ACT & SAT Guide
ACT
The ACT is a standardized college admissions exam accepted by colleges and universities across the United States. Students can choose to take the ACT either online or on paper, depending on what is offered at their testing location.
Test Length
The ACT takes approximately 2 hours and 55 minutes without the optional writing section. If the optional Writing section is taken, the exam lasts about 3 hours and 35 minutes.
Subjects
The ACT includes three required sections
- English
- Math
- Reading
An optional science and writing (essay) section is also available.
Scores
Each required section is scored on a scale of 1–36. Your Composite Score is the average of your English, Math, Reading, and Science scores, rounded to the nearest whole number.
Superscoring
Many colleges accept ACT Superscores, which combine your highest score from each section across multiple test dates to create your best possible Composite Score. Always check each college’s testing policy.
Practice Resources
One of the best ways to prepare for the ACT is by taking official previously released ACT exams. These practice tests closely match the format and difficulty of the real exam and help students become comfortable with timing.
Students who take the ACT can also access their score reports online to review which questions they missed and identify areas that need improvement before their next test.
Adaptive or Linear?
The ACT is a linear exam, meaning every student receives the same test booklet (or online version) and the difficulty does not change based on previous answers.
Helpful Resources
- Official ACT Practice Tests
- ACT Student Account
- ACT Academy
- Khan Academy (general math and grammar review)
- College Board Bluebook is not used for the ACT
SAT
What is it?
The SAT is a standardized college admissions exam accepted by colleges and universities across the United States. The SAT is now administered digitally through the official Bluebook application.
Test Length
The SAT takes approximately 2 hours and 14 minutes to complete.
Subjects
The SAT includes two sections
- Reading & Writing
- Math
There is no Science section and no essay.
Scoring
Each section is scored from 200–800, producing a total score between 400 and 1600.
Superscoring
Many colleges accept SAT Superscores, combining your highest Reading & Writing score and your highest Math score from different test dates. Always verify each college’s policy
Practice Resources
The best preparation comes from using the Bluebook app and Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy. Bluebook includes full-length practice exams that closely resemble the actual digital SAT.
After completing practice tests, students receive detailed score reports showing strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement
Adaptive or Linear?
Unlike the ACT, the digital SAT is adaptive. Performance on the first module influences the difficulty of the second module in both Reading & Writing and Math.
Helpful Resources
- Bluebook App
- Khan Academy Official SAT Practice
- College Board Question Bank
- Official Digital SAT Practice Tests
- College Board Student Account
Expert Recommendation
Mr. Bacich is a tutor in Syracuse who studies psychometrics (study of tests and their use of psychology). He has been helping high schoolers for years do well on the SAT and ACT alike with many tips and tricks regarding the sections. He recommends doing the ACT over the SAT citing that students can review their tests and that they have old ones to practice with. He also says the linear nature of the test makes it easier for students to take.