Comparison of SAT Versus ACT Test
What are the differences between the SAT & ACT Tests?
The SAT is based more on reasoning than content. The ACT is based more on content than reasoning.
Overall, the ACT requires students to do more work in a shorter period of time than the SAT does. The ACT also contains a science section, which will test students' ability to interpret graphs, figures, and diagrams. There is no penalty for incorrect answers on either exams.
ACT Reading | SAT Critical Reading |
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40 questions in 35 minutes | 52 questions in 65 minutes |
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ACT English (grammar) | SAT Writing (grammar) |
75 questions in 45 minutes | 44 questions in 35 minutes |
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ACT Math | SAT Math |
60 problems to solve in 60 minutes | 38 problems to solve in 55 minutes (Calculator Section) 20 problems to solve in 25 minutes (No Calculator Section) |
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ACT Essay | SAT Essay |
1 essay topic in 40 minutes | 1 essay topic in 50 minutes |
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ACT Science | |
40 questions in 35 minutes | |
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Scoring of the SAT and ACT
At first, comparing SAT and ACT scores appears complicated. The scaled score on an SAT section ranges from 200 (lowest score) to 800 (perfect score). The scaled score on an ACT section ranges from 1 (lowest score) to 36 (perfect score).
The correct way to compare the two exams, however, is much simpler than comparing scaled scores. The important number is the percentile that corresponds with the scaled score. This will provide a true comparison of a student's performance on each exam.