SAT or ACT: How to Choose Based on Your Strengths

"Should I take the SAT or the ACT?" is one of the first questions I get from new students. Both tests are now fully digital, both are accepted equally by colleges, and superscoring policies mean you can keep retaking either one until you get the score you want.

But the two tests are genuinely different in ways that affect what score you can realistically reach. I scored 99th percentile on both, and I've spent over a decade tutoring students through both formats — including the major ACT overhaul that rolled out in 2025. Here's how to think about which one is right for you.

The short version

If you want a one-line answer:

The SAT favors students who are careful, methodical, and good at puzzles. The ACT favors students who are decisive, comfortable with familiar procedures, and good at executing quickly.

Most students perform similarly on both — within 50-100 SAT-equivalent points. But for some students, the test format itself can mean the difference between a 1450 and a 1550. Here's how to figure out which group you're in.

What changed with the new ACT

The ACT underwent its biggest overhaul ever in 2025. Three big shifts that changed the SAT vs ACT comparison:

The Science section is now optional. It doesn't count toward your composite score. Students who take it receive a separate Science score. About 90% of colleges no longer require it — though a few (Georgetown, Boston University, Pomona, military academies) still recommend or require it.

Fewer questions, more time per question. The ACT shortened English from 75 to 50 questions, Math from 60 to 45, and Reading from 40 to 36. Total time per question went up by about 18%. The "ACT is way faster than the SAT" narrative used to be a strong reason to choose the SAT — that gap has narrowed significantly.

Math answer choices dropped from 5 to 4. Same number of choices as the SAT now. This makes process-of-elimination strategies more effective on ACT math.

The format differences that still matter

Even with the changes, the two tests differ in four meaningful ways:

Pacing

The digital SAT gives more time per question than the new digital ACT, but the gap is smaller than it used to be. SAT Reading & Writing modules give about 71 seconds per question. The new ACT English averages 42 seconds, while ACT Math and Reading both average about 67 seconds.

If you finish practice tests with time to spare, either test will work. If you regularly run out of time, the SAT's pacing is still more forgiving — especially on the verbal sections.

Math style

The SAT math section relies heavily on algebra, with some geometry and a smaller amount of trigonometry. Questions often require multi-step problem-solving — you have to figure out the approach before you can execute it.

The ACT math section covers a wider range (more geometry, more trigonometry, occasional matrix and logarithm questions) but each question tends to be more direct. Less puzzle-solving, more "do you know the formula and can you apply it quickly."

Both tests now have a built-in Desmos calculator on every math question, so the calculator advantage that used to favor the SAT has equalized.

Students who like figuring things out tend to prefer SAT math. Students who like executing familiar procedures tend to prefer ACT math.

The science section (ACT only, and now optional)

This is where the biggest strategic decision lives. The ACT Science section is now optional and doesn't count toward your composite. You decide at registration whether to add it.

ACT Science isn't really about scientific knowledge — it's about reading charts, graphs, and experimental setups quickly. Students strong at data interpretation often score very well on it without remembering specific science content.

When to take it: if you're applying to a school that recommends or requires it (Georgetown, BU, Pomona, military academies), if you're targeting STEM majors, or if it's a strong subject that could boost your application. The score appears separately and can demonstrate STEM readiness.

When to skip it: if your target colleges don't require it, if science class isn't a strength, or if you want a shorter test. Skipping it shaves 40 minutes off your test day and can't hurt your composite.

For most students at most colleges, skipping is now a reasonable default. This wasn't true of the old ACT, where Science was mandatory and could meaningfully drag down your composite.

Reading approach

SAT Reading & Writing uses very short passages (often just a paragraph) with one question each. Questions tend to be more inferential — you have to draw conclusions, identify the author's intent, recognize tone shifts.

ACT Reading uses longer passages with multiple questions per passage. The new shorter passages (under the 2025 overhaul) are easier to manage than the old format, but they still require sustained focus on a single text. Questions tend to be more direct — finding specific information, basic comprehension, line-reference questions.

Students who like close reading and inference tend to prefer the SAT. Students who like fact-finding and skimming tend to prefer the ACT.

How to actually decide

I tell students to do this in their first session: take a real, timed, full-length practice test of each (using the current digital formats — old paper practice tests will give you misleading results). Then compare:

• Score: which one came out higher when converted to the same scale (concordance tables exist)

• Experience: which one felt more manageable, even if the score was similar

• Time: did you finish each section, or were you guessing the last few questions

• Digital comfort: both are computer-based now, so factor in how each platform felt to use

The score comparison is the strongest signal. If your converted scores are within 30 SAT-equivalent points, you can go either way — pick the one that felt more comfortable. If one is meaningfully higher, that's your test.

A few patterns I see in tutoring

Some quick patterns that come up enough to mention:

• Students with strong math but weaker reading often do better on the ACT, where math pulls more weight in the composite (especially with Science now optional)

• Students who are anxious test-takers often do better on the SAT, where the additional time per question reduces panic mode

• Students with reading-heavy strengths (humanities-oriented kids, debate students, big readers) often do better on the SAT, where the inferential reading style rewards close attention

• Students who hate science class can now safely skip it on the ACT — this used to be a real disadvantage and isn't anymore

These are tendencies, not rules. The diagnostic comparison is still the most reliable way to know.

What about both?

Some students take both tests, especially those targeting top-tier schools where every point matters. This is a legitimate strategy if you have time, but for most students, it's better to pick one and prep deeply for it than to split your prep time across both.

The exception: if your initial diagnostic scores are very close on both tests, take both real tests once each in the spring or summer of junior year. Then commit to whichever one came out higher and prep that one for retakes.

Ready to figure out which test is right for you?

The fastest way to know is to do a diagnostic of each. In a first session, we can run abbreviated diagnostics of both tests using the current digital formats and compare your relative performance — usually clear within an hour whether you're an SAT student or an ACT student.

Email Brandon at brandon@shustutoring.com or call (561) 717-9750 to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.

Related reading: How Many Hours of SAT Prep Do You Actually Need? · What SAT Score Do You Need for Top Colleges? · The 5 Most Common SAT Math Mistakes · Free SAT math notes library · SAT and ACT prep tutoring