ACT or SAT?

75 questions in 45 minutes

49 questions in 35 minutes

Content:

• Usage/mechanics (punctuation, grammar, sentence structure)
• Rhetorical skills (writing strategy, organization, style).

Content:

• Improving sentences
• Identifying sentence errors
• Improving paragraphs.

60 questions in 60 minutes

54 questions in 70 minutes

Content:

• Pre-algebra
• Algebra I
• Algebra II
• Geometry
• Trigonometry (4 questions).

Content:

• Arithmetic
• Algebra I
• Algebra II
• Geometry

Math reference information (formulas, etc.) is not provided.

Math reference information (formulas, etc.) is provided.

Questions generally increase in difficulty.

Questions generally increase in difficulty.

40 questions in 35 minutes

67 questions in 70 minutes

Content:

• Reading comprehension

Content:

• Sentence completion
• Reading comprehension

The four reading passages are always in the areas of Prose Fiction, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Natural Sciences (in that order).

The reading passage areas are not defined.

Limited testing of vocabulary, all of it within the context of the reading passages.

Sentence completion questions directly test vocabulary, as do some of the reading comprehension questions.

40 questions in 35 minutes

Not applicable

Content:

• Data representations
• Research summaries
• Conflicting viewpoints from biology, chemistry, earth/space science, and physics

Not applicable

30-minute, optional

25-minute, mandatory

If chosen, the last section.

First section.

Given a separate score; not included in the Composite Score.

Given a separate score; however, it also makes up approximately 30% of the Writing score.