Here's an important fact concerning the SAT and ACT: colleges do not favor one test over the other. Both are accepted by all colleges and universities that require admissions testing. Some, such as Boston University, accept the ACT with Writing in lieu of the SAT and SAT Subject Tests. Statistics have shown that ⅓ of students perform better on the SAT, ⅓ perform better on the SAT, and ⅓ perform exactly the same on both tests. Thus, a student is often faced with the dilemma of deciding which is the better test to take. Understanding the test differences can help with that decision.
While we always advise students to try both the SAT and ACT at least once to compare scores and testing experiences, Score At The Top offers a unique SAT vs ACT Assessment Test that can help determine for which test the student is better suited. That way, a student avoids having to take – and prep for – both tests.
After the changes to the ACT and SAT in 2015-2016, the tests have become increasingly similar, although numerous differences still exist. For example, SAT math is composed of more than 60% algebra questions and has very little geometry; ACT math is more evenly balanced between algebra and geometry. The ACT includes a science reasoning section (which requires very little specific science knowledge), while the SAT tests science in the context of the reading, writing, and math sections. When the SAT dropped its direct test of vocabulary (19 sentence completion questions), it joined ACT in indirectly testing vocabulary in the context of the reading passages.
