SAT or ACT: which test is better for you?

The two tests side by side

This comparison comes from ACT, which makes the ACT, so read its claims with that in mind. Check the College Board for the SAT’s side.

Which is better for you, the ACT or SAT test?

Neither, on average, according to ACT: it says the questions have very similar average difficulty, and the choice comes down to what suits you. The practical differences are pace and format. The SAT adjusts its second half to how you did on the first, while every ACT test taker sees the same questions in the same order.

The quickest way to know is to take a free full-length practice test of each under real timing and compare where you land using the chart below.

ACT to SAT conversion chart

This is the official concordance from ACT and the College Board, released in 2018 and not updated every year. It shows comparable scores, not equal ones, and it can’t predict what you’d get on the other test. ACT also publishes math and English/reading tables in its concordance PDF.

Should you send both?

ACT’s advice is that sending both usually doesn’t help, since colleges tend to look at your highest score. Send the one that looks stronger once you’ve converted it.