  

Susan Alaimo is the founder & director of Collegebound Review, offering PSAT/SAT^® preparation & private college advising by Ivy League educated instructors. Visit CollegeboundReview.com or call 908-369-5362