Many students are familiar with the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) that is commonly administered for US and international students wishing to study in US universities and colleges. However, many students are unaware that another test also exists. It’s called the ACT (American College Testing).
Internationally, the SAT has been the dominant player when it comes to which test students take as part of their college application process. This is partly to do with the fact that the company responsible for creating and administering the test, The College Board, has done a great job marketing the SAT worldwide. The other reason why the SAT has been the main choice among international students is due to the fact that the majority of students have a tendency to apply to schools on the coasts of the US.
Historically, the SAT was the test of choice for West Coast and East Coast schools, while the ACT was more common for the middle part of the US. Both tests are accepted at any school in the US and there is no longer any preference for one versus the other.
Now that we have covered a quick history and background on each of the tests, let’s talk about the differences. First and foremost, the ACT is considered to be an achievement test, while the SAT has historically been more of an aptitude test. What’s the difference?
|
ACT: Achievement |
SAT: Aptitude |
| Comprehensive knowledge | Cognitive skills:
|
| Consolidation of what you’ve learned | Ability to think or analyze |
| Straightforward questions | Inferring & reading between lines |
While each test is similar in its overall objective, they both do have differences in the way they reach their objectives. Here is a breakdown of those differences:
|
ACT |
SAT |
|
|
|
|
| One big portion for each of the four sections:
|
Broken up into more sections: currently 10 sections:
|
| Writing is optional | Writing mandatory (currently) |
| Writing is last section of test | Writing is first section of test |
| No penalty for guessing | Points deducted for guessing |
| No experimental section | Experimental section |
Test Section differentiations:
| ACT | SAT |
| English (Grammar/usage) | Writing + Grammar |
| Writing (essay only) | |
| Reading
|
Critical Reading
|
| Math (includes trigonometry) | Math (short answer) |
| Science | (SAT Subject tests only) |
How are they scored?
| ACT | SAT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Writing section differences:
Timing
SAT = 25 minutes
ACT = 30 minutes
Content
Students should present an opinion and support the idea with personal information or info based on readings, history, etc. for both tests. ACT requires a counterargument and refutation.
What about science? I heard that the ACT has this?
Only the ACT has a science section within it. The SAT offers a choice of science tests through the more specific SAT Subject tests, which are not part of the main SAT test. The ACT science section is comprised of 40 questions that cover many different sciences, whereas the SAT Subject tests allow you to choose one area of science to focus on (e.g. chemistry, biology, physics).
Now that you have an overall understanding of how the SAT and ACT are different, the question is: Which one should you take?
In general, if you are a good student in reading and writing, and have a strong vocabulary, the SAT might be a good fit. If you’re stronger in sciences and math, the ACT could be a better option. Head over to our friends at ArborBridge to take their quick assessment quiz to help you figure out which test might be the better fit for you: ArborBridge Assesment Quiz
Credit to EducationUSA for the numbers and data.
Leave a Comment