SAT or ACT?
SAT or ACT? Which is Right for You?
|
SAT |
ACT |
Cost |
$52 (+16 essay) |
$50.50 (+17 essay) |
Fee waiver? |
Yes |
Yes |
Length |
3 hrs (+50 min. essay) |
3 hrs, 15 min (+40 min. essay) |
Accommodations? |
Yes |
Yes |
Emphasis |
Reasoning and critical thinking |
Skills and content knowledge |
Components |
3 (+essay) Mostly multiple choice (some “grid-in” for Math) |
4 (+essay) All multiple choice |
–Language |
Reading (65 min, 52 questions) main idea, supporting evidence, interpreting information
Writing and language (35 min, 44 questions) claims and evidence, clarity, word choice, grammar, mechanics |
Reading (35 min, 40 questions) central ideas, summarizing information, drawing conclusions, structure
English (45 min, 75 questions) grammar and usage conventions, topic development, word choice |
–Math |
2 sections (80 min, 58 questions) Calculator allowed only on first section Basic formulas provided linear equations, data analysis, complex equations |
(60 min, 60 questions) Calculator allowed on all questions No formulas provided Mostly essential math skills with some algebra, geometry, statistics |
–Science |
n/a |
(35 min, 40 questions) interpreting data, evaluating experiments and results |
Questions |
154 (70 seconds per question) |
215 (49 seconds per question) |
Essay |
Optional (50 min) Read a passage, then analyze how author effectively uses argumentation techniques |
Optional (40 min) Respond to prompt, construct an original argument |
Website |
http://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat |
http://act.org |
Scoring |
400—1600 No penalty for guessing |
1—36 No penalty for guessing |
Free practice test? |
Yes |
Yes |
Best for… |
students heading to college who prefer fewer, higher-order thinking questions with more breathing room to answer; applying what you’ve learned in high school; and testing your aptitude for college-level thinking. |
students heading to college or the work force who prefer answering concrete questions quickly; assessing what you’ve learned in high school; and testing your career readiness in multiple fields. |