most colleges accept either the sat or the act, so it’s up to you to figure out which test to take.
both the sat and act have undergone significant changes in recent years and they now look a lot more similar than they have in the past. however, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some key differences between the tests.
our updated “should you take the sat or the act?” quiz can give you some clues on which test might be best for you. try it out below! it only takes a couple minutes and will give you an instant result.
after you take the quiz, consider taking our free sat practice test and our free 2022世界杯入门名单 to compare the tests and see which one feels better suited to your strengths.
and scroll below the quiz to see some of the key changes between the sat and act as of 2025 that will help you better understand which test might be best for you.
differences between the sat and act
the following information compares the latest version of the sat (as of 2024) to the latest version of the act (as of april 2025).
length of the sat vs the act
as of 2025, both the sat and the act are of similar lengths.
- the required sections (reading/writing and math) on the sat add up to about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
- the required sections (english, math, and reading) on the act add up to about 2 hours and 5 minutes.
note that if you decide to take the optional science section the act (which is 35 minutes), the act will be longer.
so it’s a toss-up for sat vs act as far as the endurance required for the entire exam.
time per question on the sat vs the act
although pacing per question varies per section, the updated digital sat gives students more time per question (about a minute and a half per question) than the act (just under a minute per question).
while you should pay more attention to how your pacing shakes out on different question types with practice tests, on balance, the sat wins for giving students more time per question.
relative weight of verbal and math on the sat vs the act
your total score for the updated sat is based on 50% combined reading/writing and 50% math.
your composite score for the updated act is based on 33.3% english, 33.3% math, and 33.3% reading. this means that about 2/3 of your score is weighted towards verbal skills on the act, so if you feel stronger on english than math, the act might be the better test for you.
science on the act vs the sat
only the act gives you the option to take a science section and receive a stem score and percentile, so if you are planning to pursue a science major at a competitive university, you may want to consider taking the act (assuming you can get similar scores on the other sections between the sat and act.)
computer vs paper options on the sat vs the act
the sat has fully converted to a digital computer-based exam, whereas the act gives students the option to take the test either on paper or on computer. if you feel more comfortable taking tests with pencil and paper, the act might be a better test for you.
length of reading passages on the sat vs the act
the updated sat has very short reading passages (1-4 sentences) and only 1 question per passage, whereas the act has 4 long reading passages and 9 questions per passage. students who struggle with maintaining focus while reading or students for whom english is a second language may feel more comfortable with the sat.
math formula reference sheet on the sat vs the act
the sat gives students a formula reference sheet for basic algebra and geometry formulas, whereas the act expects you to have these memorized. this isn’t a huge deal, as it’s a short list of formulas, but worth keeping in mind!
for full details on the updated tests, check out our respective guides on how to prepare for the sat and act.
