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Counselors are often asked the question, "Which test should I take for college--SAT or ACT?"
The best answer to that question is, "Whichever test your college of choice requires."

The only real way to know which test you should take is to find out everything that your chosen college(s) requires. The very best way to determine that is to visit the college's website and navigate to the admissions pages for prospective students or incoming freshmen. These web pages will contain a list of things that you will need to submit in order to be considered for admissions to that college. All but a few colleges require incoming students to take either the SAT or the ACT. Some colleges that require the SAT may also require students to take SAT subject tests and those will be listed on the admissions web page. If, however, your college gives you the choice of either test, which one should you take?

That's a decision that you, the student, must make, hopefully with some input from parents. There are also some excellent sources of information on the Internet that will help you decide which test is right for you. One such source is Kaplan.

Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company, and has been assisting  students in their preparation for standardized exams like SAT and ACT for nearly 70 years. This company has helped many students prepare for these tests and has extensive experience in advising students on how to receive the best scores. Kaplan's website, www.captest.com, provides visitors with a wealth of information to help them make intelligent decisions about tests. They have provided the information that follows:

The ACT vs. The SAT

What's the difference between the ACT and the SAT?

Both the ACT and the SAT are nationally administered standardized tests that help colleges evaluate candidates. Most colleges and universities accept either test. So as you begin to think about college and creating the best application package possible, your admissions plan should begin with the question, "Which test should I take?" When weighing your options, keep in mind that there are differences in test structure and the type of content assessed. Use the chart below to see which test makes the most of your strengths to help you determine which test might be best for you.

  ACT SAT
Length 3 hours, 25 minutes (including the 30-minute optional Writing Test) 3 hours, 45 minutes
Sections 4 test sections (5 with the optional Essay, known as the Writing Test) 10 Sections
Areas Tested English, Math, Reading, Science, Writing (optional) Critical Reading, Math, Writing (includes the Essay), Experimental (unscored)
Reading (ACT) / Critical Reading (SAT) 4 Reading Comprehension passages, 10 questions per passage Mix of Reading Comprehension and Sentence Completion questions that require vocabulary expertise
Science Science Reasoning (analysis, interpretation, evaluation, problem solving) covered Science not included
Math Math accounts for 1/4 of overall score

Topics Covered: Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry (4 questions) 		Math accounts for 1/3 of overall score

Topics Covered: Basic Geometry and Algebra II
Essay Last thing you do (optional); 30 minutes

Not included in composite score 		First thing you do; 25 minutes

Factored into overall score
Scoring Total composite score of 1-36 (based on average of 4 tests)

4 scores of 1-36 for each test

Score of 0-12 for the optional Essay 		Total score out of 2400



3 scores of 200-800 for each section

2 sub-scores of 20-80 for writing multiple choice and 0-12 for the Essay
Wrong Answer Penalty No wrong answer penalty Yes, 1/4 point per wrong answer (except for Math Grid-in questions)
Sending Score History You decide which score is sent Your entire score history will be sent automatically


Learning about the differences between the two tests is one thing, knowing how you actually might score is another. The only way to know for sure is to take a practice test. Kaplan offers practice ACT, SAT, or SAT/ACT Combo Tests to help you identify which test could best showcase your strengths during the admission process. Visit the Kaplan website and navigate to each of these test help pages using the navigation tabs at the top of the page and the navigation bar on the left side of the page.

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