The SAT or the ACT? How to Select Which Test is Best For Your Teen
Although the SAT and ACT exams are both for college-bound high school students, each test is suited to specific strengths and preferences. Here’s how to know which is the best option.
The ACT is better for Reading and English-inclined students
The ACT has individual Reading and English sections that contain a total of 86 questions, whereas the SAT has 54 questions for one SAT Verbal score. For an English-inclined student, answering more questions in their area of strength will lead to strong ACT Reading and ACT English scores, which can, in turn, boost one’s ACT composite score.
The SAT is better for math-inclined students
The math content on the SAT goes up to Algebra II, and the only trigonometry concept a student must know is “SOH-CAH-TOA” (sines, cosines, and tangents). This differs from the math content on the ACT, which includes higher-level material, such as matrices and logarithms. The trade-off here, however, is that the ACT math questions are more straightforward. A key point to remember is: “Do you know your formulas, and do you know when to apply them?” The SAT math questions, on the other hand, have more “layers”: they are like unlocking a puzzle despite their simple content.
The ACT is better for students who want flexible formats
While the SAT is a digital-only experience, the ACT offers both paper and digital exams for students who want more choice in their exam formats. In addition, the Science and Writing (Essay) sections are optional, so a student taking the first three required sections of the ACT– English, Math, and Reading– will take the same amount of time as students taking the SAT.
What To Do Next
Given these differences between the SAT and the ACT, taking one practice test of each can help you better understand which will be better suited for your child. Both the ACT Education Corp. and the College Board have published full-length exams on their respective websites.
How Jamie the Scholar Instructors Can Support Your Child
Our multi-talented team is seasoned in guiding high school sophomores and juniors through their test prep process. If you decide to take the above-mentioned steps, our instructors can meet with you to help you better understand your child’s results and provide tailored feedback about which test is best to take. Call 888-577-3224 to learn more today.