Personalized Pathways of Learning: Is the ACT or SAT better for your student and what do they need to learn?

Since Academic Approach was founded in 2001, we’ve seen three major overhauls of the SAT—in 2005, 2016, and now a new digital SAT in 2023. 

Through all this change, however, we at Academic Approach remain focused on 2 goals:

1. Helping our students learn which test—the SAT or ACT—is better for them and what specific academic skills they need to learn; and
2. Helping our students learn high-impact, lasting academic skills that raise their scores and make them more confident and successful in high school, college, and beyond.

Now that the October 2023 digital PSAT has debuted and the March 2024 digital SAT is coming soon, it’s time to update our guidance. Here it is!

Helping Students Learn Which Test: To ACT or SAT 

When deciding between the SAT and ACT it’s important to consider how each test treats the four subject areas: Reading, Math, Science, and Grammar. How your student feels about these subjects can help narrow down which test will best suit them. 

Reading Comprehension: What kind of decision-maker is your student? 

When reading, is your student more like Rodin’s Thinker—deliberate, calculating, and cautious in their decision making? Or does your student prefer a bit more of a Looney Toon’s Roadrunner approach, reading and reacting quickly based on initial impressions, interpretations, and judgments? 

The ACT features longer passages that explore a topic in-depth, so the reading requires a bit more thoughtful analysis. The ACT also features more questions per passage though, so students have to thoroughly ponder the passage in order to correctly answer 10 questions. 

If your student enjoys diving into texts to arrive at their decisions and conclusions, then the ACT is for them. If they prefer to skim the surface and make quick decisions on first impressions, then the SAT is their ideal test. Students who excel at digital reading comprehension or analysis may also prefer the SAT.

Mathematical Reasoning: What kind of problem solver is your student?

When it comes to mathematics, the ACT and SAT are far more similar in style than what they used to be. Both the ACT and SAT allow students the use of a calculator, but only the SAT allows the digital calculator, Desmos, which provides an excellent advantage for students who are familiar with the tool. 

The ACT features a wider variety of topics that may be tested (such as complex numbers, matrices, and vectors) and requires students to have a stronger memory for geometry formulae. Meanwhile, the topics featured on the SAT are more condensed, though can often include more complex algebra. 

In short, if your student’s math foundations are more versatile among various content domains, then the ACT is for them. If they are comfortable with more common topics at more rigorous levels, then the SAT is for them.

Science Reasoning: Does your student want a full serving or appetizer portion? 

While both the SAT and the ACT assess science through data presentations and analytical questions, the ACT features a standalone Science section, which is always the fourth section, after English, Math, and Reading. Comparatively, on the SAT, there are science-related questions spread throughout the test. 

If your student enjoys a healthy, full order of science (ending the test with science as the last section), then the ACT is for them. If they would prefer some assorted science appetizers, delivered as small courses throughout the exam, then they have an appetite for the SAT.

English Grammar and Essay Writing: Apples to Apples 

Your student’s ACT or SAT decision is simplified when it comes to the English grammar and writing sections, which are largely the same—writing apples to writing apples.

Fortunately, the English section on the ACT and the Writing section on the SAT are very similar. The content of both grammar sections targets usage & mechanics skills (e.g., sentence construction, punctuation) and rhetorical skills (e.g., essay composition principles and practices), so there is no avoiding a healthy and necessary assessment of their college readiness proofreading skills. 

As for essay writing, the ACT essay is optional, unless certain schools of interest specify otherwise. The ACT essay will require a synthesis of multiple positions on a topic of controversy. Like all good essay writing, your student’s writing will need to utilize evidence-based reasoning, strong structure, and logic. Obtaining a strong grasp of analytical writing is a valuable skill to acquire before heading off to college.