Get Indicate How Your Institution Will Use The Sat Essay Or Act Essay Component: Check All That Apply

This once-vital piece of the SAT scoring process has been generally discontinued by the College Board for weekend administrations of the exam. However, some states (such as Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Delaware, Oklahoma and New Hampshire) do request that students complete the SAT essay section as a part of the exam.

An ACT Score Is a Predictor of College Success Having an ACT or SAT test score is much more than a ticket into college. In fact, admissions officials will share that the entire goal of the ACT and SAT is to assist colleges and universities with understanding how likely you will be to succeed at your first in college.

The SAT is not harder than the ACT. Both tests vary slightly in terms of subjects covered and structure. These variations can affect each test taker differently, making one exam more challenging than the other. Taking full-length practice tests of each type can help you determine which may be best suited for you.

In 2018, the SAT test reclaimed the majority, but the ACT test remains almost as popular. Of the national graduating class of 2022, about 1.3 million students took the ACT test, while 1.7 million students took the SAT test.

This is a common misconception. Colleges don't have a preference between the SAT or ACT so it's important to know how to choose the test that's right for you. Both tests are widely accepted across U.S. colleges—including those that are test optional.

Harvard has no preference between the SAT and ACT, so choose the test that's a better fit for you, thoroughly prepare for it, and plan to take it multiple times. Take special note that Harvard University superscores the SAT, and Harvard does not superscore the ACT.

The SAT is better if you're near a top score, because it's easier to “ace”—to get a 99th percentile or perfect score on—than the ACT. There are many reasons for this, but if you think you're going to be scoring high, your chances of scoring in the highest percentiles are better on the SAT.

The general consensus was that the essay was the least important part of the SAT overall. Admissions offices will look much more closely at your composite score.