Written By: Riley Wang
Edited By: Joseph Kim
Many colleges require students to submit either their ACT or SAT. These academic tests are used in the admissions process for the college you applied for. Although there are two different tests a student can choose to take, many colleges do not prefer one over the other, and so, it is solely up to the student on which one best suits them. Throughout this article, you will read about some of the differences between the SAT and ACT tests to aid in your decision on choosing one over the other.
Time Per Question
Time management is a vital skill that helps you thoroughly complete each question in the test. Though, there is a subtle difference in the time you have per question. The ACT offers less time per question than the SAT.
ACT: Reading → 53 sec/question, Writing → 36 sec/question
SAT: Reading → 75 sec/question, Writing → 48 sec/question
There are two different scenarios with the amount of time you have. Therefore, if you are very skilled in managing your time well, then the ACT may be suitable for you. In contrast, if time management is not one of your skills, the SAT offers more workable time for each question.
Section of Science
Another major difference between the two tests is that the ACT contains a part solely for Science, whereas the SAT does not. Still keep in mind that the SAT does contain scientific questions and concepts, it just does not have an entire section for it.
The ACT’s science contributes to one-fourth of your score in total so if you think science is your strong suit then the ACT may be a wise choice.
Answer Choices in Math Sections
The ACT and SAT both include a math section in their exam. This part is made up of multiple-choice questions, the SAT having four possible answers and the ACT having five.
SAT: If students guess on a question, they still have a 25% chance to be correct
ACT: If students guess on a question, they have a 20% chance to be correct
This affects one’s likelihood to get the correct answer and receive points if they did not understand the question. There is a 5% difference in your probability of getting the points on a question that you have just guessed. If you are not confident in math, then the SAT could be a better option than the ACT.
Chronological Reading order
On the SAT Reading, all questions are given to you in chronological order. This means that the events of your passage follow the order of questions. But on ACT Reading, the questions may flow randomly and do not follow the order of the passages. It depends on what kind of learning and comprehension style you are geared towards but if you like analyzing in an ordered manner, then perhaps the ACT is not for you.
Closing Remarks
After reading a few examples of the differences between the ACT and SAT tests, you are hopefully more inclined or know your suitability to do one over the other. It is always beneficial to do your own research on these exams so that you can succeed to the best of your ability. By reading this article you are taking your first step into finding out more about these standardized tests, well done, and keep going!