SAT vs. ACT – do colleges have a preference?

Hi there, I'm starting to prepare for college admissions, and I want to know if colleges generally prefer the SAT or the ACT. Is one more widely accepted or seen as more prestigious than the other, or is it just a matter of personal preference? Any insights on this would be super helpful!

Hi! When it comes to college admissions, both the SAT and ACT are widely accepted, and colleges typically do not have a preference for one over the other. Schools treat the two tests as equivalent measures of a student's academic skills, so you can submit either one according to your preference.

It's important to understand the differences between the two tests so that you can choose the one that best showcases your strengths. The SAT is more focused on critical thinking, problem-solving, and evidence-based reading, whereas the ACT includes more content-based questions and also has a dedicated science section. The ACT's pace is slightly faster, requiring you to answer more questions in less time, while the SAT gives you more time per question but may involve more in-depth analysis.

A good approach is to take a practice test for both the SAT and ACT to see which test you feel more comfortable with and perform better on. This way, you can choose the exam that is most likely to result in a higher score, strengthening your college application.

Keep in mind that many colleges are also adopting test-optional or test-blind policies, so depending on the schools you're interested in, submitting standardized test scores may not be required. Nonetheless, you should still consider preparing for and taking one of these tests, as strong scores can help bolster your application and potentially make you eligible for merit-based scholarships.