SAT vs. ACT: Which Test Should I Take?

If you’re trying to decide whether to take the SAT or ACT, you’re not alone. Both test what you’re learning in school, the same knowledge and skills needed to succeed in college and career. Most colleges in the U.S.—even if they’re test optional—accept scores from either exam for admissions decisions, course placement, financial aid, scholarships, and other purposes. Some colleges require test scores. You may have heard that colleges in some states prefer the SAT while others favor the ACT, but this isn’t true.

There are many reasons why more students (1.9 million in the class of 2023) take the SAT than any other admissions exam, and why it may be the best choice for you:

The SAT is shorter, with more time per question. The SAT is 2 hours and 14 minutes. That’s 41 minutes shorter than the traditional ACT (more on that below), with 67% more time per question so you can show what you know, not how fast you are.
Reading passages that are straight to the point. The reading passages on the SAT are always short, with one question each. The reading passages on the traditional ACT are always long, with 10 questions each.
Built-in math support. The math section on the SAT has a built-in graphing calculator and all necessary formulas are provided. Except for certain situations (such as state and district testing), the math section on the traditional ACT has neither.
Digital everywhere. The SAT is digital everywhere, and you’ll take it on the device you’re most familiar with—your own laptop, tablet, or school-issued Chromebook. When taking the ACT on a weekend, it’s still paper and pencil in most places. If you do take the ACT digitally on the weekend, you’ll be assigned a device you may not be familiar with.
Free, world-class practice.Official practice for the SAT is completely free and includes six full-length practice tests in Bluebook™—the same testing app you’ll use on test day—that are automatically scored for you. College Board has also expanded its partnership with Khan Academy®—a not-for-profit—to offer Official Digital SAT Prep, where you can further develop the knowledge and skills that are tested on the SAT. By comparison, ACT practice materials are on different platforms than the ones used during the actual test. The ACT offers only 1 free downloadable practice test, and test prep (self-paced, live online, and tutoring) that ranges from $159–$849 in partnership with Kaplan—a for-profit.
No separate science section. Science reasoning is built into the reading passages and math problems on the SAT. The ACT has a separate science section. Starting in spring 2025, that section will be “optional,” but it’s unclear how that will impact the total ACT score or how colleges will interpret it.
You already know what to expect. By the time you take the SAT in your junior year, you’re likely to be familiar with everything that’s covered on the test. If you took the PSAT/NMSQT you’re also already familiar with the format. No matter where or when you take the SAT or any of the PSAT-related assessments, there’s only one version for everyone, including a Reading and Writing section and a Math section, and you’ll take it on the same Bluebook testing application, making it simple to understand and prepare for the exam. On the other hand, the format of the ACT may vary depending on where or when you take it.

Fun Fact: College Board’s SAT was the first college entrance exam to go fully digital. Millions of digital tests have been successfully delivered since 2023, making the digital SAT the most reliable and proven digital option.

SAT vs. ACT At a Glance Comparison

Traditional ACT: About 3 hours

Updated ACT (without the Science section): About 2 hours. Available for National testers starting in spring 2025 and state and district testers starting in fall 2025.

Traditional ACT: 215 questions/175 minutes (49 seconds per question)

Updated ACT (without the Science section): information is unavailable

Traditional ACT: Always long, with 10 questions each

Updated ACT (without the Science section): information is unavailable

Traditional ACT: Yes

Updated ACT: the Science section is optional

Traditional ACT: No

Updated ACT: information is unavailable

Traditional ACT: $69 (no essay)
$94 (with essay)

Updated ACT: information is unavailable

FREE in partnership with Khan Academy ® —a not-for-profit.

6 free digital SAT practice tests directly in our testing app, Bluebook.

$159– $849 in partnership with Kaplan—a for-profit.

1 free downloadable practice test. ACT has yet to release their plans for official practice for the upcoming changes to the online test or for the updated ACT test format.

Here’s what else you should know about the ACT*

Based on a recent announcement, by fall 2025 the ACT will have twelve different formats.

ACT announced their changes as enhancements that offer students flexibility and choice—online or paper, with or without science, with or without writing. Choice may sound appealing, but it might be hard to know which version to choose, which version will be preferred by which colleges, and which version will be available in your area, not to mention how to practice and prepare for an exam that has so many variations. Students who may have previously preferred the ACT because science was a particular area of strength and the science section counted toward the composite score will now be able to choose an optional science test to show what they know, but that science test will be scored separately and will not count towards the composite ACT score.

So, what’s the bottom line?

There’s a lot that’s true of both the SAT and ACT—both can help you stand out on college applications, access scholarships, and plan for your future. When comparing the two, many students find that the SAT is their best test. If you’re still not sure it’s right for you, consider taking a free digital SAT practice test to try it out.

*Based on publicly released ACT information as of August 2024.