SAT & ACT Guidance & Score Comparison Chart

Elizabeth Hartley • February 8, 2026

Register for the SAT on Collegeboard.org
Register for ACT on ACT.org

When to start taking the test: Once a student has completed Algebra 1 & 2 and Geometry, they have covered the math content they will need for the SAT and ACT.

For this reason, we encourage students to take one SAT and ACT soon after they have completed these levels of math, even though their English scores may increase later. Then, compare their scores in the table below and decide which test to focus on retaking in the future. Colleges have no preference on which test the student chooses.

How many times to take the preferred test: It depends on the student and their target score. Most students take it 3-5 times.

SAT score (max 1600) = is the sum of the scores of the Evidence-Based Reading & Writing (max 800) + Math (max 800)

ACT composite score (max 36) is the average of the scores for Math, Reading, & Writing (max 36 for each). If the student also chose to take the Science section, it has its own separate score (max 36).