Choosing Between The ACT and The SAT
In comparing these tests, it is important to remember that the differences between them are marginal, and that a student capable of succeeding on one is likely to succeed on the other. Conversely, choosing the “right” test does not constitute a meaningful advantage in and of itself.
In the coming year, changes to the format of the ACT will bring the test more in line with the SAT. While it has most recently consisted of 215 questions in 195 minutes (for students who do not qualify for extra time), it will now be 171 questions in 125 minutes. The new digital SAT, by comparison, consists of 98 questions in 134 minutes. The ACT is thus still distinguished by high volume and higher speed, but the gap is narrower. Meanwhile, the primary differences in content, namely the ACT’s Reading Comprehension and Science sections, are also those most heavily affected by these latest changes: the reading comp passages will now be much shorter and the Science section will be optional.
Still, while the two tests are more similar than they have been for years, the differences that persist meaningfully affect the entire preparation process. The ACT, allowing–on average–less time per question, is still the more “straightforward” option. Reading comprehension questions do not ask students to reason or make inferences, while many of the math questions will clearly present an expression and ask for a solution. The Science section, despite its name, does not actually test students on their understanding of scientific concepts. Rather, it assesses their ability to correctly recognize relevant information from tables and charts, and, occasionally, to discern the logic of an experiment, and in this respect is more like reading comprehension with scientific content. Some SAT questions, by contrast, can require a step or two more critical thinking: the Reading and Writing modules contain counterfactual questions based on rather dense passages, while the Math modules contain more questions asking students to recognize and apply concepts through word problems.
That said, there are some caveats to this broad distinction. The English section of the ACT is organized by passages of writing while the SAT Reading and Writing modules are organized by question type. This means ACT takers must constantly move between grammar correction questions and questions about the content or organization of a passage. SAT takers, meanwhile, can prepare for relatively even amounts of vocab, grammar, reading comprehension, and analysis questions, always in the same order. An added quirk of the ACT is that its English questions feature underlined portions of text that probably–but do not necessarily–contain an error. This means that choosing a correct answer means visualizing the text otherwise, and this mental action must occasionally be carried over to subsequent questions where a previous correction is pertinent. The SAT’s vocab and grammar questions feature traditional blanks, the more “straightforward” format in this respect, and no two questions interact with one another.
The best way to decide is to engage with as many practice questions from each test as possible, if not to take full practice tests. Beyond that, students can decide for themselves whether they feel more comfortable answering more questions or answering fewer, slightly trickier questions. Thinking practically, the ACT might be the better choice for those looking to concentrate their preparation by reviewing fundamentals and picking up a few time saving techniques, while the SAT can be seen as a longer term challenge, such that even the most confident students will need to develop their instincts and practice an array of strategies corresponding to question type, with the goal of distinguishing themselves through a more formidable challenge. Remember, with so many schools adopting test-optional admissions policies, the purpose of taking either test is to attain a remarkable score, one that clearly adds to the strength of an application (this line of thinking may also be applied to the optional Science section of the new format ACT). The ACT is thus only the “easier” test if one ignores the fact that getting a higher percentage of questions correct is necessary to this end. It may not be terribly difficult for an athlete to make a free throw in basketball, or score on a penalty kick in soccer, but only the absolute best can do it 9 out of 10 times.