{"id":23398,"date":"2020-06-10T14:19:45","date_gmt":"2020-06-10T19:19:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kaptest.com\/blog\/prep\/?p=23398"},"modified":"2020-09-11T20:39:48","modified_gmt":"2020-09-11T20:39:48","slug":"is-the-act-easier-than-the-sat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpapp.kaptest.com\/study\/sat\/is-the-act-easier-than-the-sat\/","title":{"rendered":"ACT vs SAT: Is the ACT Easier Than the SAT?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Deciding whether to take the SAT<\/a> or the ACT<\/a> is often the first major step in the college application process, and it can seem like a daunting one. However, simply understanding what differentiates the two tests can make the choice much more manageable. <\/span>
\nThe SAT and ACT are more similar now than they ever have been. In 2016, the SAT underwent changes that made it very similar in structure to the ACT. However, a few underlying differences remain.
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1. The ACT Science Section<\/h3>
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\nThe most glaring difference is the ACT\u2019s Science Test, which is missing from the SAT. However, even this distinction is less drastic than it first seems. The ACT\u2019s science section does not test actual science knowledge. Instead, it provides students with science passages and visual representations of data, asking reading comprehension and data interpretation questions. Does that sound just like the science passages on the SAT\u2019s Evidence-Based Reading section? That\u2019s because it is! For students who are good at finding evidence-based answers from passages and graphs, this section can be an opportunity to shine. \u00a0<\/span>
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2. The SAT No-Calculator Math Section<\/h3>
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\nThe next major thing to consider is the no-calculator math section on the SAT. This section can be intimidating, but remember, using the calculator on every single question is not a good strategy even in the calculator section! What the SAT has done is take various problems that are quickly solved without a calculator and grouped them together to create the no-calculator section. The hard part isn\u2019t the lack of a calculator; it\u2019s knowing what the question is really asking. Doing well on the no-calculator section does not require computer-rivaling processing power. It\u2019s all about knowing what patterns to look for (like Pythagorean triplets) and which shortcuts to take (such as rounding).<\/span>
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3. SAT vs. ACT Essays<\/h3>
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\nThen, there\u2019s the essay. Optional but highly advisable in both cases, the essay section requires something different from students on each test. For the SAT essay, think of a homework assignment for English class. The prompt will ask for an academic analysis of the persuasive elements used in a 750-word passage. <\/span>
\nThe ACT essay, meanwhile, echoes an assignment from social studies class. The task is to evaluate a contemporary issue and present an analysis of perspectives, one of which is the student’s own.
\nIn short, for the ACT, students will need to formulate an opinion and present an argument on a given topic; whereas for the SAT, they\u2019ll be analyzing an argument already made by someone else. On the SAT essay, the student\u2019s own personal opinion on the issue is not in question. <\/span>
\nStudents well-versed in common persuasive elements (such as rhetorical questions, irony, etc.), will be <\/span>in their element<\/span><\/i> writing the SAT essay. For those comfortable discussing their own points of view (with supporting evidence, of course), the ACT essay would be more up their alley.<\/span>
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4. What Else?<\/h3>
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\nThe other distinguishing factors that often make the rounds in the ACT versus SAT discussion, when considered together, can actually cancel each other out. For example, the SAT generally allows for more time per question (see comparison chart below); however, the SAT\u2019s questions tend to require more logical reasoning, since they\u2019re less straightforward. So while an ACT math question is doable within under a minute, a corresponding SAT problem would require those few extra seconds. <\/span>
\nSecondly, the ACT math section incorporates a handful of topics that SAT-takers don\u2019t have to worry about, such as matrices, graphs of trigonometric functions, and logarithms. Further, the ACT incorporates a higher percentage of geometry than does the SAT (~25% vs. ~10% respectively). However, such questions once again tend to be more straightforward than the average SAT problem; this can mitigate the actual difference in the overall difficulty level.
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Timing per question:<\/caption>
SAT<\/th>ACT<\/th><\/tr>
Reading: ~13 minutes per passage<\/td>English: ~35 seconds per question<\/td><\/tr>
Writing & Language: ~8 minutes per passage<\/td>Reading: ~8.5 minutes per passage <\/td><\/tr>
Math (No Calculator): ~1 minute per question<\/td>Math: ~1 minute per question<\/td><\/tr>
Math (Calculator): ~1.5 minutes per question<\/td>Science: ~5 minutes per passage <\/td><\/tr>
Optional Essay: 50 mins for 1 essay<\/td>Optional Writing: 40 min for 1 essay<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>