| Stands for |
American College Test |
Scholastic Aptitude Test |
| What is tested |
ACT assesses knowledge of subjects taught in high school. |
SAT measures literacy and writing skills, and assesses how well a student analyzes and solves problems. |
| Website |
www.actstudent.org |
sat.collegeboard.com/home |
| When to take the test |
ACT examination is offered six times a year in the months of February, April, June, September, October, December. |
In USA, SAT examination is offered seven times a year in the months of January, March, May, June, October, November, December. |
| Penalty for incorrect answers |
There is no penalty for wrong answers. |
There is no penalty for wrong or omitted answers. |
| Test Duration |
3 hours and 25 minutes (including 30 minutes for an optional writing test). |
3 hours (+50 minutes with optional essay). |
| Major Sections |
3 major sections– English, Math, and Reading (Science Reasoning and the Writing) sections are optional. |
3 major sections– Mathematics, Reading and Writing. |
| Top Score |
36 |
1600 |
| Popular in |
The ACT tends to be relatively more popular in the Midwest and the South. |
The SAT tends to be more popular on the East and West coasts. |
| Test owned by |
ACT Inc. |
College Board |
