Which is Easier, the SAT or the ACT?

Comparing the ACT and SAT tests is a common way for prospective students to start the college admission process. The SAT and ACT are used by admissions committees to gauge a student's aptitude and preparation for college admission as well as for merit-based scholarships.

But how do the ACT and SAT differ from one another? Which examination is simpler, the SAT or ACT? Which test ought you to take? Which is preferred by colleges—ACT or SAT?

In order to assist you decide whether exam is simpler, the SAT or ACT, this blog will go over the numerous subjects covered on each test and will assist you in determining the differences between the ACT and SAT so that you may select the test that is most appropriate for you to take when applying to colleges.

The content and style of the SAT and ACT are very similar; certain factors differentiate on each test and each section, and how you handle pressure and your studying style help you determine which test is a better fit.

Differences between the ACT and SAT

Despite being similar standardized tests, there are numerous differences between the ACT and SAT when assessing your ability and readiness for post-secondary education. While the SAT is seen as a more psychological test that evaluates learning aptitude, the ACT is more of a placement test used as an indicator for academic achievement and preparation.

For the SAT, you receive a score between 400 and 1600, and for the ACT, you receive a score from 1 – 36. The scoring numbers are different, and universities use a simple conversion chart to compare your test scores with other applicants.

The SAT is made up of 154 questions, while the ACT has 215.  The SAT requires more writing and problem solving, offering students more time to complete each section. The ACT questions, however, are more straightforward and require less time to answer.

While both the SAT and ACT have Math, Reading, and Writing sections, the ACT also has a Science section, and the SAT has an additional no-calculator needed math section with a basic formula page. As of June 2021, the ACT has an optional writing section with a prompt allowing you to express your opinion on a subject and back them up with a convincing argument.

Vocabulary

The SAT gives off a more dignified test of your understanding of words and reading comprehension when it comes to vocabulary. The Reading Comprehension section offers rhetorical devices, contextual vocabulary, and words that usually require a dictionary search.

In contrast, the ACT does not have a section that strictly tests you on your knowledge of terminology. The ACT offers long reading passages with questions using rudimentary, conversational language.  

On the SAT, words such as ‘didactic,’ ‘erroneous,’ and ‘schadenfreude’ come up numerous times. There is a Sentence Completion section on the SAT with questions about vocabulary, giving you the option to choose the correct word within questions of varying difficulty. The vocabulary list below ranks the types of words used in order of difficulty:

Easy

• Deficient
• Imprecise
• Sparse
• Negligible
• Muted

Medium

• Irrefutable
• Succinct
• Edifying
• Mundane
• Obtrusive

Hard

• Bucolic
• Diaphanous
• Perfidy
• Lassitude
• Supercilious

While the ACT does not have questions about vocabulary directly, they test your knowledge of terminology by asking you to:  

1. Read a passage and answer questions about the author’s choice of words

2. Explain the meaning of a word from the context it is used in  

3. Decide which word best fits in a given sentence  

Studying vocabulary lists for the ACT is not very practical, so it’s better to understand word meanings and become a thoughtful reader.  

If you’re wondering whether the ACT or SAT is easier, the ACT may be better for those who don’t want to spend a lot of time studying vocabulary. This section usually depends on your comfort with your vocabulary – if you’re a seasoned reader intent on learning more words, the SAT is best for you.  

Math

The Math section of the SAT is divided into two subsections: a no-calculator allowed section and a calculator-allowed section. The test in total gives you 80 minutes to complete, with a total of 58 questions. The calculator portion has 38 questions and 55 minutes to complete. The no-calculator section has 20 questions and 25 minutes to complete. The SAT math questions are categorized into four sections:

• Heart of Algebra (19 questions): linear equations and inequalities (alone or systems), and graphs.
• Problem Solving and Data Analysis (17 questions): ratios, proportional relationships, percentages, scatterplots and models, statistics, probability, and measurements.
• Passport to Advanced Math (16 questions): quadratic and exponential functions, polynomial expressions, nonlinear expressions, function notations and more.
• Additional Topics in Math (6 questions): radian measures, working with complex numbers, geometry, and trigonometry.  

The math section of the ACT is just one long section that offers 60 minutes to answer 60 questions, giving you approximately 60 seconds to answer each question.

These questions are categorized into two main categories only, with a fair percentage of questions in each category and its subcategory:

• Number and Quantity (7-10%): real and complex numbers, integers and rational exponents, vectors and matrices.
• Algebra (12-15%): linear, polynomial, radical and exponential equations.
• Functions (12-15%): linear, radical, piecewise, polynomial, and logarithmic functions.
• Geometry (12-15%): shapes and solids, trigonometric ratios and equations of conic sections.
• Statistics and Probability (8-12%): spread of distributions, data collection methods, and calculating probabilities.
• Integrating Essential Skills (40-43%): rates/percentages, proportions, area and volume, mean and median, and equivalent expressions; also includes problems that combine the Preparing for Higher Math subcategories

Reading

The types of questions in the reading sections depend on your comprehension skills as well as being aware of your weaknesses when analyzing the following question structures:

Breaking Down Long Passages

For the ACT, you must skim the whole reading passage to find the correct answer, while the SAT offers line numbers so you can pinpoint where in the passage can help you find the answer. The example ACT question below requires you to find that part in the passage if you are taking the ACT:

“It can reasonably be inferred from the passage that Abshu and the Masons would agree with which of the following statements about the best way to raise a child?”

1. “For a child to be happy, he or she must develop a firm basis in religion at an early age.”

2. “For a child to be fulfilled, he or she must be exposed to great works of art and literature that contain universal themes.”

3. “For a child to thrive and be a responsible member of society, he or she must develop a sense of discipline.”

4. “For a child to achieve greatness, he or she must attach importance to the community and not to the self.”

With the SAT, however, a good tip would be to read the questions first and the refer back to the reading passage with the required line numbers

Evidence-Support Questions

If you have a gift for pinpointing specific points in texts to help support your answer, then the SAT would be the easier choice for you. SAT reading uses a lot of evidence-based questions, yet they do not appear on the ACT. These questions are based on questions that come before them and require you to cite specific lines and paragraphs as evidence for your answer to the aforementioned question.  

Here’s an example of an evidence-support question:

“Which choice provides the best evidence for the answer to the previous question?”

A) “Line 33 (‘His voice... refined’)”

B) “Lines 49-51 (‘You... mind’)”

C) “Lines 63-64 (‘Please... proposal’)”

D) “Lines 71-72 (‘Eager... face’)”

These types of questions are rather tricky since they require high-level thinking and strong intuitive and reasoning skills. When deciding whether the SAT or ACT is easier in this instance, you would be favoring the ACT, since it does not have evidence-supporting questions, and you have trouble finding concrete reasons for your answer.

Doing well in this section comes down to intuition; a good memory for longer passages and smaller details are ideal for the ACT, whereas skills such as information picking and critical reasoning are ideal for the SAT.

Writing

To determine whether the SAT or ACT is easier, you need to have a comprehensive understanding of the style of each exam. The essay section is usually optional for both tests, and many institutions still require an SAT and ACT essay/writing score to be considered for entry. You must know what to expect on each test before writing the essay.

The SAT and ACT essays each have unique challenges, going over a yearly redesign that changed both in the structure of each writing section as the grading chart for each essay answer.  

The ACT Essay

The ACT Essay is a 40-minute essay that measures reading, writing, and pre-writing skills. The section also allows you to brainstorm ideas and outline an essay structure. The essay prompt usually describes an issue, providing different perspectives (usually up to three) on the issue stated. You are given three objectives for this essay, to:  

1. “Evaluate and analyze the perspectives”

2. “State and develop your own perspective”

3. “Explain the relationship between the passage’s perspective and those given”

You do not need to state your own personal opinion on the matter as it will not be graded. There is a good amount of reading that needs to be done before writing the essay. The essay focuses on your ability to do the following:  

• Create arguments that accurately target the main conflict or problem presented in the prompt  
• Establish your own point of view
• Put the argument in conversation with the given standpoints

Becoming familiar with the ACT grading rubric will help you to determine how best to use the 40-minute time limit. The rubric awards more points to writing that shows you understand the prompt. You must write a response using evidence and examples.

Use these points to help you write an excellent ACT essay:  

• Analyze and incorporate all points of view in the beginning or end of your article
• Clearly state and affirm your own point of view on the issue  
• Explain your examples in detail using reasoning to support your perspective
• Ensure your essay has a logical flow and is easy to read  
• Try your best to not include errors (grammar, usage, etc.)

Following these points will help you write a compelling ACT essay worthy of top scores.  

The SAT Essay

The SAT Essay is a lengthy and challenging section. It offers an extended piece of nonfiction prose, usually article excerpts from Time Magazine, ranging from 650-800 words. It then asks you to write a five-paragraph essay where you identify, explain, and evaluate the text’s stylistic, rhetorical, and logical elements that adheres to its meaning. This section usually takes 50 minutes to complete.

The prompts usually follow a similar template: you write an essay explaining how the author builds an argument to persuade the reader. Do not state whether you agree with the claims; instead, explain how they present their idea and their arguments.  

The SAT essay evaluates how well you understand the arguments in the passage and how a discussion is made. The essay will grant you three separate scores:  

1. Reading score

2. Analysis score  

3. Writing score

This is a tough assignment no matter the circumstances, but it helps represent the reading and writing skills you learn in school, and also is predictive of the sort of reading, analysis and writing work you will do throughout college or university.

The difference between the ACT and SAT essays is that the SAT examines your understanding of how an argument works while the ACT essay asks you to make an argument. Understanding this is crucial when deciding which test to take.  

Timing

The SAT lasts three hours, not including a ten-minute break and a five-minute break in between. Time management is key when answering each question to earn a high score. In total, the SAT consists of a:  

• 65-minute reading section consisting of 52 multiple choice questions
• 35-minute writing and language section consisting of 44 multiple choice questions
• 80-minute math section consisting of 58 questions, 45 being multiple choice and 13 that require your own produced response

The ACT takes three hours to complete, with 30-minute breaks in between. If you choose to do the essay, it can take up to three hours, 40 minutes to a little over four hours, including breaks.

Some students may consider the ACT harder than the SAT because you must work faster to answer all questions before your time is up.  

What Time Does the ACT Start?

ACT test-takers are required to report to their test center by 8:00 am. The test begins after students are checked in and seated, usually by 8:30 am. Note that if you are taking the test on the computer, you may be taking the ACT at different times, including in the afternoon—be sure to look at your test ticket after you register for the ACT.

When it comes to timing, your pacing strategy is what makes or breaks your score. For English sections, answer all the easiest questions first so you will have time to work on the more challenging ones. For math, invest time in doing fewer questions to enhance your accuracy. For reading comprehension, time yourself on how fast you can read and obtain information.  

Be aggressive with the science section of the ACT and keep moving on, start with the easiest ones and move on to the more difficult ones. There are online practice tests that can help with your timing and understanding the content to give your best answer in a timely manner.

Do Colleges Prefer the ACT or SAT?

Most colleges don’t prefer one test over the other. Think critically about the differences between the ACT and SAT and choose whichever test you think suits you best.  

How to Choose Between the SAT and ACT

After reading this blog, you have a set idea of how each test differs in terms of time, question types, and structure. It all depends on how well you can answer questions and their scoring rubrics: ACT does not penalize guessing and has optional writing sections, while the SAT penalizes guessing and requires writing sections.

The ACT science section does not test science knowledge but critical reading of science passages, so science knowledge is essentially useless for its section.

The ACT has trigonometry, whereas the SAT lacks it. The ACT, which takes 3 hours and 25 minutes to complete, is shorter in duration than the SAT, which is 3 hours and 45 minutes on average. Preparation is minimally required if you move from doing the SAT to the ACT.

It is best to take two weeks to cross-study each test and then pick which one best suits you. Some people advise you to take both tests and submit the one whose score was higher.

SAT or ACT: Final Thoughts

Whether the SAT or ACT is easier depends on your comfort with each’s content. The bottom line is the SAT may be easier for students who excel in math and want more time to answer questions. If you consider yourself a science buff who loves reading and handles time crunches well, the ACT may be your better option.  

Since most colleges don’t prefer either test, the choice is ultimately yours to make. If you’re still unsure which test is better for you, consider taking SAT and ACT practice tests to see which one you score highest on.  Whether you choose the SAT or the ACT, ensure you study thoroughly for your best shot at achieving a high score!  

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