SAT & ACT
SAT vs. ACT
The
SAT
and
ACT
are admissions exams used by colleges throughout the United States. While they are slightly different in terms of structure, the two exams generally cover the same content, and colleges do not prefer one exam over another. Neither exam applies a penalty for incorrect answers.
About the SAT
The SAT exam is split into multiple sections, based on content. These sections are Reading, Writing & Language, and Math. The optional essay has been discontinued. Learn more about the SAT on the
Official College Board Site.
SAT Scoring
The SAT exam is scored on a 400-1600 point composite scale. The scores of each individual exam are weighted differently, but scores are always split into English and Mathematics subscores, which are equally a maximum of 800 points. Learn more about SAT scoring on the
College Board SAT Scoring Page.
| Reading | 52 Questions | 65 Minutes |
| Writing & Language | 44 Questions | 35 Minutes |
| Mathematics (No Calculator) | 20 Questions | 25 Minutes |
| Mathematics (Calculator) | 38 Questions | 55 Minutes |
| Total | 154 Questions | 3 Hours |
About the ACT
The ACT exam is split into multiple sections, based on content. These sections are English, Mathematics, Reading, Science, and Writing. Learn more about the SAT on the
Official ACT Site.
ACT Scoring
The ACT exam is scored on a 1-36 composite scale. The total composite score for any given exam will be calculated as the average of the scores for each section. The Math, Science, English, and Reading sections allow a maximum score of 36 each, while scores for the Writing section range between 2 and 12. Learn more about ACT scoring on the
ACT Scoring Page.
| English | 75 Questions | 45 Minutes |
| Mathematics | 60 Questions | 60 Minutes |
| Reading | 40 Questions | 35 Minutes |
| Science | 40 Questions | 35 Minutes |
| Writing | 1 Prompt | 40 Minutes |
| Total | 215 Questions + 1 Prompt | 3 Hours 35 Minutes |