College 101
How Do I Compare My SAT and ACT Scores? Article Type: Quick and Dirty
Ah, the SAT® vs. the ACT®.
The two big shots in the world of higher education standardized testing are about as incomparable as they come. The ACT's max score is 36 while the SAT's max score of 1600 dwarfs that 45-fold. And the ACT includes science while the SAT doesn't.
But they're both hours long and cause more stress than you can shake a No. 2 pencil at. So, why compare SAT and ACT scores in the first place?
(1) To find out how you would have done on the other exam
(2) To see if you're stronger on one exam
(3) To see if a school tends to favor one exam over the other
Concordance Tables in Action
Whether you have a score report in hand or you're starting out with practice exams, getting a good baseline idea of where you stand across the board can help you focus your studying on one exam.
The College Board has released a series of concordance tables to help students understand the SAT vs. ACT in terms of test-taking decisions and for navigating the college admissions process.
Let's tackle this question with a few examples, taking a look at the tables here.
A. If you score a 1390 on the SAT, you can expect to score a 30 on the ACT.
B. If you score a 1390 on the new SAT, but only score a 27 on the ACT, the SAT is your stronger test.
C. If you score a 1390 on the SAT, and score a 33 on the ACT, the ACT is your stronger test.
You can then take these comparisons and compare 'em to your college list to better understand your chances at your top choices. First, do a little research to find the score ranges of the middle 50% of admitted students at your college choices.
The middle 50% scores for the ACT and the SAT will often line up with the concordance tables. But...they don't always. If you see that a certain school's ACT range is between 28 and 32, and you've scored a 30, you'll be thinking you're golden. But if their SAT range is 1430–1550, which actually matches up to a 31–34 range, that means you'll need a higher SAT score to get in the school's golden graces.
Hey, nobody said the college application process was easy. That's why Shmoop's here to help.
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