ACT Quick Facts:

• Offered 7 times in 2019-2020

• Deadline one month before test date

• 2 hours 55 minutes (plus 40 minutes for the optional Essay)

• Test Structure Reading English Math ScienceEssay (optional)

SAT Quick Facts:

• Offered 7 times in 2019-2020

• Deadline one month before test date

• 3 hours (plus 50 minutes for the optional Essay)

• Test Structure ReadingWriting/LanguageNo-Calculator MathCalculator MathEssay (optional)

ACT Reading:

• There are four reading passages on the ACT – 700-900 words. One of these will be a paired set.

• The reading passages are standard high school level difficulty.

• The reading passages are generally longer than those on the SAT.

SAT Reading:

• There are five reading passages on the SAT – 500-700 words. One of these will be a paired set.

• The difficulty level for these passages will range from early high school to early college.

• The reading passages are shorter than those on the ACT and include infographics.

• SAT also includes “Command of Evidence” questions.

ACT English:

• The reading level for these passages is pretty consistent. They are similar to what is found in 9th grade curriculum.

• All of the reading passages in this section are text-only. Graphics are not used.

• The questions are straightforward and to the point.

SAT Writing/Language:

• Passages in this section vary in difficulty – from early high school to early college.

• Many passages in this section use graphs and charts to convey information.

• The questions can be more ambiguous and may not be asked in a concise manner

ACT Math:

• There is one math section on the ACT. It is very wide-ranging and includes more advanced and difficult problems.

• A calculator may be used on all of the math problems on the exam. With the difficulty level on this exam that is a plus.

• The math section on the ACT is 100% multiple choice.

SAT Math:

• The two math sections include Algebra and Trigonometry. Also included are basic math skills – fractions, percents, geometry, ratios and exponents.

• You can use a calculator on one of the math sections. The other math section is a 20-question no-calculator zone.

• The two math sections are 80% multiple choice and 20% fill-ins – you have to fill in the blanks with your answer.

ACT Essay:

• You are given three different perspectives of an issue.

• You will need to analyze and evaluate each of the perspectives and then present your own.

• You will need strong debating skills and have the ability to clearly support your arguments – all under a time-crunch.

• Scored on a rubric of 1-36

SAT Essay:

• You are given a 650-700 word passage to read.

• You will analyze and explain how the author built their argument in the passage.

• As opposed to the ACT, the SAT doesn’t want to know your opinion on the issue – they just want you to evaluate someone else’s opinion.

• Scored on a rubric of 2-8

ACT Scoring:

• Students are given an overall “composite” score that ranges from 1 to 36.

• The composite score is an average of your scores on the individual sections.

• You will be given scores for all of your sections – but the composite is the one to watch.

• ACT rounds up when averaging the section scores to reach the composite score.

SAT Scoring:

• The SAT is scored on a scale of 400-1600.

• The Reading/Writing sections are scored together on a range of 200-800.

• The two Math sections are scored together on a scale of 200-800 as well.

• The Reading/Writing and Math scores are added together to get your total score.

ACT Costs:

• Test without essay - $50.50

• Test with essay - $67.00

• Late registration fee - $30.00

• Standby/waitlist fee - $53.00

• Test date or location change - $30.00

• Additional score reports - $13.00 each

SAT Costs:

• Test without essay - $47.50

• Test with essay - $64.50

• Late registration fee - $29.00

• Standby/waitlist fee - $51.00

• Test date or location change - $29.00

• Additional score reports - $12.00 each

Fee waivers only cover the cost of the test with or without the essay. Any other fees are the responsibility of the examinee.

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