ACT v. SAT

Locked In//Studying at home, many students at Coronado High School stay up super late and stress to get homework and studying done for the next day. As much work as it already is, many Juniors also add on the additional stress and studying for the ACT/SAT. (Photo by Natalia Arieli)

Are you a junior, anxiously studying and worrying about upcoming ACT and SAT testing? Or maybe you’re a sophomore, wondering what those tests even are? Well, as a new sophomore, I was wondering the same thing. When should I start studying for the ACT or SAT? What makes them different? Should I take them? Which one’s better? Many students don’t know what these tests are; only that they’re important and a good score can improve chances of getting into a prestigious college. So what are the ACT and SAT?

To start, the ACT and SAT are both standardized tests that test your knowledge on multiple subjects, such as reading, writing, math, and science. Usually, you can take them as a junior in high school and can retake them multiple times for a higher score. The ACT is usually taken from October through July, while the SAT can be taken from August through June. They are both taken at test centers that may be located at high schools or colleges. According to College Board, the SAT and ACT can help you look more appealing to colleges once college applications are out, which is why it may be beneficial that you take them. The ACT is a requirement for graduation at Coronado, and the SAT is optional, but taking them can improve your chances of getting into college if that is your goal. This raises the question: what's the difference, and which one is better?

First, let's take a look at the ACT. According to ACT.org, the ACT consists of four mandatory subjects to test in: English, Math, Reading, and Science. The four subjects also have different time limits for each section: English – 35 mins for 50 questions, Math – 50 mins for 45 questions, Reading – 40 mins for 36 questions, and Science – 40 mins for 40 questions. There is also a writing section, which gives you 40 mins to respond to one essay prompt. ACT scores range from 1-36, and according to ACT.org, the most prestigious universities and colleges “tend to have higher expectations, often looking for ACT scores in the 27-32 range or higher.” 

Some of the benefits of the ACT are that it offers a “TIR,” which is essentially a service that allows students to get a copy of their test questions after they take the test, which is great to review if you want to retake it. The ACT also generally offers more practice materials than the SAT, which include many official ACT practice tests and papers for students. However, the ACT is very fast-paced, and requires students to answer several questions in a very short amount of time, which can be tiring. The ACT is also known for a harsh scoring curve, where a couple of wrong answers can bring down your score dramatically.

Next, we will examine the SAT. Princeton Review gives more information about the SAT, including the different sections. Unlike the ACT, the SAT has only 2 main sections of the test, yet they are each broken up into 2 modules. The first part of the SAT is Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: Module 1 – 32 minutes for 27 questions and Module 2 – 32 minutes for 27 questions. The second part of the SAT is Math: Module 1 – 35 minutes for 22 questions and Module 2 – 35 minutes for 22 questions. For people who struggle with science or essay writing, the SAT could be better to take because those sections are not included in the test. The SAT scoring is on a scale of 200 to 800 points per part, and 1600 points all together. According to Crimson Education, an SAT score you should aim for if you want to get into a prestigious university or college, “typically falls within the range of 1470 to 1580.” The highest score you can earn is a perfect score of 1600, but it is very difficult to get.

The SAT also has some benefits. It has a very consistent and standardized score, which is great for colleges to see. A strong SAT score does increase your chances of getting a scholarship, as colleges love to see high SAT scores. It can also help to lower the “GPA gap” (the gap between grades over the years and performance on state tests) because it gives another measure of a student’s intelligence and academic potential. There are also several good resources to use to study and practice for the SAT with the Bluebook app. Both the SAT and ACT can also have an effect on mental health, since they can cause a heap of test anxiety, as they are both very difficult tests.

Now that I’ve researched the differences between the SAT and ACT and the pros and cons with them, I can tell you that many people will have different opinions and preferences on whether the SAT or ACT is better. In my opinion, I believe that the SAT is better to take and spend more time on. First, many prestigious colleges and universities prefer seeing a strong SAT score. If you focus more on the SAT and get a great score, colleges will likely view that favorably, which can improve your chances of getting into a renowned school like Stanford or Harvard. In addition, the fact that the SAT has the same time for the same number of questions in each module of a section makes it more organized and systematic. 

Some people might say that the ACT is a more accurate and detailed overview of your knowledge, as it has four different sections to test you on. However, I believe the SAT is preferable because having only two sections benefits students who are stronger in one area than another. A bad score on one of the four sections in the ACT can bring the overall score down a lot. On the contrary, both reading and writing questions on the SAT will give you an advantage of having a mixture of questions instead of two separate sections if you’re good at reading but not writing and vice versa.

Both the ACT and the SAT are good tests to take to better your chances of getting into college, and now that you know more about them, you can make your choice of which one’s better and which one you should spend your time on. In my opinion, you should focus on the SAT more, but the ACT may also have benefits depending on you as a student. If you plan on not taking both tests, then you should focus on the ACT more because it is required for graduation at our school. So, sophomores and juniors, if you are planning on going to college in the future and plan on taking these tests, start preparing, and I wish you all the best of luck.