As college applications for Juniors approach, so do the days of dreaded standardized testing. At many colleges, the class of 2026 will be the first class since COVID-19 to no longer be test-optional, creating increased stress to perform well.
The ACT and SAT, the two tests that can be submitted, have many differences. Peter Loch, SAT Prep teacher, said that though the two tests serve similar purposes, they have some significant differences.
“The most common thing you will find is that the SAT and ACT is that the kind of questions they ask you are very different,” Loch said. “The SAT focuses on critical thinking skills and the ACT is more focused on high school curriculum.”
Loch said that during high school if he was given a choice between the two, he would have chosen to take the SAT.
“The ACT is a little bit longer and has questions that basically test if you’re paying attention in class,” Loch said. “It doesn’t really think about how your brain works. I did fine on it, went to college, got a degree, but I think I would’ve preferred taking the SAT.”
Due to the math portion being shorter than the English portion on the ACT, students like Elly Beckerman ’25, who has taken both tests, feel that they are more fit to take the ACT.
“I liked the ACT because it felt much faster paced, kind of like a real test,” Beckerman said. “Also since the math is an entire half of the SAT, I felt like I had a lot more cushion on the ACT with it being less than half and it having the science section.”
Lorelei Carr ’26 has taken the SAT twice and prefers the SAT because of the way the school system prepares students.
“I have taken the PSAT seven times at school,” Carr said. “Since it’s designed to prepare us for the SAT, I have felt comfortable taking the SAT because I’ve taken something similar so many times.”
In the past, the ACT has included both a science and a writing portion. As of spring 2025 for the online test and fall 2025 for the written test, both will become optional. Loch said this leaves a lot up in the air for future ACT testers.
“I recently had a student come up to me and tell me that they were changing the test,” Loch said, “I don’t know exactly what the test will look like with this change. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”
