What is the difference between the SAT and the ACT?
Which test is a better fit for my student?
These questions are definitely in the standardized testing top five!
Long story short: the SAT is somewhat trickier, but the ACT covers a little bit harder subject matter. The math section is a good illustration of this difference. The SAT only covers math up through Geometry and Algebra I. However, because this material is fairly basic for some students, hard SAT math questions take this content and make it tricky. Hard SAT math questions are often phrased awkwardly; the test makers draw attention to wrong answers and draw attention away from right answers; simple concepts are presented in complex and wordy ways. The ACT, on the other hand, covers math through Trigonometry and Algebra II. As such, hard ACT math questions will cover more difficult topics, but present this material in a more straightforward manner.
Another major difference between the SAT and the ACT has to do with time. The ACT is much more strict on time and tests time management more concretely. Simply put, many students have trouble finishing ACT sections on time.
