ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Is Better for YOU and Your College Future?

And here we are… one of the more important aspects of preparing for college, the ACT and SAT. In this blog, we will go over what each of them includes, what they look for in you, and whether one sets up a better future for you in your college career. Neither exam is a foolproof prediction system; all they do is measure your readiness and potential academic success. We believe it’s important for students and parents to know that upfront before taking the exams, and we are here to help you in any way.

A Breakdown of the ACT

The ACT measures what a student already knows. Based on that description alone, some people might believe it’s the least important of the two exams. It covers a good portion of material that had already been covered in a student’s high school years. 

That might also be its biggest strength. When a kid goes to college, they might have a good idea in mind as to what their major will be or at least what area of professional life they want to be in, regardless of the major. The ACT will help establish a baseline for a student’s ability to remember the important stuff they’ve been learning about for years.

A test-related fact you should know is that the exam keeps track of how long you have, and you have to be able to weigh how much time you spend on each section for either mathematics, English, science, or reading. 

Another important thing to note is that it is best suited for students who prefer a fast-paced approach. This adds to the idea of it giving you that “I’ve learned this stuff before and know what works best for me” kind of feeling. 

A Breakdown of the SAT

The SAT is the opposite of the ACT. It is used more to help predict what a student can learn, and the material may or may not be stuff that was previously learned in their 4 years of high school. 

When you read that description, that might make you think that this is the hardest of the 2 exams, but it also showcases a high regard for students being able to take their first REAL college exam. When a student starts college, they are facing something completely new to what they’ve known for years, and so the SAT helps them understand what that feeling is going to be like.

A couple of facts that now differentiate it from the ACT are that the SAT is now fully digital in most parts of the US and is shorter than the ACT. It doesn’t feature a science section, and it also offers more time per question than the ACT, which makes sense given the idea that some of the material might be new for you.

So Which One is Better For You?

The answer to that question is entirely up to the kind of person you are concerning your academics and how good you are at learning material in a certain way. It’s simple, both exams grade you on a scale that is a representation of the kind of student you will be in college. That’s not a bad thing at all, especially since it will be good for any kind of student.

If you’re someone who knows they’ll do well on the ACT, take that one; same thing with the SAT. If you’re someone in the middle and can’t decipher what the best option is, take them both. Many students do that, and there’s no harm in trying. Most colleges tend to accept either test score, which could help with admission chances if a college sees how willing you are to try and do your best, no matter which one grades the best.

No matter what path you take, Send Your Kids to College has all the best tools to help you prepare. Our ACT/SAT Help page has information to help you through the practice of trying out some test runs of the exams. Tutoring is also a very helpful addition to this, and we can’t recommend you take advantage of it for both the SAT and the ACT, and we leave resources for it on the page. Don’t forget to bring your pencils, calculators, scrap paper, and a snack/lunch. Good luck! You got this!