Taking the SAT is the best way to show colleges you have the skills and knowledge they want most. Find out how the new SAT, launching in March, compares to the ACT.*
| Features | New SAT | ACT |
| Widely accepted | All U.S. colleges | Almost all U.S. colleges |
| Major redesign | 2016 SAT is based on the latest research on the skills colleges value most. | No recent significant revisions. |
| Tests the vocabulary you’ll use | Yes | Yes |
| Everyday math formulas provided | Yes | No |
| Essay is optional | Yes | Yes |
| Penalty for guessing | No | No |
Resources
| Resources | New SAT | ACT |
| Free daily practice questions | Yes, the free mobile app, Daily Practice for the New SAT. | Yes |
| Free comprehensive test practice | Yes, through Khan Academy®, with over 4,000 questions and video lessons. | No |
| Free, downloadable practice tests | Yes | No |
| A mobile app that instantly scores paper tests | Yes, Daily Practice for the New SAT. | No |
Registration Schedule
| Schedule | New SAT | ACT |
| Test days | 7 times a year | 7 times a year |
| Regular registration deadline | Around 15 days before the exam date. You pay a late fee for registering later. | A couple of weeks before the test date, so it’s important to check the specific dates for the test you want to take. |
| Late registration closes | About 11 days before test day | 20+ days before test day |
Fee Waivers
| Benefits and Rules | New SAT | ACT |
| Test fees waived for eligible students | Yes | Yes |
| Waivers cover late fees | Yes | No |
| Four college application fee waivers sent directly to eligible students | Yes | No |
SAT vs. ACT: How are they different?
| Structure and Timing | New SAT | ACT |
| Testing time | 3 hours | 2 hours and 55 minutes without the essay section;3 hours and 35 minutes with essay |
| Structure | Reading, Writing and Language,Math (with the calculator), Math | English, Math, Reading, Science, Writing (optional essay) |
| Number of questions | 154 | 215 |
| Time per question | 1 minute, 10 seconds | 49 seconds |
| Score range | Composite 400–1600 | Composite 1–36 |
| Exam Pattern | The SAT has 154 questions divided into three sections: Reading, Writing and Language, and Math. The Reading section has 52 questions, the Writing and Language section has 44 questions, and the Math section has 58 questions. | The Reading section has 40 questions, the English section has 75 questions, the Math section has 60 questions, and the Science section has 40 questions. |
Exam Fee
| Exam | SAT | ACT |
| Registration fee | $68 | $65 |
Link to Register
SAT – https://mysat.collegeboard.org/login
ACT – https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration.html
