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Standardized testing is an important part of the college application process, and it’s likely to remain that way. While you may have heard about a handful of colleges adopting testing-optional admissions policies, as we’ve covered in our post The Reality of the Testing-Optional Trend , the majority of colleges still require and take into consideration your standardized test scores.
The two options available to meet this basic standarized testing requirement are, of course, the SAT and the ACT. When you’re just getting started on college planning, it can be hard to tell how these tests differ, especially since so many colleges treat them interchangeably. How can you decide which test to take?
Actually, there’s another option—taking both the SAT and the ACT—and there are some definite benefits that come with choosing both. In this post, we’ll cover how taking both tests can help you build a stronger college admissions profile, with less extra work and preparation than you might think.
We’ve covered many of the differences between the ACT and the SAT in our post SAT vs ACT: Everything You Need to Know . The biggest difference between these two tests is that the SAT’s sections are Reading, Math, and Writing and Language, while the ACT’s sections are English, Math, Reading, and Science Reasoning. Both tests also have an optional Essay section, which some colleges require you to take and others don’t.
The traditional advice has been that the ACT is more concerned with your understanding of specific content, while the SAT is more about reasoning, logic, and problem-solving. However, both tests have been revamped many times, and in the most modern iterations of these tests, this dichotomy isn’t necessarily true; there are more commonalities in what the tests cover than there are differences. The newest versions of the test have also removed another difference, namely the old SAT’s penalty for wrong answers, which used to affect the SAT strategies authorities recommended for students.
Even the ACT’s unique Science Reasoning section doesn’t require you to have learned specific science facts. Rather, it tests the type of reasoning skills that are used in the practice of science, and uses scientific contexts to test your problem-solving abilities. The content is somewhat different from that of the SAT, but both address similar skills.
While the ACT and SAT are generally pretty similar in what they test, they sometimes asks different types of questions or have different requirements for their answers. For example, the ACT budgets less time per question than the ACT. Some of the SAT math questions must be answered without a calculator, while a calculator may be used on all of the ACT math questions. The optional essay sections for each test ask for slightly different approaches.
There are many other small differences between the SAT and the ACT in terms of content, format, timing, and other features—in fact, there are too many to list here. Check out these additional posts from the CollegeVine blog for more detailed information on the differences between these two tests.
Neither the ACT nor the SAT is a “better” test— they’re just different. Both tests are widely used, well-respected ways of assessing academic ability and college potential. Historically, the SAT has been more popular in the Northeastern US, while the ACT has been more popular in the Midwest, but at present, the majority of colleges in this country will accept either test as part of their application requirements.
In general, colleges that accept both the ACT and the SAT don’t prefer either test over the other. Neither test will give you a particular advantage in the college application process, and colleges will assess your application based on all the scores you choose to send them, no matter what combination of tests you took. How well you score is more important than which test(s) you take.
You may encounter some small differences in the ways different colleges deal with your SAT and SAT scores. For instance, some colleges allow you to substitute your ACT scores for the combination of SAT and SAT II Subject Test scores, allowing you to take fewer tests overall. It’s always essential to read the individual application instructions for each and every college where you apply to make sure that your requirements are met.
You may also find that particular merit-based scholarship programs require scores from either the ACT or the SAT and won’t allow you to substitute one for the other. The classic example, of course, is the National Merit Scholarship Program , which is based upon participants’ PSAT and SAT scores. Each scholarship program has its own rules and requirements, so whenever you apply for a scholarship, you’ll need to research its specific terms.