SAT or ACT score better?

Parents Forum
#1

If presented a choice, when submitting a score is a 27 ACT or an 1870 (old) SAT better?

#2

Here’s some research you can do as easily as I do, and you will trust the conclusion more than if you just take the word of an anonymous web poster. Look up the ACT and determine what percentile it represents. Do the same for the old SAT (make sure it’s the correct SAT). Higher percentile is better.

Google is your friend. Use it to find the web site with the percentiles.

#3

PS. In case of a tie, send them both :slight_smile:

#4

For the SAT, you need to discount the writing score, and use just the math and English

#5

Google “ACT SAT conversion”. If the scores are similar you can send both.
Here are two – you can find many others easily.
http://blog.prepscholar.com/act-to-sat-conversion
http://www.studypoint.com/ed/sat-act-concordance/

Going forward you should always do basic research like a google search first.

#6

I think the answer could be more complicated. Is the 27 ACT made up of 27s in every section? Is the SAT an 800 in CR and a 400 in math?

#7

@mathmom, true enough. You could also look it up by gender or geography. IRL, they’re equivalent.

My bigger point was the old “teach a man to fish” thing.

#8