SAT vs. ACT: Are you Studying for the Right Exam?

College entrance exams used to be simpler. If you lived on the coasts you wrote the SAT; if you lived in the middle, the ACT. But now, the ACT is accepted in all public colleges, and the exams are different enough that students are likely to score higher on one than the other simply that exam plays to their strengths. So how do you choose which exam to write? One theory is to play to you strengths. If you are a fast reader, have a strong memory, and process information quickly, you fit in with ACT high scorers. If you have a strong vocabulary, strong reading skills, and enjoy test-taking strategies, you fit in with SAT high scorers.

Here are some other things to consider:

• The Act is shorter. Even when adding the option writing test, the ACT is 25 minutes shorter than the SAT.
• Act questions are notably more knowledge-based and straightforward. This difference can be a lifesaver for students who find it difficulte to process naunced information.
• The SAT does not include any science or trigonometry. The ACT does.
• The basic writing fee of the ACT is cheaper than the SAT.