ACT vs SAT

ACT

American College Testing Program
(knowledge and achievement)
3 ½ hrs
Overall Composite out of 36


English Grammar

  • 75 questions; 45 minutes

  • 5 passages, 15 questions each tests usage, mechanics, and rhetorical skills

Math

  • 60 questions; 60 minutes tests all levels of Algebra, Coordinate & Plane Geometry, Trigonometry

Reading

  • 40 questions; 35 minutes

  • 4 passages 700-900 words in length; 10 questions/passage

  • Types of passages: Prose Fiction, Social Science, Humanities, Natural Science

  • Students need to comprehend information, retain details, and make inferences

  • Questions are factual and inferential

Science Reasoning

  • 40 questions; 35 minutes

  • 4-7 passages; varying number of questions/passage

  • Types of passages: Data Summaries, Experimental, Conflicting Viewpoint

  • Sciences covered include Earth, Space, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics

  • Test consists of self-contained psuedo-science passages that rely heavily on logic, reasoning, and data interpretation skills; students must be able to read and interpret charts and graphs and make predictions and inferences based on experimental results.

Essay

  • 40 minutes

  • Open-ended prompt where students must analyze and support multiple perspectives

 

SAT

Scholastic Aptitude Test
(aptitude, knowledge, achievement)
3.25 hrs
Overall Score of 1600


Critical Reading

  • 65 minutes; 52 questions

  • Questions related to prose fiction, founding documents, social science, current events, and global conversations

  • Some passages will contain data that students must interpret

Math

  • 20 questions with no calculator, 25 minutes

  • 37 questions with calculator, 55 minutes

  • Qs cover numbers & operations, algebra, functions, geometry, statistics, probability, and data analysis

Writing

  • 35 minutes, 44 questions

  • Focuses on basic grammar rules and fluid writing structure

  • 1-2 passages contain data that must be interpreted in rhetorical questions

Essay (exceptionally hard!)

  • 50 minute, optional

  • Students must read a 650 word persuasive essay and then analyze it for reasoning, evidence, and persuasive elements