ACT vs SAT: Which Test Should You Take?

One of the questions I hear the most is about the ACT vs the SAT. Most students know they can take both, but aren’t sure which one they’ll score higher on. This is a big decision: if you spend time studying for the wrong test, you’ll still see score increases, but it will take longer and and be more frustrating than studying for the other test would have been. Wouldn’t you have liked to do something else with that time?

Portrait signature of learning differences tutor Jonah Fishel

15-minute ACT vs SAT diagnostic test

I’ve been tutoring these tests for almost ten years now, so I have a clear idea of why students succeed on one test but struggle on the other. I’ve condensed the important differences in the test to a very short diagnostic that all my students take.

This diagnostic test has three short sections, totaling fifteen minutes:

  • 5 minutes to complete 6 questions on a short reading passage
  • 5 minutes to complete 5 carefully-selected math questions
  • 5 minutes to answer 6 questions about scientific graphs

With your test results and few more key pieces of information, I can make a confident recommendation about which test you should take.

How It Works

Book a Review

Students book a time to review the results of their test using the calendar below. This ensures the test is done in a timely manner!

Check Your Email

You'll receive an email with the details of your meeting. This email will also contain a PDF of your test and additional instructions about how to submit it.

Take the Test

You'll take the test by printing it or reading it off your screen. You'll follow the instructions in the email to return it to me before our meeting.

Let's Get Started!

That’s it! It’s easy to do and will take about 25 minutes from start to finish (15 of that is actually taking the test).

When you’re ready to get started, you can book a review using the scheduling page on the right. The review appointment costs $35. You’ll get your diagnostic test when you register.

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