SAT VS ACT
The differences between SAT and ACT often are not understood. Which is preferred? On which will your child perform better? Check out our chart explaining the differences.
SAT Highlights
- Shorter reading passages
- More difficult text complexity, more vocabulary
- Fewer math topics, but more in depth
- Students use their own devices (tablets and computers)
ACT Highlights
- Longer reading passages, less vocabulary
- More straightforward but faster paced question
- Greater variety of math topics with simpler problem-solving
- Emphasizes science reasoning and graphical literacy

SAT & ACT Percentiles
How do you know if you are better on the SAT or ACT? Compare percentiles
Percentile ranks show how your scaled scores compare to those earned by recent high school graduates who took the tests. For example, a 25 on the ACT places you in the 81st percentile, which means you’ve scored higher than or equal to 81% of the testing population
ACT Score | Percentile | SAT Score |
---|---|---|
36 | 99+ | 1590 |
35 | 99 | 1570 |
34 | 99 | 1540 |
33 | 98 | 1510 |
32 | 97 | 1480 |
- | 96 | 1460 |
31 | 95 | 1430 |
30 | 94 | 1410 |
- | 93 | 1400 |
29 | 92 | 1380 |
- | 91 | 1370 |
28 | 90 | 1350 |
- | 89 | 1340 |
- | 88 | 1330 |
27 | 87 | 1310 |
- | 86 | 1300 |
26 | 85 | 1290 |
- | 84 | 1280 |
- | 83 | 1270 |
- | 82 | 1260 |
25 | 81 | 1250 |
- | 80 | 1240 |
- | 79 | 1230 |
24 | 78 | 1220 |
- | 76 | 1210 |
- | 75 | 1200 |
23 | 74 | 1190 |
- | 73 | 1180 |
- | 71 | 1170 |
- | 70 | 1160 |
22 | 69 | 1150 |
- | 67 | 1140 |
ACT Score | Percentile | SAT Score |
---|---|---|
- | 66 | 1130 |
21 | 64 | 1120 |
- | 63 | 1110 |
- | 61 | 1100 |
- | 60 | 1090 |
20 | 59 | - |
- | 58 | 1080 |
- | 56 | 1070 |
- | 55 | 1060 |
19 | 53 | 1050 |
- | 52 | 1040 |
- | 50 | 1030 |
- | 49 | 1020 |
18 | 47 | 1010 |
- | 45 | 1000 |
- | 43 | 990 |
- | 42 | 980 |
17 | 41 | - |
- | 40 | 970 |
- | 39 | 960 |
- | 37 | 950 |
- | 36 | 940 |
16 | 35 | - |
- | 34 | 930 |
- | 32 | 920 |
- | 31 | 910 |
- | 29 | 900 |
15 | 28 | 890 |
- | 26 | 880 |
- | 25 | 870 |
1-14 | <25 | 400-860 |

Preparing for the SAT and ACT
The cheapest way is to just let your child take the tests based on what he or she learned in school. You can also buy test prep materials online and let your child study from them. However, test prep such as we offer at Brilliant Prep consistently delivers the highest scores and the resulting scholarships and admissions acceptance letters.

Should We Prepare for the SAT, ACT or Both?
There are two main “schools of thought” on this topic. Some say that taking both tests is unnecessary so why prepare for both. Others say that preparing for both tests gives students a definite edge and more options. Below are the considerations:
- Taking Only One Course
All schools in the USA accept both ACT and scores, so whichever one you prepare for and take is fine
Schools are given conversion charts to properly interpret the scores students submit. If a student submits ACT scores and the school prefers SAT, the school will use the table to know what the ACT score would be if it was an SAT. read more
There are extra costs to preparing for and taking both tests.
It takes extra time to prepare for and take both tests.

- Taking Both Courses