Is your SAT score enough to get you into your dream school?

Our free chancing engine takes into consideration your SAT score, in addition to other profile factors, such as GPA and extracurriculars. Create a free account to discover your chances at hundreds of different schools.

Get Your Chances

Discover how your SAT score affects your chances

As part of our free guidance platform, our Admissions Assessment tells you what schools you need to improve your SAT score for and by how much. Sign up to get started today.

Understand My Chances

Should You Take the ACT or SAT?

Once you’ve assessed the difference between the SAT and the ACT, it’s time to decide which exams are right for you. Along with considering the requirements and recommendations for your target institutions, you might want to look into whether your school offer free testing. For example, some school systems in Maryland now offer free SAT testing and vouchers to take the ACT. 

It’s worth noting that no colleges currently require students to submit scores for both the SAT and the ACT, and most schools accept either standardized test. Rather than studying for both the SAT and ACT, it’s wise to spend time improving other aspects of your college application. For example, you may want to work on your GPA or improve your extracurriculars to increase your desirability as an applicant.

Keep reading to discover whether the SAT or ACT is the way to go.

Reasons to Choose the ACT

It might be a graduation requirement.

In certain states, you have to take the ACT with or without Writing to graduate from high school. These states are:

If you already need to take the test for graduation, it might make sense to simply focus your efforts on the ACT.

Some schools might offer it for free.

In the states where the ACT is a graduation requirement, the test is offered for free by each district. Additionally, some states may have a contract with the ACT to provide free testing, even if the test isn’t a required. This is true in Arkansas and Kansas, where the ACT without Writing is offered. Other states may also require either the SAT or the ACT and allow districts to decide which one to administer for free. If that’s the case for your state, speak to your counselor to find out which test will be administered.

You can use your calculator on all math sections.

Additionally, the ACT may be a good option for those who aren’t as strong in mental math, as the test allows students to use a calculator for all math questions. It’s worth noting, though, that students are not permitted to use a calculator for the ACT Science section, even though it does require some basic arithmetic.

You can retake individual sections beginning Fall 2020.

Finally, one of the biggest benefits associated with the ACT is that students can opt to retake individual sections. As of September 2020, you can opt to retake one or more portions of the test rather than sitting again for the exam as a whole.

Reasons to Choose the SAT

More time per question.

Students who struggle with test taking might prefer the SAT because there’s less of a time crunch than the ACT. For instance, you get about 20 seconds longer per question on the Reading section of the SAT than the ACT. If the possibility of not getting to every question stresses you out, you might want to choose the SAT.

There’s a math formula sheet.

The SAT provides a sheet with certain math formulas, such as the area of a circle, special right triangles, and volume of a pyramid. For the ACT, you’re expected to memorize all necessary math formulas. If you have trouble recalling these formulas, you might want to take the SAT instead.

There’s no science section.

The SAT may also be a good choice for students who don’t perform the best in science. Unlike the ACT, the SAT doesn’t have a science section (though some passages may feature scientific content). Still, students can generally focus their efforts on math and language arts. 

If you’re aiming for National Merit status, studying for the PSAT helps your SAT prep.

The PSAT is also known as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Top 1% scorers in each state are given Semifinalist status, and can go on to compete for scholarships. Students who want to aim for National Merit Semifinalist status will need to prep for the PSAT and can concurrently SAT study for the SAT. After all, the tests are similar in terms of format and question style. So, it might make sense for them to simply take the SAT rather than study for an entirely new test.

Should You Take the SAT Subject Tests?

Many top colleges still require that students take 1-3 SAT Subject tests. In many cases, this is true whether you took the SAT or the ACT, though a handful of schools may not require Subject Tests if you took the ACT. That said, it’s more than likely that at least one of your schools will require or recommend SAT Subject Tests, if you’re applying to top research universities and liberal arts colleges. Additionally, aspiring engineers and students who were homeschooled may be asked to submit the scores for up to three Subject Tests with their college applications.

Before all else, students should check the policies of each of their schools. If any of them require or recommend Subject Tests, it’s in your best interest to take them, even if they’re just recommended and not mandatory. If your school list isn’t totally set in stone, you may also want to take the Subject Tests. That way, your options stay open, and you don’t have to scramble to take them last-minute if you add a new school to your list.

The good news is that studying for the SAT Subject Tests doesn’t have to be a great inconvenience. Because there are so many options to choose from, the SAT Subject Tests allow you to not only demonstrate specific skills, but also interest in a given field. Potential science majors can choose to take both the Biology and Chemistry subject tests. Future engineers may opt to take the Mathematics Level II and Physics exams, and those who are inclined towards classics may sit for the Literature and Latin tests. So, theoretically, students should also have some knowledge of the testing subject.

Additionally, the SAT Subject Tests often correspond to classes you’ve taken in high school, so you might not have to spend as much time studying for them. In particular, the SAT Subject Tests often correlate with the material taught in your AP courses. As such, it is a good idea to take a given subject test around the time you take the AP for that same subject. For this reason, you may want to take these tests in May or June, as your AP class will be wrapping up around this time. Even if you’re not taking the AP version of the course, you can still study for finals of the regular course and the Subject Test at the same time.

Final Thoughts

Here’s a table to help you decide which test to take. Count the number of “agrees” and “disagrees” you have at the end.

If you have more “agrees” than “disagrees,” you should consider taking the ACT. If you have more “disagrees,” the SAT might be better-suited to you. If you had an even number of each, keep reading.

If you’re struggling with deciding between the SAT and ACT, or the chart above gave you an even number of “agrees” and “disagrees”: consider taking a free diagnostic test to figure out where your strengths and weaknesses lie. You can take the locally-offered paper and pencil ones offered by the Princeton Review, or you can take one at home. You can easily find many SAT practice tests and ACT practice tests online that you can then print out.

Whichever diagnostic you score higher on should be the test where you focus your efforts. You can compare your SAT and ACT score using concordance tables, which will convert your SAT score to an ACT one, and vice versa.

Want to know how your SAT score/ACT score impacts your chances of acceptance to your dream schools? Our free Chancing Engine will not only help you predict your odds, but also let you know how you stack up against other applicants, and which aspects of your profile to improve. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to gain access to our Chancing Engine and get a jumpstart on your college strategy!