Should I Take the ACT Instead of the SAT?

Take the ACT instead of the SAT if your teen is stronger in reading than in math, because about two-thirds of the ACT is reading-focused while the SAT is split evenly between reading and math. If your teen is a senior who needs a jump of 200 points or more, Carson Flowers recommends preparing for and taking both.

How do you know which test fits your teen?

Look at which side of the test your teen is stronger on: reading points toward the ACT, math points toward the SAT. This is the logic Carson runs with nearly every family who asks.

The SAT has two sections, Reading and Writing and Math, so the score is an even 50/50 split. A student who is strong in math gets half the score from her best subject. The ACT has a reading section, an English section and a math section, which makes it roughly two-thirds reading-focused and one-third math. A student who reads well but finds algebra slow will usually see that strength carry more weight on the ACT.

The University of Delaware's guide to the two tests makes the same point from the other direction: the ACT's extra sections dilute how much the math score contributes, so a student who is exceptionally strong in math but less strong verbally may prefer the SAT.

If your teen has a PSAT, SAT or ACT score already, the section scores tell you a lot. A teen whose Reading and Writing score sits well above her Math score is the classic ACT candidate. If you would like Carson to look at your teen's section scores with you and say which test he would pick, the free 15-minute call is the simplest way to get that answer.

When should a teen take both the SAT and the ACT?

When a senior needs a big jump on a short clock, Carson's advice is to take both tests. The two tests share a lot of material, so preparing for one tends to lift the other.

A question we hear a lot: a senior's ACT math score is one point under what she needs, her best SAT Math is 610, and the last ACT she can fit in is in December. Should she retake the ACT, switch to the SAT, or do both?

In the video, Carson answers a version of this for a senior starting near 890 on the SAT. A goal of 1150 is realistic, he says, but that is a climb of more than 200 points, and it will take work. His recommendation for that situation is both tests. Much of what is on the ACT is on the SAT and the other way around, so the practice counts twice, and your teen gets two different formats to see which one gives her the better score.

Big jumps do happen. Jonathan, a 10th grader, went from 1020 to 1220 on the SAT in 8 weeks with 1-on-1 sessions fit around football. He was a sophomore with time on his side, which is a different situation from a senior in the fall, so read our page on how much an SAT score can realistically improve before setting a target.

For seniors, timing is the real limit. The remaining 2026 SAT date is December 5 (register by November 20), followed by March 6, 2027. Whether a December or March score arrives in time depends on each college's deadline, which we cover in whether it is too late to test senior year.

What the format differences mean on test day

The ACT asks for more speed, and the SAT gives more time per question with shorter reading. That difference matters as much as the content for some students.

According to College Board's BigFuture comparison, the SAT runs 2 hours and 14 minutes and gives students 41% to 44% more time per question than the ACT. SAT reading passages are short with one question each. ACT passages are long, with 9 questions attached to each one. A teen who reads well but slowly may find the ACT's reading strength cancelled out by the clock, so a timed practice section is worth more than any rule of thumb.

Math tools differ too. The SAT has a built-in Desmos graphing calculator on the whole Math section, plus the formulas, and some SAT questions ask students to type in a number instead of picking an answer. The ACT math section is multiple choice, and students bring their own calculator from an approved list. If your teen leans on a graphing calculator, our guide to the Bluebook Desmos calculator shows what it can do.

One fair caveat: BigFuture is published by College Board, which makes the SAT. The numbers above are its description, so check the ACT's own site for its current format before deciding.

The misconception: colleges prefer one test over the other

Most U.S. colleges accept either test, so there is no admissions advantage in picking the "right" one. The advantage is in picking the one your teen scores higher on.

BigFuture states that most colleges, test-required and test-optional alike, accept scores from either exam for admissions, course placement and scholarships, and that the old idea of colleges in some regions favoring one test is not true. That includes highly selective schools such as Harvard and the other Ivies.

The catch is in the details. While the ACT changes its format, BigFuture notes that some colleges have updated their policies, from requiring the ACT Science section to not superscoring the ACT. Many colleges superscore the SAT, taking the best section scores across sittings, but each college sets its own policy. Confirm this with each college's admissions office rather than relying on any summary, ours included.

How to decide this month

Have your teen take one timed practice test of each and compare the section scores, not just the totals. One weekend of practice will tell you more than any article.

The SAT's free official practice tests run in Bluebook, the same app used on test day, and score themselves. The ACT offers one free downloadable test and two web-based ones. Ask your teen afterward which test felt less rushed, and look at whether her reading-side scores or her math score stood out. If she ran out of time on ACT reading, that tells you something no score report will. Our page on whether practice tests raise scores explains how to use them as more than a measuring stick.

Then commit to one test, unless your teen is a senior chasing a large gain, in which case Carson's advice to prepare for both still holds. If you are still unsure which way to go, book the free 15-minute call and Carson will walk through your teen's scores, timeline and target schools with you.

Quick answers

Does it matter whether you take the SAT or ACT?

For admissions, usually not, because most U.S. colleges accept either test. It matters for your teen's score: stronger readers often do better on the ACT, stronger math students on the SAT.

Do Ivy Leagues like SAT or ACT?

Neither is preferred. College Board states that colleges have no preference between the tests, and selective schools like Harvard accept both, though you should confirm current policy on each school's admissions page.

Is the ACT easier than the SAT?

Neither test is easier for everyone. The ACT gives less time per question and longer reading passages, while the SAT weighs math more heavily, so the easier test is the one that matches your teen's strengths.

Does the ACT have a science section?

The ACT includes a Science section, though whether a student must take it depends on the test version and the college. It tests reading charts, graphs and experiments rather than science facts, so it rewards strong readers.

Can you take both the SAT and the ACT?

Yes, and many students do. Carson recommends both for seniors who need a 200-point-plus jump, because the material overlaps and preparing for one helps on the other.

Is the SAT on paper or on a computer?

The SAT is fully digital, taken in College Board's Bluebook app on a laptop, tablet or school Chromebook. The weekend ACT is still paper and pencil in most places.

Sources

• SAT vs. ACT: Which Test Should I Take? (College Board BigFuture)
• Deciding between the SAT and ACT (University of Delaware)
• SAT Dates and Deadlines (College Board)
• SAT Suite of Assessments (College Board)
• Understanding Your ACT Scores