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Title: SAT or ACT: Which Test is Better for Me? A Guide for College Entrance Examination Decision-Making

Topic: Test Results
Produced by: Research Team
Section: ACT and SAT Participation and Performance
Published: Jul 2009
Authors: Clare Von Secker
Keywords: SAT and ACT
Years of Study: 2004-2005, 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007-2008
School Levels: High
Format: Accountability Update
Pages: 8

Description: This document provides information that can be used by students, parents, and school staff to guide decisions about which college entrance examination individual students should take. The sections describe uses of college entrance examinations and provide a comparison of SAT and ACT test difficulty, format, content, and scoring procedures. The SAT/ACT Checklist (Table A1) can be used to summarize choices about which test is a better match for an individual's plans, academic strengths, and testing preferences.

Recommendations:

  • Use this information to guide discussions about which test is a better match for an individual test taker's academic strengths, testing style, and college plans.
  • Final decisions about which test to take should recognize that there is no "right answer" about whether the SAT or ACT is a better fit for a given individual.

File name: SATorACTWhichIsBetterForMe.pdf

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