14 Difference Between Act And Sat

1. SAT:
Reasoning test
ACT:
Content-based test
2. The ACT tests slightly more complex, more advanced math.
3. Subject Matter:
ACT:
4 Sections: English, Math, Reading, Science (plus, an optional writing test)
Sat:
4 Sections: Reading, Writing & Language, Math with calculator, Math without calculator (plus an optional essay)
4. Length
Sat:
3 hours (without essay)
3 hours, 50 minutes (with essay)
ACT:
2 hours, 55 minutes (without essay)
3 hours, 40 minutes (with essay)
5. Test Style:
SAT:
 Questions are evidence and
context-based in an effort to focus on real-world
situations and multi-step problem-solving
ACT:
Straightforward, questions may be long but are usually less difficult to decipher
6. The ACT is insanely more fast-paced and “time-intensive” than the SAT!
7. Calculator Policy
SAT:
Some math questions don't allow you to use a calculator.
ACT:
You can use a calculator on all math questions.
8. How It's Scored
SAT:
Scored on a scale of 400–1600
ACT:
Scored on a scale of 1–36
9. Difficulty Levels:
SAT:
Questions increase in difficulty level as you move through that question type in a section
ACT:
Difficulty level of the questions is random
10. The ACT is ludicrously time-rigorous and forces you to answer far more problems.
11. Reading:
SAT:
5 reading passages
ACT:
4 reading passages
12. Registration deadline
SAT:
Typically about four weeks before the test date
ACT:
Typically about five to six weeks before the test date
13. Tends to be more popular:
With private schools and schools on the east and west coasts; however, every four-year college in the US accepts SAT scores
With public schools and schools in the Midwest and south; however, every four-year college in the US accepts ACT scores
14. Essays
SAT:
Optional. The essay will test your comprehension of a source text.
ACT:
Optional. The essay will test how well you evaluate and analyze complex issues.