Testing season is ramping up for high school juniors.

Many students have already taken the PSAT in the fall and are planning to take their first official test; some even this next week. But which test - SAT or ACT - should your student focus on?

In this article, I will outline the differences between the SAT and ACT and how to help you you some specific guidelines to help your student choose which test is best for them.

What’s the difference between the SAT and ACT? 🆚

Broadly, here’s how I characterize the SAT versus the ACT.

The SAT tends to be a slower test, ‘a walk in the park’ kind of test. You have to keep moving but there is time to think and consider on several of the questions. However, the way the SAT makes their questions “difficult” is that they tend to be tricky. The SAT is always asking questions, especially math questions, in weird ways that you would never see in a regular class. This can make questions intimidating, even though the actual things you need to know or do are straightforward.

The SAT tends to favor students who may need extra thinking time and are nervous about finishing tests in the time allowed. SAT problems are kind of like puzzles with a bit of math or grammar thrown in.

The ACT, on the other hand, is a fast test. You can’t rush through the test but you should definitely be at a jog. The positive side of the ACT (and why I like it) is that the questions are much more straightforward. Math questions are much like math questions you would see in school. The wording of the test is meant to be clear and sometimes even helpful.

The ACT tends to favor students who can work quickly and who like more academically oriented questions - no tricks, just content.

Speaking of content, both tests broadly test similar knowledge - English grammar and punctuation, Math skills through Algebra 2, and Reading comprehension in both texts and data visualization.

Take both tests at least once☝️

If your student is going to test (sometimes test optional is still a choice) then I recommend taking both tests at least once. Of course this does not have to be an official test, but the best way to understand the differences between the SAT and ACT is to actually do them.

If you’re of a certain generation, your experience with these tests may have been that some schools preferred one test over the other. This is no longer the case - schools generally consider either test to be equally valid. This means that your student has more opportunities to be successful and maximize their score!

Most college counselors I partner with still recommend taking an official SAT and an official ACT at least once. Then students can decide which test they think they can do their best on.

If your student has a complicated schedule or needs to decide more quickly, then they could also take a timed practice exam and get a good feel for each test as well as foundation score before they begin any intensive test preparation.

Use the percentiles to decide which test is their best 💯

Whether your student has an official or unofficial score, a great way to compare their performance is to look at their percentiles. As a shorthand, I explain to prospective parents and students that a percentile essentially gives a measure of how well someone did compared to everyone else who took that particular SAT or ACT. For example, if a score is in the 85th percentile, that means that that score beat 85% of the people who took that test.

This is a helpful measure because (no surprise) college admissions is a competition. So it makes sense that you want to do better than the people you are competing with for admission to a particular college or program.

For most students, the percentile comparison between the two tests will be about the same - say 82% on one to 85% on the other. But if your student’s percentile is much larger on one test, roughly 10% or more better, then likely that test is the best one for them to try to maximize.

Similar percentile? Go with “feel”💗

Taking tests, especially high stakes tests like the SAT and ACT, is about more than just knowing the content. It’s also about being able to think and perform in a high pressure environment. Honestly, this is one of things that makes helping students unlock their performance on these tests so fascinating!

In my work with students, we often have to address challenges like their faulty beliefs, strong emotions and mental blocks around a particular test. This can be frustrating and eventually rewarding, but it is hard work.

Because students may have to spend a lot of time with one particular test, they can get a leg up in their preparation if they actually like the test. I know what you’re thinking - they love them both equally. But, all other things being equal, the test that student has the best feeling toward, or even the test they dislike the least, can help overcome the hurdles of spending time with the test.

Ultimately, whichever test they choose, great preparation looks beyond the test and helps students be thoughtful about themselves. As I often say to students, “It’s you against you.” The less a student has to fight the test, the farther they will get in their preparation and in their performance..

Like paper tests? Take the 2025 ACT! 📝

Speaking of feelings, some students loathe computer versions of tests. For the SAT, the digital version is the only choice. However, for the ACT this year, since they are transitioning to their digital version, students have a choice whether they would like to take the paper version or the computer version, depending on availability.

This means that if your student really loves paper tests, this will likely be the last opportunity to take a standardized test in physical form. If paper is a big draw for your student, be sure to register early to take advantage of this opportunity while it’s still offered.

Start the process 🏁

Deciding which test to take can be a process. Sometimes a student will know early on which test works best for them, and sometimes it will take doing some work before the right path becomes clear.

A great first step is to find out how ready your student is to even begin the test prep process. Take my quiz below to get a customized report about your student’s preparation before investing time and resources when they may not be ready.