Navigating standardized testing is a critical part of the college application process—but it can also feel overwhelming. Whether you're aiming for selective universities or exploring test-optional schools, understanding SAT, ACT, and test-optional requirements is key to college admission success. Here’s a comprehensive guide to the SAT and ACT, plus how to decide which exam to take, prepare for each test, and understand evolving test-optional policies.
Understanding the SAT and ACT
Standardized tests have long been a cornerstone of college admission. The SAT, launched in the 1940s, and the ACT, introduced in 1959, are both designed to evaluate students’ academic readiness for college. While most colleges accept scores from either test, their formats and scoring differ in ways that might influence your choice. Let’s explore what the tests cover and the major differences between the two. But first...
Did you know?
Interestingly, the letters “SAT” don’t actually stand for anything. The test was originally called the Scholastic Aptitude Test and was renamed the Scholastic Achievement Test in 1993, but eventually, the College Board dropped the name entirely. Same with the ACT; it originally stood for American College Testing but now goes by its initials. As people have become more aware of the many different factors that impact a person’s scholarly success and ability to learn, words like “aptitude” have started to feel irrelevant and oversimplified; after all, a single test can’t claim to measure a person’s full intellectual potential. Changing test names is an indicator of admission committees’ movement toward considering the whole student, not just traditional academic performance.
The SAT: A new era of testing
The SAT transitioned to a fully digital format in 2024 in the US. Here’s what test takers can expect:
- Streamlined sections: The test features Reading, Writing, and Math sections with fewer and more concise questions. Plus, a calculator is now allowed for the entire Math section.
- Digital adaptive format: The SAT adapts based on your performance, with questions becoming easier or harder in real time
- Scoring: The SAT remains scored on a 400–1600 scale.
- Shorter duration: The digital SAT now takes about two hours to complete instead of three.
Note: The SAT Essay was discontinued in 2021, except in a few states for school-day testing.
The ACT: Paper and digital
An alternative to the SAT, the ACT continues to be a key college admission test that will offer both paper and digital versions in the future. Check out these key features:
- Subjects covered: The ACT covers English, Math, Reading, Science Reasoning, and an optional Essay.
- Scoring: The ACT is scored on a scale of 1–36 for each section, with the Essay scored separately.
- Test duration: The paper test lasts two hours and 55 minutes without the Essay, or three hours and 35 minutes with it. The digital version has a shortened duration of two hours and 30 minutes without the Essay, or three hours and 15 minutes with it.
- Digital updates: Beginning in April 2025, students can choose between a digital or paper-based ACT. By September, both formats will share identical content, structure, and scoring systems. The digital test has features such as text-to-speech, magnification, and secure managed devices at testing centers. The updated test offers a streamlined format with fewer questions per section to help reduce fatigue.
Note: The ACT Essay remains optional, but some colleges may require it for admission.
Which standardized test should you take?
While the makeup of the tests is similar, there are a few major differences between the SAT and ACT:
- Time per question: While the tests are roughly the same length, the SAT has 61 fewer questions, which translates to more time per question compared to the ACT.
- Science Reasoning section: The ACT includes a Science Reasoning section, which makes up 25% of your score. This section tests your ability to interpret and analyze scientific data, which may appeal to students with a strong background in the natural sciences. The SAT does not have a dedicated science section.
- Math section: The ACT places more emphasis on geometry than the SAT, covering topics like matrices that the SAT skips. The SAT, however, provides a list of common math formulas at the beginning of its math section, which the ACT does not. Importantly, the Math section on the SAT accounts for 50% of your total score, while on the ACT, it makes up 25% of your total score due to the inclusion of the Science Reasoning section.
You should review the official SAT website as well as the official ACT website thoroughly before making your decision. Each website contains more information about what’s covered and the specific differences between the tests to help you determine which one will fit you best. Most experts don’t recommend taking both the SAT and ACT since colleges don’t require scores from both, and prepping for them takes a lot of time and energy.
Related: Should You Take the SAT or ACT? Take This Quiz First!
When should you begin standardized testing?
Most students begin SAT or ACT testing during the spring of their junior year, which allows time to schedule, study for, and retake tests if needed. If you have a busy schedule full of extracurricular activities, a heavy homework load, or early application deadlines, you may want to begin even earlier. Decide which test to take as early as possible and leave plenty of extra time for yourself to succeed.
When to take the SAT or ACT
The SAT is offered seven times a year in March, May, June, August, October, November, and December. The ACT is also offered seven times a year, but dates may vary slightly each year. You should plan to take either test up to three times to ensure your highest possible scores, but wait until you know what you got before registering for the next test date. Once you get the scores you want, there’s no need to take either test again. Retakes can greatly improve your score by increasing your comfort level with the test and allowing more time for review, so it’s smart to retake the test only if there’s a possibility of improvement.
Test-optional: None of the above?
The role of standardized testing in college admission is shifting. Over 1,900 US colleges are now test-optional, while some are test-flexible or test-blind. What does this mean?
- Test-optional schools: These schools give you the option to submit your standardized test scores, but it's not required. If you feel your SAT or ACT scores accurately reflect your academic abilities and potential, submitting them can strengthen your application. However, if you believe your scores don't fully represent your strengths or could hurt your chances, you can choose not to submit them without penalty.
- Test-flexible schools: These schools require some form of standardized test scores but offer more flexibility regarding which tests you can submit. For example, some schools may accept AP Test scores or other forms of standardized exams in place of the regular SAT or ACT. This can be helpful for students who excel in specific subjects but may not perform as well on the general SAT or ACT.
- Test-blind schools: Test-blind schools take flexibility one step further—they do not consider standardized test scores at all during the admission process. Even if you submit your SAT or ACT scores, they will not be reviewed as part of your application. Test-blind policies have become more common in recent years as schools focus on a holistic approach to admission, considering other aspects like GPA, extracurricular activities, essays, and letters of recommendation.
Considerations for test-optional admission
If you’re considering test-optional or test-flexible schools in your college search, take the following steps:
- Carefully research requirements. Create a checklist, laying out the requirements for each school you’re considering, to avoid missing or mixing up requirements. Contact admission staff if a policy is unclear in any way.
- Consider testing anyway. As noted above, testing can improve your application even if it’s not required. If you know you tend to do well on tests or in a certain subject, testing can help prove your strength and show colleges that you take the initiative to excel. It’s worth noting that you can cancel scores within a few days of taking a standardized test, and some colleges allow you to send some test scores without sending all of them. Look into these options if you aren’t sure how you’ll do.
- Consider what else makes your application special. High school is busy, and these tests take time to prepare for; you shouldn’t feel pressured to take them if your schools of interest don’t require them and you don’t feel they’ll help your application. If standardized testing isn’t for you, ensure that other parts of your application make you stand out. Include information about extracurriculars, AP Test scores, or letters of recommendation from teachers in different areas that could give you a competitive advantage.
Related: Unique Ways to Stand Out on Your College Applications
The discussion around whether standardized testing “works” has heated up in recent years. There are many types of learners, and many argue that tests can’t capture the full picture of a student’s learning potential. However, test scores remain a time-tested way for colleges to measure applicants’ skills and can really help your application stand out from the rest. Do your research and decide which solutions work best for you. Test scores or not, if you carefully consider your strengths and make choices that will allow you to present yourself in the best way possible, admission committees will take notice.
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