While many colleges are now test-optional, strong SAT® or ACT® scores can still play a decisive role in admissions and scholarships—especially at competitive schools.
We’ve been preparing students for college admissions tests since 2002, and we’ve found there’s only one surefire way to know which test is right for your child: take a practice test for each exam.
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Does your child...
Does your child...
| SAT® | Enhanced ACT® | |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery Format | Digital | Digital and Paper |
| Total Testing Time | 2 hours 14 minutes | 2 hours 5 minutes (no science) |
| Time per Question | 71 seconds Reading/Writing 95 seconds Math |
67 seconds Reading 42 seconds English 67 seconds Math |
| Adaptive Testing | Yes | No |
| Testing Sections | 2 Reading/Writing Sections 2 Math Sections |
English Reading Math Science (Optional) |
| Math Topics | Algebra Geometry/Trigonometry Statistics |
Algebra Geometry/Trigonometry Statistics Pre-Calculus |
| Weight of Math Section | 50% | 33% |
| Calculator Usage | Desmos Provided | Desmos not Guaranteed |
| Experimental Section | No | No |
| Guessing Penalty | No | No |
| Biggest Challenge | Tricky Wording | Time Crunch |
Revolution Prep partners with hundreds of schools and organizations across the world. We provide realistic practice tests and help families determine which exam best fits their student’s strengths.
Yes. All U.S. colleges accept both tests, and colleges do not prefer the SAT® over the ACT® (or vice versa).
No. All U.S. colleges that accept admission tests accept both the SAT® and ACT®. Choose the exam your student can score higher on.
No. That may have been true in the past, but today there’s no preference. All U.S. four-year colleges that require an admissions test accept both exams.
In 2024, approximately 1.97 million students took the SAT® and 1.4 million took the ACT®. The SAT® has been slightly more popular nationwide in recent years, though regional preferences vary.
Not exactly—they’re just different. Both assess similar academic concepts, but the formats and pacing differ. Approximately 20% of students naturally perform better on one test. We recommend taking both (ideally before junior year) to see whether the SAT® or ACT® is the better fit.
Yes. The SAT® and PSAT® are fully digital and adaptive, delivered through College Board’s Bluebook app.
No. Availability varies by test center and date. Some centers offer digital ACT, some paper, and some both. During ACT registration you’ll see which format is available for your chosen location and date.
If you submit a strong score, it can help with admissions, scholarships, and placement—especially at competitive schools.
Your Revolution Prep Advisor will help you compare results. ACT® and College Board also publish concordance tables to translate SAT® and ACT® scores.
The digital SAT® adjusts to each student’s performance in real time. After the first module, the difficulty of the second module changes based on how the student did. This keeps the test shorter while still accurately measuring ability.
The SAT® has used the current digital format since early 2023 and is now the worldwide standard. Its question types, scoring, and interface have been used by millions of students, so results and expectations are consistent. The enhanced ACT® format is newer, with some variation in delivery and interpretation.
Take one practice SAT® and one practice ACT®, then do a 30-minute advisor review. Most families know the winner the same day.