SAT or ACT – Which One Should You Take In 2023?

It’s showtime! You should start working on your college application right now, if you haven’t already, and taking the SAT or ACT test has historically been an important part of the application process. Although more and more colleges are waiving a standardized test as an admission requirement, you may still benefit from taking one.

Is it necessary to take the SAT or ACT in 2022?

Bear in mind – many colleges are now test-optional or test-blind. This practice started due to the COVID 19 pandemic – multiple SAT and ACT exam dates had to be canceled, so schools had to adapt short-term and not require exam scores. However, many institutions decided to phase-out these requirements for the foreseeable future, while others opted to make the exams optional.

On the other hand, some colleges use exam scores to help determine scholarships and/or tuition discounts. For those schools, you will still want to take the exam(s), even if they are not required for admission.

You might be wondering how to approach a test-optional university. Would it be advantageous to take an entrance exam and send your scores? Might it hurt you if you don’t? In general, universities that are test-optional won’t penalize you for not submitting your scores. However, if you did take an exam and performed well, it would be to your benefit to submit your score.

Many test-optional colleges will first attempt to make their admission decision without looking at submitted test scores. If the admissions committee is “on the fence” about your application, they will then review your score if you submitted one, and having a strong score might then help them to decide to offer you admission. On the other hand, if you are unhappy with your exam score, it would be to your benefit to NOT submit your score.

Make sure you thoroughly research the admission and scholarship requirements of each university you’re applying to. Here is a list of schools that do not require SAT or ACT scores, so you can check if your favorites are there.

What are the SAT and ACT tests?

You might have substantially different curriculum and grading depending on which high school you go to. Yet, when applying for college, admission officers need to put your grades and class ranking in a national perspective. This is where standardized tests such as SAT or ACT come in. Their purpose is to even the playing field and predict your academic success in college.

Both SAT and ACT are standardized, multiple-choice tests that assess your reading, writing, and mathematics skills. Also, all colleges accept either of the exams. So, what are the differences? Structures and types of questions – the SAT measures general verbal and quantitative reasoning, while the ACT measures achievement related to high school curricula.

Is the SAT ot ACT easier?

Many students wonder if one exam is easier than the other. Your exam choice will depend on several factors, including your verbal and mathematical abilities, the school you plan to attend, and even the day you’re available to take the test. Let’s dive into the details of each exam to help you decide.

Pacing

The first major difference between the two exams is the pacing. While both tests are approximately the same length, the ACT manages to fit far more questions into the same timeframe. This means that in the SAT you get between 60 and 90 seconds per question, while the ACT isn’t that generous – you’ll get only 36 to 60 seconds.

Therefore, if time management isn’t one of your strengths and if you don’t tend to do well under time pressure, the SAT might be easier for you.

Math

The next important thing to consider is the content and the difficulty of the math section. On the SAT your math score is worth half of your total score, whereas on the ACT it is only worth a quarter. However, don’t be fooled – the ACT features much more advanced math topics than the SAT.

Generally speaking, if you prefer to memorize formulae and compute solutions quickly, the ACT should be your weapon of choice. On the other hand, if logical thinking and solving riddles are your cup of tea, you’d better opt for the SAT.

Science

Another glaring difference between the two tests is that the ACT has a dedicated science section whereas the SAT does not. Yet, this actually doesn’t matter all that much. Here’s why: the ACT science section is designed like a reading part – you are given passages about biology, chemistry, and physics and asked questions about what you’ve read. There are no explicit questions related to what you’ve learned in your science classes.

In the SAT, on the other hand, there is no science section, but the reading section actually includes a fair amount of science passages, although less than in the ACT.

Reading structure

The final major difference between the SAT and ACT is the structure of the reading section and the types of questions.

At first glance, the SAT seems easier, with questions asked in chronological order and a hefty 90 seconds per question, unlike the ACT, wherein you have randomized questions and less time to answer. Also, in the SAT, there are a lot of evidence-based questions, which you can answer just by looking in the passage.

On the other hand, the SAT does implement a lot of tricks to get you to choose the wrong answer and it takes a lot of practice to detect these pitfalls. The ACT questions are a bit more straightforward and don’t require so much analysis.

Basically, if you’re a super fast reader who can retain information short-term, the ACT seems to be a good idea. Otherwise, if you prefer to concentrate deeply and study hard to figure out all the tricks, you should stick with the SAT.

Should you take both tests?

First of all, to get some myths out of the way – no school will require you to submit scores from both tests and no school has a preference for either test.

So, is there any point in taking both the SAT and ACT? The answer is – yes. Just because you don’t have to, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. There are multiple benefits of taking both tests.

More opportunities to do well

You may score higher on one than the other. Sometimes you just can’t know which one suits you better without trying both.

Preparing for one will help you prepare for the other

Despite the differences, the two tests are similar enough for content and strategies to overlap, so prepping for the SAT will help you on the ACT as well.

Extra information for schools

Some of the more selective schools appreciate extra information. The admissions committee has more to work with, and if you manage to do well on both tests, it will look more impressive.

More dates to choose from

This may not seem so important, but if you have a super busy schedule at certain times of year, getting double the number of test dates to choose from can be a real lifesaver.

Preparing for your exam(s)

Practice does make perfect in the case of the SAT and ACT exams. Taking multiple practice exams is a must. You can buy exam test prep books online or at your local bookstore, or download free resources from websites such as Khan Academy.

If you find it hard to study on your own, you may want to consider taking a test prep group class or one-on-one tutoring. This is available online or in-person. Sometimes, you don’t have to look any further than your high school, as many of them provide test prep opportunities for students.

Final advice

Before taking the tests, don’t forget to do your homework. Find out about the requirements of your desired colleges. As discussed above, some schools in the US have some form of test-optional or test-blind policy, meaning that they don’t require SAT or ACT scores. Even some of the prestigious Ivy League universities, such as Columbia or Harvard fall into this category.

Finally, if you do need to take the SAT or ACT, before opting for one or the other, the best piece of advice is to take a practice test of both exams without any prior preparation. This will help you decide which is more suited to your strengths. It might take you a few hours, but it will save you a lot of time and effort in the long run.