What is the Difference Between the ACT and SAT?

The ACT and SAT are standardized tests that colleges use to assess how prepared a student is to take college-level courses.
Taking the ACT and/or the SAT can increase your chances of getting into the college of your choice.
The major differences between the ACT and SAT are in the science section (SAT doesn’t have one), the match section, the time allowed per section, and of course scoring and formatting differences.

The ACT and SAT are very different tests and understanding those differences can help you determine which test is best for your college admission chances.

Years ago there was a distinct difference between the SAT and ACT. However, in recent years the format and sections in the SAT test were completely revamped. Today the two tests are more similar in terms of the basic subjects that are covered as well as the test-taking time. Despite this restructuring of the SAT, there are still several differences between these two tests.

Before discussing the difference between the ACT and SAT, it helps to take a look at the main features of each test.

What To Expect With The SAT

The SAT test is comprised of three main sections: Evidence-Based Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. Evidence-Based Reading and Writing are worth 800 points together, and Math is also worth 800 points. The two results are combined together to get your SAT Combined score. A student taking the SAT can score anywhere between 400 and 1600 possible points.

The full SAT is 3 hours long. For the sections, you can expect:

Evidence-Based Reading

52 questions
65 minutes
Tests your reading comprehension on passages and a variety of subjects

Writing

44 questions
35 minutes
Tests on vocabulary, language, and grammar

Math

58 questions
Has a section for calculators, and one without
80 minutes for both sections (25 with no calculator, 55 minutes with)
Tests algebra, trigonometry, and geometry
Provides you with a list of basic math formulas

The SAT question layout is more straightforward than it was pre-2016. It takes less time to figure out what the question is asking you to answer. College Board also removed the optional SAT essay in 2021 and it is no longer offered.

What To Expect With The ACT

The ACT is scored out of 36 possible points and it has four sections—Math, English, Science, and Reading. Each are worth 36 points, but the scores are averaged together to arrive at your ACT Composite score.

In total, the ACT is 2 hours and 55 minutes long. If you decide to go with the optional essay, another 40 minutes will be added to your test time making it a total of 3 hours and 35 minutes

The ACT sections include:

English

75 questions
45 minutes
Tests punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, and more

Math

60 questions
60 minutes
Tests on Algebra, trigonometry, and geometry with a calculator

Reading

40 questions
35 minutes
Tests your reading comprehension on a variety of subjects

Science

40 questions
35 minutes
Tests on passages, graphs, summaries, research, tables, and more

Writing (optional)

1 essay
40 minutes
Students are required to write a persuasive essay

Overview of the Difference Between ACT and SAT

	ACT	SAT
Why Take It?	Increase your chances for getting into the college and scholarships of your choice.	Increase your chances for getting into the college and scholarships of your choice.
Scoring	1-36 Scale	400-1600 Scale
Test Length	2 Hours, 55 Minutes (No Essay) 3 Hours, 40 Minutes (With Essay)	3 Hours
Test Structure	Multiple Choice Questions In areas of: English mathematics reading science	Mostly multiple choice with 3 Sections: Reading Writing and Language Math
Reading	4 Passages	5 Passages
Science	1 section focused critical thinking skills/data interpretation	None
Mathematics	Arithmetic Algebra I & II Geometry, Trigonometry and Data Analysis	Arithmetic Algebra I & II Geometry, Trigonometry, and Probability & Statistics
Calculator Policy	Calculator allowed on all questions	Calculator usage is limited to specific questions.
Essays	Optional Essage	None

Difference Between ACT And SAT: Detailed Breakdown

Differences in the Science Section

The science section is a unique feature of the ACT test. The SAT doesn’t have a science section.

The ACT science questions are based on interpretation, analysis, reasoning, and problem-solving. You will be required to understand graphs and tables.

Differences in the Math Section

In the math section, one common feature is the heavy focus on algebra in both tests. Other than that, there are several differences between the ACT and SAT math sections.

One difference is that the ACT has a larger section on geometry and trigonometry as compared to the SAT.

Another difference between the two tests is concerning calculators.

The ACT allows test-takers to use calculators for the entirety of the test. However, it does not provide a reference guide or list of basic mathematical formulas or diagrams to help test takers.

The SAT on the other hand allows test takers to use a calculator for only one math section- not all. However, it provides test takers with a handy reference guide listing a few basic math formulas and diagrams.

What this means for you – The SAT will be more helpful if you have trouble memorizing formulas but are quick with solving formulas without a calculator. The ACT may be better for you if you need a calculator to solve formulas and find it relatively easier to memorize a few essential formulas.

Differences in Time Per Section

It’s important to take the time to understand the difference between the SAT and ACT in relation to the time per section even while doing your practice tests. This will help you pace yourself so that you don’t run out of time, which is a common problem many students face because of the number of questions to be answered in a limited time frame.

The ACT has more questions than the SAT, which means you get less time to complete each section. You have to move faster through the questions in every section to answer them all within the allotted time.

The SAT has fewer questions, allowing for more time to answer each question in every section of the test. What you should keep in mind however is that it does take more time to read, understand, and problem-solve the SAT questions. Overall, it does take longer to complete each SAT section even though each one has fewer questions.

Differences in Scoring

The ACT and SAT are scored differently. In the ACT, the average score of each section is calculated on a scale of 1-36. In the SAT, each section is scored on a scale of 200 – 400, with a total score of 400-600 points.

One similarity between the ACT and SAT scoring is neither test penalizes wrong answers. That means if you’re stuck on a difficult question, it’s better to guess and move on instead of spending too much time trying to figure it out or leaving the answer blank. If you guess correctly, you’ll gain marks, whereas if you guess incorrectly, you just won’t gain a mark but you won’t lose marks either.

Differences in Formatting

Although both tests have somewhat similar sections when it comes to English, writing, math, and reading, the questions and formatting will be slightly different.

ACT vs. SAT: Which one should you take?

So how can you know which test to take? Is the ACT right for you, or is it the SAT? Understanding the differences and knowing your strengths and weaknesses is essential when it comes time to make this decision.

The SAT may be the better option for you if you have strong reading and critical thinking skills.
The ACT may be better for you if you have a strong foundation and grasp of charts, data, and graphs.

Take time to also read through the myth of “The ACT is harder than the SAT” so you don’t make the wrong choice based on misinformation.

Understanding the difference between the ACT and SAT is just the first step in the test-taking process.

Once you’ve decided which test is best for you, you need to:

Lay out a plan to prepare for the test. The best way to ace whichever test you choose to take is to start preparing well in advance.
Make use of study guides or join a study group if you need motivation and accountability.
Practice, Practice, Practice. This will give you a better idea of the layout of each section in the test. It will also give you a better idea of how much time you can realistically afford to spend on each section.

The more familiar you are with the types of questions on each test, the layout of the sections, and the time allotted for each section, the better prepared you’ll be to ace the test.

Find out how your ACT and SAT scores can affect your acceptance odds by using College Raptor’s College Match tool.