Should I take the ACT or SAT?

One of the most frequently asked questions we get is which test a particular student should take.

Here are the general things to know and consider before making a decision:

Schools no longer have a preference between the tests

If you’ve been fortunate enough not to think about college entrance exams since you took them, this information might come as a surprise to you. Back in the day, everyone “knew” that the East Coast preferred one test and West Coast schools preferred the other.

Now, schools accept both, and admissions officers state they have no preference.

How well do you hold up under pressure?

Both tests are stressful, anxiety-inducing experiences. However, they go about torturing testing students in different ways.

The ACT is a fast-paced test: 75 grammar questions in 45 minutes, 60 math questions in 60 minutes, and 40 reading questions in 35 minutes, and 40 “science” questions in 35 minutes. Because you have so little time per question, you are typically asked to do less in each question. If you are familiar with the “shape” of each question, you can navigate the test with time to spare.

The SAT is slower-paced: 52 reading questions in 65 minutes, 44 grammar questions in 35 minutes, 20 math questions (sans calculator) in 25 minutes, and 38 math questions (with calculator) in 55 minutes. However, you are going to be asked to do more work per question in most cases.

It’s fast and simple versus slower and more complex. It’s an overly-reductive way of thinking about the tests, but it will have to do.

How do you prefer your data analysis?

The ACT Science is, upon first glance, intimidating for most students. An entire section devoted to how quickly you can analyze a fresh set of data presented in an intentionally confusing way? Gross.

However, those same types of questions also appear on the SAT. It’s just that they are spread out across all of the other test sections.

If these data analysis questions are too scary for you, you may want to only have to fight them one or two at a time, instead of concentrated in their own section.

How do you feel about reading?

Would you rather complete a word search or be forced to scrape the surface-level meaning from an 18th-century speech?

Okay, that’s a leading question, but I’m not sorry. No one prefers the SAT Reading section. I know it. You know it. The College Board knows it. That’s why Reading is the section undergoing the most changes in the all-new, new-new SAT (coming in 2024 for students in the U.S.).

So this point isn’t about preferences: it’s about tolerance. Can you stomach the SAT Reading section in its current form in order to gain the other benefits of the test? Or is analyzing a speech that Lord Brumblefort gave to Parliament in 1736 regarding the Witchcraft Act of 1735 a dealbreaker?

What math class are you in?

The SAT Math sections max out around Algebra II. The ACT Math section features a bit more pre-calculus.

Not having pre-calc under your belt isn’t a disqualifying factor for the ACT; we can teach you all you need to know about those tested concepts. However, it may add an intimidation factor to the ACT Math.

Most Students Should Only Prep for One

Although there is a lot of overlap between the tests in the concepts that are tested on the grammar and math sections, there isn’t much overlap in the way they are tested.

That means we end up doing a lot of reteaching of those concepts for students who are prepping for both tests. That means that prep takes longer and is less cost-effective.

There are legitimate reasons for prepping for both or switching tests mid-prep, but, for most students, we want to decide early on which test is best for them and go for it.

Still not sure? 

We offer a diagnostic students can use to help decide which test is right for them. After students complete the diagnostic, we analyze their feedback and performance to help them make an informed decision.