Choosing a test
SAT or ACT for international students
US universities that consider test scores accept either test and state no preference between them. So the only question is which one a particular student will score higher on, and that can be found out in a weekend.
How the two tests differ
| SAT | ACT | |
|---|---|---|
| Sections | Reading and Writing; Math | English; Math; Reading. Science and Writing are optional extras |
| Score | 400 to 1600 | Composite of 1 to 36 |
| Length | 2 hours 14 minutes | Depends on the options chosen; check ACT’s current format |
| Reading passages | Short, one question each | Longer, several questions each |
| Adaptive | Yes, the second module of each section depends on the first | No |
| Calculator | Allowed throughout, with Desmos built in | Allowed on Math |
| Outside the US | Digital, in the Bluebook app at a test centre | On a computer at a test centre |
The ACT changed its format during 2025 and 2026: Science became optional and the composite is now built from English, Math and Reading. Check act.org for the version on the date you would sit. SAT details are from College Board; there is more in the Digital SAT guide.
Which student suits which test
- The SAT tends to suit students who prefer short passages, who are stronger at mathematics than at fast reading, and who like having time to think: it allows noticeably more time per question.
- The ACT tends to suit quick, accurate readers who are comfortable holding a long passage in mind, and students who find the SAT’s wording of maths questions more awkward than the maths.
- For students whose first language is not English, the SAT’s shorter texts and gentler pace are usually the safer choice, though strong readers can do well on either.
What is different when you are abroad
Practical matters weigh more outside the United States. Check which test has a centre you can actually reach, on a date that does not collide with school examinations, before choosing on preference alone. The SAT also has a practical advantage for self-study: College Board publishes free full-length practice tests in Bluebook, the same app used on test day, so a practice score is a fair forecast. The SAT test dates page lists the international sittings, and the international students page covers planning from abroad.
How to decide in one weekend
Sit one official full-length practice test of each, timed, on separate days. Convert the two scores using the official concordance tables published jointly by College Board and ACT, then compare. If one is clearly ahead, that is the test. If they are level, choose the one that felt less rushed, because pace is the hardest thing to change. Then commit: preparing for both at once splits the effort and helps neither.
Altair Prep teaches the SAT only. Lewis Watson will say so plainly if a student’s practice scores point to the ACT, since the trial lesson is free and a student on the wrong test is nobody’s success.
Common questions about SAT or ACT
Do US universities prefer the SAT or the ACT?
Neither. Universities that consider test scores accept both and say they treat them equally, using concordance tables to compare one with the other. The sensible basis for choosing is which test gives the individual student the higher score, together with which one has an accessible test centre on a workable date.
Is the ACT easier than the SAT for international students?
Not generally. The ACT asks more questions in the time available and uses longer reading passages, which is harder for many students working in a second language. The SAT's short passages and slower pace usually suit international students better. Individual students vary, so a timed practice test of each is a better guide than any general rule.
Should I take both the SAT and the ACT?
Usually no. The tests reward different pacing and habits, so preparing for both divides the effort. A better plan is to sit one timed practice test of each early on, pick the stronger, and put all the preparation into that one, with a second sitting of the same test held in reserve.
How do I compare an SAT score with an ACT score?
Use the official concordance tables published jointly by College Board and ACT, which match each ACT composite to a range of SAT totals. Universities use the same tables. Compare practice scores taken under timed conditions, and treat small differences as a tie, because any single test result carries a margin of error.
Not sure which test to prepare for?
Bring a practice score from either test to the free intro call and Lewis will tell you honestly which one it points to.
Prefer email? Write to lewis@altairprep.com.
More from Altair Prep
- The Digital SAT explainedFormat, adaptive modules, scoring
- SAT tutoring for international studentsWhy the score counts for more from abroad
- SAT test dates 2026–27Every sitting, deadline and when to start
- From PSAT to SATWhat the score predicts
- Choosing a one-to-one SAT tutorMarketplace, agency or individual
- FeesWhat one-to-one lessons cost