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TEST INFO
SAT vs. ACT
| SAT | VS | ACT |
| Content-based test | Type of Test | Content-based test |
| Reading: 1, 65-min section; Math: 1, 25-min section (no calculator) & 1, 55-min section (w/ calculator); Writing & Language: 1, 35-min section; Essay: 1, 50-min section (optional) | Test Format | English: 1, 45-min section; Math: 1, 60-min section; Reading: 1, 35-min section; Science: 1, 35-min section; Writing: 1, 40-min essay (optional) |
| Reading, relevant words in context, math, grammar & usage, analytical writing (optional) | Content Covered | Grammar & usage, math, reading, science reasoning, and writing (optional) |
| Questions are evidence and context-based in an effort to focus on real-world situations and multi-step problem-solving | Test Style | Straightforward, questions may be long but are usually less difficult to decipher |
| Math and Evidence-Based Reading & Writing are each scored on a scale of 200-800. Composite SAT score is the sum of the two section scores and ranges from 400-1600 | Scoring | English, Math, Reading, and Science scores range from 1-36. Composite ACT score is the average of your scores on the four sections; ranges from 1-36 |
| No – you do not lose points for incorrect answers | Penalty for Wrong Answers? | No – you do not lose points for incorrect answers |
| Yes – you can choose which set(s) of SAT scores to submit to colleges. However, some colleges require or recommend that students submit all scores. Students should review the score-reporting policy of each college to which they plan to apply. | Score Choice? | Yes – you can choose which set(s) of ACT scores to submit to colleges. However, some colleges require or recommend that students submit all scores. Students should review the score-reporting policy of each college to which they plan to apply. |
| Math questions generally increase in difficulty level as you move through that question type in a section. Reading passage questions generally progress chronologically through the passage, not by difficulty level. Writing & Language passage questions do not progress by difficulty level. | Difficulty Levels | For the English and Reading sections, the difficulty level of the questions is random. For the Math section, questions generally increase in difficulty as you progress through the section. For the Science section, passages generally increase in difficulty as you progress through the test, and questions generally become more difficult as you progress through a passage. |
| Arithmetic, problem-solving & data analysis, heart of algebra, geometry, pre-calculus, and trigonometry; formulas provided | Math Levels | Arithmetic, algebra I and II, functions, geometry, trigonometry; no formulas are provided |
| Seven times per year: March or April, May, June, August, October, November, December (note that some states offer the SAT as part of their state testing requirements; these tests are not administered on the national test dates) | Offered when? | Seven times per year: February, April, June, July, September, October, December (note that some states offer the ACT as part of their state testing requirements; these tests are not administered on the national test dates) |
| Typically, about four weeks before the test date | Registration deadline? | Typically, about five to six weeks before the test date |
| www.collegeboard.com | More Information | www.act.org |
The SSAT vs. The ISEE
| The SSAT | vs. | The ISEE |
| Elementary Level: for students currently in grades 3-4
Middle Level: for students currently in grades 5-7 Upper Level: for students currently in grades 8-11 |
Test Levels | Primary Level: for students currently in grades 1-3
Lower Level: for students currently in grades 4-5 Middle Level: for students currently in grades 6-7 Upper Level: for students currently in grades 8-11 |
| verbal reasoning, vocabulary, quantitative reasoning, math, reading, and writing skills (unscored writing sample) | Content Covered | verbal reasoning, vocabulary, quantitative reasoning, math, reading, and writing skills (unscored writing sample) |
| synonyms and analogies | Verbal Question Types | synonyms and sentence completions |
| five-choice multiple-choice questions | Math Question Types | four-choice multiple-choice and quantitative comparison questions (middle and upper levels) |
| Six sections: 1, 25-minute writing sample; 1, 30-minute verbal section; 2, 30-minute quantitative sections; 1, 40-minute reading section; 1, 15-minute Experimental section (Total of 3 hours and 5 minutes)
The Elementary Level exam only has one quantitative section and lasts for 2 hours, 5 minutes total. |
Test Format | Five sections (lower level):1, 30-minute writing sample; 1, 20-minute verbal section; 1, 35-minute quantitative section; 1, 25-minute reading section; 1, 30-minute math section (Total of 2 hours and 20 minutes)
Five sections (middle and upper levels): 1, 30-minute writing sample; 1, 20-minute verbal section; 1, 35-minute quantitative section; 1, 35-minute reading section; 1, 40-minute math section (Total of 2 hours and 40 minutes) |
| yes, you lose 1/4 of a point for incorrect answers | Penalty for Wrong Answers? | no, you do not lose points for incorrect answers |
| Elementary Level: Scale of 300-600 for Verbal, Quantitative, and Reading; scale of 900-1800 total
Middle Level: Scale of 440-710 for Verbal, Quantitative, and Reading; scale of 1320-2130 total Upper Level: Scale of 500-800 for Verbal, Quantitative, and Reading; scale of 1500-2400 total |
Scoring | All Levels: Scale of 760-940 for Verbal, Reading, Quantitative, and Math |
| SSAT percentile rank between 1-99%; rank based on student’s performance as compared to the other students in the same grade and of the same gender who have taken the test within the past three years | Percentile Rank | ISEE percentile rank between 1-99%; rank based on student’s performance as compared to the other students in the same grade who have taken the test within the past three years; Stanine score between 1-9 |
| Can choose which set(s) of SSAT scores to submit to schools | Score Report | Can choose which set(s) of ISEE scores to submit to schools |
| National Test Dates: Offered 8 times per year in January, February, March, April, June, October, November, December
Flex Test Dates: Flexible, but can only take one Flex Test per year Regional Flex Test Dates: Set by regional consortia, but can only take one Flex Test per year |
Testing Options | Offered on various test dates across the United States throughout the year. Students may register to take the ISEE one time in any or all of three testing seasons. The ISEE testing seasons are defined as Fall (August–November), Winter (December–March), and Spring/Summer (April–July). |
| ssat.org | More Information | erblearn.org |