ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Should I Take?
Choosing which test to take can be a stressful experience. By considering the factors that influence your aptitude for each test, you can set yourself up to achieve your highest possible score. Though colleges will often accept scores from both the ACT and the SAT, the tests themselves have some significant variations in content and in difficulty. The most impactful differentiating pieces of the SAT and ACT are their differences in content and effective strategy use.
The Math section of the ACT goes deeper into high school-level Math (i.e. Pre-Calculus), while the SAT Math section focuses mainly on Algebra 2. However, the SAT increases the difficulty of these Algebra 2 questions beyond what you typically see in school. Because of this, many students consider the SAT Math more difficult because they haven’t had experience with some of the content. This is also part of what sets the SAT and ACT apart in prep, as you can’t rely as much on backup strategies to get you through SAT Math as you can for ACT Math. If you have a strong ability to apply Algebra 2 concepts, the SAT is a great way to show off Math ability. If you have more general knowledge across Algebra, Geometry, and through Pre-Calculus and tend to get tripped up by wording or logic-based questions, the ACT may be the better choice.
Additionally, there’s a section on the ACT that isn’t tested on the SAT: Science. Though this may sound intimidating for some, the Science section mainly focuses on the basics: disseminating information from a graph/chart/table, experimental design, and scientific reading comprehension. Because the ACT Science section doesn’t test hard knowledge, students who have strong reading comprehension without a background in science tend to do well in this section after training. For many, the starting Science score is the lowest and the ending Science score is the highest, making it one of the most trainable sections. The SAT does not have an equivalent section, and instead gives you a score based only on Reading, Writing, and Math.
While it makes sense to choose a test based on content and strategy, your personal preference for one test or the other can influence how effective the test prep process will be for you. While it’s not the most scientific approach to the decision, it’s better to start prepping for the test that you want to prepare for than to potentially risk losing motivation on a test that you aren’t interested in or didn’t have a positive experience with. Keep in mind that if you figure out during the prep process that the opposite test may be better for you, you can always switch. With effective prep, you will be able to carry the knowledge you gained from studying for one test into prep for the second.
Lastly, in the time of COVID-19, test availability also may influence your decision. College Board was not able to hold administrations of the SAT in San Diego County in 2020 because of heavy test site cancellations. This is due to the restrictions surrounding schools operating as test sites during the school closures this past fall. Alternatively, ACT has worked around these guidelines by opening pop-up test sites at local hotels as well as having individual schools host ACT exams for their students only. However, there is at least one high school that plans to offer the SAT to their students this upcoming spring and we’ve had students successfully sit for the SAT in nearby counties. If you are planning to prepare to take the official ACT or SAT this spring in San Diego, the ACT may be the safest option. If you are planning to take an official ACT or SAT in the fall of 2021, there is a much better possibility that San Diego will have SAT testing options available.
Still don’t know which test to take? The best way to determine which test to prepare for is to take a full length official version of both exams as a proctored practice test or to use your ACT and SAT scores from previous official tests. If you don’t have time to take both practice tests, an alternative way to determine this is to take a full length official practice ACT and compare your score to your sophomore year PSAT score. Using your PSAT score for the comparison isn’t ideal, but it will give you a better idea of your SAT baseline than taking an old (i.e. pre-2017) official practice test, an unofficial practice test, or trying to take both the ACT and SAT in one sitting.
Ultimately, the most important part of choosing a test is choosing the test that is right for you. There is no one-size-fits all for which test you should move forward with, and with colleges treating each test equally in admissions, you have the ability to take the test that gives you the best chance at success.
Interested in signing up for an official practice test? Mo Prep holds remotely-proctored practice tests every Saturday at 8:15am. You can sign up for one of our available test dates here.
