ACT® vs. SAT®

To register for a national ACT® exam administration, please visit the ACT website. To register for a national SAT® exam administration, please visit the College Board website. For a list of upcoming exam dates and registration deadlines, please consult our Quick-View Calendar.

ACT®

(Scored out of 36)

1. English (45 min.)

• Usage & Mechanics (punctuation, grammar, word usage, sentence structure)
• Rhetorical Skills (style, strategy, and organization)

2. Math (60 min.)

• Algebra
• Coordinate & Plane Geometry
• Trigonometry

3. Reading (35 min.)

• Tone and Mood
• Main Idea and Generalization
• Cause and Effect and Comparison
• Passage Topics: Literary Narrative, Social Studies, Humanities, and Natural Sciences

4. Science (35 min.)

• Data Interpretation (Tables, Charts, Diagrams)
• Experimental Design
• Opposing Viewpoints

TOTAL TIME - 2 hOURs 55 minutes

SAT®

(Scored out of 1600)

1. Reading (65 min.)

• Words in Context
• Command of Evidence
• Passage Topics: Literature, History and Social Studies, Founding Document or Great Global Conversation, Science

2. Writing & Language (35 min.)

• Words in Context (concision vs. precision, style, tone)
• Command of Evidence (analyzing relevance and supporting detail)
• Expression of Ideas (syntax, organization, and essay structure)
• Standard English Conventions (syntax, usage, and punctuation)

3. Math: Non-Calculator (25 min.)

• Heart of Algebra (linear equations, systems of linear equations, and inequalities)
• Problem Solving and Data Analysis (ratios, proportions, percentages, units, quantitative data, probabilities)
• Passport to Advanced Math (equivalent algebraic expressions, quadratic equations, exponential functions, other nonlinear equations and functions)
• Additional Topics in Math (basic trigonometry, geometry)

4. Math: Calculator (55 min.)

• Same as Non-Calculator Math (see above)

TOTAL TIME - 3 hours 0 minutes

Side-by-Side Comparison

• ACT is ½ Evidence-Based Reading
  • Both Reading and Science sections test close-reading skills (ability to locate facts or details in a passage)

• SAT is ½ Mathematics
  • Two separate Math sections (Calculator and Non-Calculator) test identical concepts

• ACT Math: Mental calculations optional
  • Calculator permitted for all 60  questions
  • Math section is entirely multiple-choice
  • Greater breadth of content (algebra, geometry, and pre-calculus)

• SAT Math: Mental calculations required
  • Calculator prohibited for 20 of 58 questions
  • Math sections contain some non-multiple-choice
  • Heavily weighted toward in-depth knowledge of algebra