Transitioning from the SAT to ACT: Everything K-12 Schools Need to Know

American schools are no strangers to standardized tests. The SAT and ACT have long been the two primary college admissions tests in the United States. For years, many states across the nation have required one of these assessments as a graduation requirement and to prepare students for their next step into college. 

While the SAT and ACT aim to accomplish similar goals, they differ in structure, content emphasis, and scoring. 

Recently, some states have switched from the SAT to the ACT. Transitioning from the SAT to the ACT brings challenges and opportunities for K-12 schools. 

For administrators, it's crucial to understand the implications of this transition and how it will affect your students, teachers, and community. This change means reevaluating and potentially overhauling existing testing strategies for assessment directors. Teachers will need to adapt their instructional methods to align with the ACT's specific requirements. Curriculum specialists face the task of ensuring that the school's academic program adequately prepares students for the new test format. Students need to showcase what they’ve learned in a new format. 

With the proper preparation and communication, schools can make this transition as seamless as possible.

As we explore how to make this transition, we'll also cover how to prepare your community for the change, the key differences between the tests, strategies for adapting your curriculum, and best practices for preparing your students for success on the ACT. 

Whether you're just beginning this transition or looking to refine your approach, this guide will provide the insights and tools you need to navigate this change effectively.

Prepare Your Community for the ACT

First, transitioning from the SAT to the ACT isn't just an administrative decision; it can impact many stakeholders across your community. 

Start by communicating openly with your district, schools, teachers, administrators, students, and parents to build awareness about why this change is necessary.

• Is the transition a state mandate? 
• Is it a local decision?

Either way, present the rationale for the change early. That way, no one is surprised. To ease any nerves around change, it’s also essential to present the change as an opportunity–regardless of the reason for it being implemented. 

As with most relationships, transparency is key to fostering trust and building buy-in. To ensure everyone is on board, you can engage your stakeholders through various communication channels, such as school newsletters, emails, your learning management system, and social media updates. 

Here are some of the messages you can consider sharing:

• Clearly outline the benefits of focusing on ACT prep, emphasizing its wide acceptance among colleges and its alignment with your educational goals.
• Share data and research that support the transition like technical specifications and price.
• Use testimonials or case studies from other schools that have successfully made the switch.
• Organize informational sessions and workshops to provide in-depth insights into the ACT for your faculty & staff. Use these events to address common questions and concerns, explaining how the test differs from the SAT in terms of content, structure, and timing. (We’ll give you some additional content below that you can share)
• Highlight how preparing for the ACT can offer students a more rounded assessment of their academic abilities, including their scientific reasoning and analytical skills–something they weren’t previously tested on with the SAT.
• Offer professional development opportunities focused on ACT-specific teaching strategies and assessment techniques. Workshops and training sessions can equip teachers with the knowledge and skills to effectively prepare students for the ACT. Encourage collaborative planning sessions where teachers can share resources, strategies, and insights.
• Encourage your staff to introduce the change gradually to students through classroom activities and practice exams that mimic the ACT's format. If this is your first year preparing for a new test, starting the conversation at the beginning of the year is best. This will help them acclimate to the new style of questions and timing and reduce their anxiety. Provide resources such as study guides, practice tests, and online tools to aid their preparation.
• Finally, parents and guardians should be involved by hosting meetings and providing materials that explain the ACT's benefits and how they can support their students at home. 

A well-informed community can make the transition smoother and more successful for everyone involved.

Let’s dive into some key differences between the ACT and SAT so you understand exactly what’s new.

SAT vs ACT: Key Differences for Educators

Understanding the fundamental differences between the SAT and ACT is crucial for educators as they adapt their strategies and prepare students for success. 

First and foremost, from a broad perspective, the ACT is a fixed-form test, meaning there is less variance between practice tests and the actual test. On the other hand, the SAT is an adaptive assessment, meaning that it changes based on a student's ability level and past responses. This is good news for schools choosing to administer the ACT because it allows teachers and students to predict and prepare for the final test format more accurately.

Content & Skills Emphasis

The SAT assesses critical reading, writing, and math skills. It emphasizes evidence-based reading and writing (EBRW), which, as the name implies, requires students to analyze texts and support their answers with evidence. Math questions on the SAT often involve more multi-step problem-solving.

In contrast, the ACT includes four main sections: English, math, reading, and science reasoning. Unique to the ACT, the science section tests students' ability to interpret, analyze, and evaluate scientific data and hypotheses. (It’s also important to note that the writing portion is optional for both the ACT & SAT.) Schools that assess student writing will need to communicate the extra cost to students & their families or allocate funds in the budget for this addition.

Another key difference lies in the style and structure of the questions. The ACT presents questions in a more straightforward manner, making it easier for some students to understand what is being asked. The SAT, however, often includes questions that require deeper critical thinking and inferential reasoning.

(It’s important to note that the categories above are true for the ACT in the '24-25 school year; however, the ACT continues to evolve and will have another round of updates coming in the '25-26 school year. Some changes on the horizon include an optional science portion and an overall shorter test.)

Timing & Pacing

Timing and pacing are also distinct between the SAT and ACT. 

• SAT: total test time of 3 hours (plus 50 minutes for the optional essay).
• ACT: total test time of 2 hours and 55 minutes (plus 40 minutes for the optional writing test).

The ACT allows less time per question, requiring students to work quickly and efficiently. On the other hand, the SAT provides more time per question but requires students to navigate through more intricate questions and dense reading passages.

Understanding these fundamental differences will enable your educators to align their instruction with the specific demands of the ACT. It’ll also help them underscore the importance of time management to students. One strategy to encourage students to do is guess–even when they aren’t confident in an answer. Neither test penalizes students for wrong answers. The ACT offers five multiple-choice options per question; a guess has a 20 percent chance of being right.

Scoring & Reporting

Without context, it can be challenging to decipher what the scoring for each test means. At the highest level, the SAT is scored on a 1600-point scale, while the ACT uses a 36-point scale. For reference, the average SAT score of U.S. colleges is 1,174, and the ACT score is 25.

• SAT: Scores range from 400-1600, combining test results from Math and Evidence-Based Reading and Writing.
• ACT: Scores range from 1-36, representing a composite score from all four required sections. The writing portion of the test is scored between 2-12 based on an analytical scoring rubric and does not count toward the final composite score.

Below is a sample ACT score:

• Reading: 22
• English: 17
• Math: 34
• Science: 30
• Composite Score: 26 (This number is the average of the other four core scores)
• Writing (optional): 11

Students need to know that, just like for the SAT, they can choose whether or not to send their scores to universities.

Comparing and Converting SAT and ACT Scores

As you transition to the ACT, sharing conversion tables with faculty or students who have taken the SAT can be helpful. The Princeton Review has created a free ACT vs. SAT score conversion tool to help orient everyone to the new scoring system.

Impact on Curriculum Alignment

For curriculum specialists at schools and districts going through this change, the transition from SAT to ACT may require significant adjustments to your curriculum. 

Here’s a quick list of some of the adjustments teams may want to look into:

• Math: The ACT includes more advanced math concepts, including trigonometry.
• English: The ACT places more emphasis on grammar and punctuation rules.
• Reading: The ACT's reading section is more straightforward but requires faster processing.
• Science: The addition of a science section on the ACT requires specific preparation.

Educators must review their existing curriculum to identify gaps and areas that need more emphasis to align with ACT requirements.

ACT Test Structure: What Each Section Covers

Understanding the structure and content of the ACT is crucial for educators as they prepare their students for this exam. 

Science Section

The Science section is unique to the ACT and often presents a challenge for schools transitioning from the SAT. 

• Format: 40 questions, 35 minutes
• Content: Covers Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Earth/Space Sciences
• Skills Assessed:
  • Interpretation of data
  • Scientific investigation
  • Evaluation of models, inferences, and experimental results

Educators should focus on developing students' ability to quickly analyze graphs, tables, and research summaries, as well as their understanding of the scientific method.

Math Section

The ACT Math section includes advanced topics not typically found on the SAT. 

• Format: 60 questions, 60 minutes
• Content: Pre-algebra, Elementary Algebra, Intermediate Algebra, Coordinate Geometry, Plane Geometry, and Trigonometry
• Key Differences from SAT:
  • Includes trigonometry (about 4-6 questions on average)
  • More geometry questions
  • Allows calculator use for all questions

Students can use calculators in the math section, so it’s a good idea to practice with calculators throughout the school year. (Be sure your math departments are familiar with the ACT’s calculator policy. And it may go without saying, but calculators are only allowed on the math portion of the ACT.)

English Section

The ACT English section focuses heavily on grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.

• Format: 75 questions, 45 minutes
• Content: Production of Writing, Knowledge of Language, Conventions of Standard English
• Skills Assessed:
  • Grammar and usage
  • Punctuation
  • Sentence structure
  • Rhetorical skills
  • Writing strategy

Educators should emphasize grammar rules, their application in context, and overall writing strategy and organization.

Reading Section

While similar to the SAT's reading section, the ACT Reading section has some distinct characteristics.

• Format: 40 questions, 35 minutes
• Content: Four passages covering Social Studies, Natural Sciences, Literary Narrative or Prose Fiction, and Humanities
• Key Differences from SAT:
  • No sentence completion questions
  • More straightforward questions that require faster reading and analysis
  • Includes paired passages

Teaching strategies should focus on improving students' reading speed and comprehension and their ability to locate and analyze specific information within a text quickly.

SAT to ACT: How to Adapt Your Curriculum and Instruction

As mentioned, transitioning from SAT to ACT preparation requires thoughtful curriculum adaptation and instructional adjustments. 

Here are some simple steps for how to accomplish just that: 

1. Conduct a Comprehensive Curriculum Audit:

   • Review your current SAT-aligned curriculum
   • Compare it with ACT requirements
   • Identify areas of overlap and gaps

2. Integrate ACT-style Questions into Regular Instruction:

• Science reasoning skills
• Advanced math topics, especially trigonometry
• Grammar and punctuation rules
• Ensure curriculum still meets state standards and college readiness goals

3. Assess Time Management Needs:

• Evaluate how current instruction addresses time management in students
• Identify areas where students can  improve speed and efficiency

Resource Your School with the Right ACT Preparation Tools & Technology

After you’ve done the heavy lifting of understanding where your curriculum and instruction need to shift to meet student needs, evaluating your technology stack and considering how you’ll deliver the ACT at the end of the year is essential. 

First and foremost, equipping your school with the right tools and technology is essential to ensure a smooth and effective transition to ACT preparation. 

The ACT recently allowed for its test to be proctored in a digital format in addition to paper and pencil. Whatever format your students will take the test in should be communicated to teachers and students early. Having ample opportunities to practice in the same format as the actual test is essential to lessening test anxiety.

Plenty of free resources are available for students and teachers to prepare with. The ACT offers practice tests online in each of its core subjects. While starting with these practice tests is essential, you can also take preparation to the next level with robust assessment content.

Consider investing in comprehensive, data-driven resources like Mastery View College Prep Assessments. These targeted assessments, designed to mirror the ACT, provide invaluable insights into student performance across key areas.

Assessment content can help schools:

• Access detailed data reports that pinpoint strengths and identify areas needing improvement. This information allows for customized teaching strategies tailored to each student’s unique needs, fostering a more personalized learning experience.
   
• Stay informed and adapt their instruction faster; scores and data reports are available within 72 hours.
   
• Glean more informed insights. With 41 data points, college prep assessments offer more than triple the number the ACT practice provides.
   
• Understand student achievement levels from minimum to advanced in Mastery View College Prep Diagnostic Reports.
   
• Allow students to keep their practice test documents because no questions are repeated on future assessments.

Additionally, ensure your teaching staff is well-equipped to leverage these tools effectively. Offer professional development opportunities focusing on integrating technology into ACT prep and encourage collaborative sessions where educators can share best practices and resources. Providing ongoing support and training will empower your teachers to make the most of the available technology, ultimately enhancing the quality of instruction.

By investing in the proper preparation tools and technology, your school can create an environment that supports continuous improvement and academic excellence. The right resources streamline the transition to ACT prep and contribute to a culture of data-driven decision-making and personalized learning, setting your students up for success in school, college, and beyond. 

Plan and Reflect on the ACT with Purpose

As all the factors above showcase, preparing students for the ACT takes time and intentionality, especially when transitioning from the SAT. 

We’ve covered a lot in this guide; here are the key takeaways to remember:

• Clear communication early and often is vital.
• The transition from SAT to ACT requires thoughtful curriculum adaptation and instructional adjustments.
• Understanding the structure and content of the ACT is crucial for effective preparation.
• Utilizing appropriate assessment strategies and resources can significantly impact student success.
• Analyzing and leveraging ACT score data is essential for continuous improvement.

As you navigate this transition, remember the shift to the ACT allows you to reassess and strengthen your overall college readiness program. Stay committed to ongoing professional development, collaboration with colleagues, and utilization of available resources.

Here at Instructure, we offer a range of solutions designed to support your assessment and college and career readiness initiatives, including ACT preparation. We strive to be a partner you can rely on.

Discover how we can partner with you to prepare your students for ACT success and more.