Year in and year out, ACT and SAT exam preparation is on every student’s mind. And rightfully so – both of these are important academic milestones that can open many doors. The only question is, is the SAT or ACT easier and for whom?
In today’s post, we will dive deeper to explain the differences between them and also give you a brief questionnaire that will help you determine which one you are ready to take, while also considering the general tendencies across the US. With that in mind, let’s delve right in!
SAT vs. ACT: Differences compared
Let’s address the question right away: is the SAT or ACT easier?
While our SAT and ACT prep courses will prepare you for both, the general consensus is that the ACT tends to be more challenging for most (although much of it depends on your skillset).
For the SAT, the following is true:
- You will have more time to answer questions
- It’s designed to measure your problem-solving skills
- No specific terminology is covered
- The test is taken in digital form
- No science section is included
For a more comprehensive overview, take a look at the table below:
SAT vs. ACT: The scoring system
While the final score for both of these is based on questions you answer correctly, the format it’s converted to is slightly different so as to scale it.
- For the SAT: a scaled score between 200-800 for each of the two sections
- For the ACT: a scaled score between 1-36 for each section (an average of four)
SAT vs. ACT: an overview of the sections
To help you determine whether the SAT or ACT is going to be easier for you, we’re going to give you a section-per-section comparison so as to help you know what to expect.
The Vocabulary section
While both the SAT and the ACT test your vocabulary to some degree, the vocabulary aspect is much more emphasized on the SAT. The ACT will more or less test your reading comprehension, but it does not have a section where you’ll need to bring a strong understanding of technology to the table. On the other hand, the SAT has a section where you’ll have to complete the sentences by inserting the most contextually fitting words. Words like ‘negligible’, ‘mundane’, and ‘bucolic’ come to mind.
Long story short: if vocabulary is not your strongest suit, the ACT might be easier for you. However, you will still be asked to read a passage and explain the author’s choice of words. Just don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re off the hook when it comes to either one of these.
The Math section
Both the SAT and the ACT have a math section, but once again, there are subtle differences to keep in mind.
- The SAT Math section: it has two sub-sections, a calculator and a no-calculator one. You will be given 80 minutes to complete 58 questions.
- The ACT Math section: only has one section, but it is longer. You will be given 60 minutes to complete 60 questions.
The Reading section
The ACT will have you skim a reading passage to arrive at the correct answer, while the SAT makes it somewhat easier by marking the section where the answer is located with a number.
Even so, you might wonder what the best approach to take is – should you read the passage or the question first?
This is up to you, but our experience has shown that starting with the question first is more optimal, because you’ll know what to look for and your eyes will be hunting for it like a hawk. A notable difference between the two is that the SAT tends to have lots of evidence-based questions. The challenge arises from engaging the logical part of your brain and you’ll need some ironclad reasoning skills to answer them correctly.
A quick example Question: “Which option provides the strongest evidence for the answer to the previous question?”
A) “Line 28 (‘Her laughter… echoed’)”
B) “Lines 45-47 (‘He… replied’)”
C) “Lines 58-59 (‘They… agreed’)”
D) “Lines 66-67 (‘She… nodded’)”
Long story short: the ACT is slightly easier in this regard due to an absence of evidence-supporting questions.
The Writing section
There is good news for all who loathe writing – it is completely optional on the ACT and discontinued on the SAT, so you won’t need it to get a perfect SAT score. However, the state you’re in may require it as part of SAT School Day administrations. Should you opt to go forward with the essay, note that the writing section of both has been adjusted throughout the years.
- The ACT essay takes 40 minutes to complete. The prompt describes an issue and lets you pick from different perspectives (note that your personal opinion won’t be graded). You will need to present a valid argument that addresses the issue at hand using evidence, logic, and reasoning.
- The SAT essay is known to be quite a bit lengthier and challenging and the time limit is 50 minutes. At Novel Prep, we’ve noticed that the excerpts you are given typically come from Time Magazine. These tend to be up to 800 words in length. In your essay, you will need to address its rhetorical, logical, and stylistic elements and explain how the author went about constructing their argument (whether you agree is irrelevant). Your SAT essay will receive three separate scores (reading, analysis, and writing).
Long story short: while the ACT revolves around you constructing an argument, the SAT involves decomposing another author’s argument and explaining how they came to their conclusion.
So is the SAT or ACT easier in this regard?
It comes down to your preferences and skills.
How much time do you have to complete the questions?
Both exams take three hours to complete, so it’s a tie. Note that the breaks you get in between may be of different lengths.
For a better understanding of how long you have for the SAT, examine the following table:
| Section | # of Questions | Time Allocated |
| Reading | 52 | 65 minutes |
| Writing and Language | 44 | 35 minutes |
| Math | 58 | 80 minutes |
| Total | 154 | 180 minutes |
As for the ACT, the sections are distributed as follows:
| Section | # of Questions | Time Allocated |
| English | 75 | 45 minutes |
| Math | 60 | 60 minutes |
| Reading | 40 | 35 minutes |
| Science | 40 | 35 minutes |
| Writing Component | 1 | 40 minutes |
| Total | 215 | 175 minutes (plus 40 for essay) |
Our SAT test tutoring experts note that, although the time you have on paper seems similar, you need to work through the questions way faster on the ACT, thereby making it more challenging.
Tips for SAT and ACT success
Efficient ACT and SAT prep comes down to the following:
- Mind your pacing. Familiarize yourself with exactly how much time you can afford to spend on each specific section.
- Focus on answering the easiest questions first so you’ll get them out of the way, allowing you to focus on the challenging ones.
- It’s crucial for you to test your mettle with a SAT practice exam so you will know what to expect.
SAT vs. ACT in the eyes of colleges: which one do they prefer?
The good news is, there is no preference, so you can individually decide which test best fits your individual set of skills. In fact, many colleges are making the two completely optional nowadays. However, there are colleges where competition is fierce and they only have a limit number of seats available. Therefore, our Novel Prep student tutoring experts strongly recommend taking the exam; even with a SAT score of 1300, which is not exactly perfect, you will be able to get your foot in the door of numerous US colleges. If you want to plan strategically, it doesn’t hurt to analyze the exact requirements of the college you plan to attend.
Still not sure whether the SAT or ACT will be easier for you? Ask yourself these questions!
If you still can’t decide which exam to take, we’ve prepared a set of questions to ask yourself that will help you arrive at the right answer.
Are you comfortable with answering scientific questions?
This one is ACT specific and you will be required to know certain scientific terminology. For example, Mg means Magnesium and the letter C means Celsius (this should be fairly common knowledge). You will also be required to interpret charts and graphs.
Do you prefer taking the exam in a digital format?
This is another substantial difference between the two; the SAT is administered digitally, whereas the ACT is a paper exam. To participate in the former, you will need to do several things, including having a pre-approved digital device and downloading the testing app. The advantage of taking the test in a digital format is that you’ll have an integrated countdown timer, a calculator, a formulas sheet, and an automated tool that will take you back to the questions you skipped.
How good are you at math?
Both the ACT and the SAT will test your knowledge of algebra. However, the ACT tests for a wider scope of mathematical knowledge (the SAT does not cover logarithms, trigonometry or graphs in such detail). Note that the ACT does not provide any formulas whatsoever, so you’ll need to have them memorized. Long story short, if you’re not particularly good at math, the SAT will likely be your preferred exam of choice.
How would you like your writing to be graded?
Both of these tests test your ability to write, however the grading focus will be on different elements. While the ACT focuses on grading grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure, the SAT brings your writing style to the forefront. Furthermore, your vocabulary tends to matter more on the SAT than it does on the ACT.
How well can you retain things in memory while reading passages?
The SAT straight up tells you where the answer is located, whereas the ACT does not (meaning that you will need to quickly skim through passages to find it). On the other hand, both will test your capacity to detect fine details.
Are you disciplined enough to avoid getting stuck on tricky questions?
So many students get tripped like this and our SAT and ACT tutoring experts are seeing this time and time again. If you’re guilty of doing this yourself, know that you may run out of time to answer the remaining ones. The ACT is particularly unforgiving in this regard, so mind the clock!
Are you comfortable citing evidence?
The SAT has plenty of evidence-based questions, but not the ACT. These types of questions will have you cite a section from a passage that supports your answer. So if reading comprehension is not your strongest suit, the ACT may be the preferable exam to take.
Turbocharge your exam-taking capacity with the help of Novel Prep tutors
Our Novel Prep SAT prep services were designed to provide the necessary support, materials, and insights to ace your exam. Did you score a 1250 on your SAT practice test? We guarantee you will score 1450 or higher on the real thing – or your money back! By choosing to enroll in our SAT exam preparation course, you will:
- Bridge the gap in your knowledge
- Familiarize yourself with the test format inside and out
- Build your test-taking confidence
- Learn to manage your time like the pros
Feel free to choose whether you’d prefer to work with us 1-on-1 or attend our on-premises SAT prep class. And yes, we can also do it online if you prefer. Get started today and let us help you reach your academic goals!
Conclusion: is the SAT or ACT easier?
When all is said and done, is the SAT or ACT easier? It really comes down to your personal strengths and the answer may vary per person. However, the fact of the matter is that ACT is widely regarded to be the faster-paced of the two and includes a Science section. On the other hand, the SAT has more demanding Math questions. The Reading section is more or less comparable between the two, with the SAT placing more emphasis on your writing style. The best way to know which one suits you better is to take an ACT and a SAT test practice test and see what you’re more comfortable with tackling.
