SAT and ACT score converters

Our converter is based on the official College Board data. The College Board released concordance tables to help college admission officers, students, parents and others compare New SAT, Old SAT and ACT scores.

The new SAT is scored out of 1600 after the adjustments made in 2016. The old SAT was scored out of 2400. If you took an old SAT, you can convert your score to the new SAT score using the SAT Score Converter.

Most students in the Class of 2016 will take the old SAT, and most colleges will convert new SAT scores to old SAT scores.

Most students in the Class of 2017 will take the new SAT, and most colleges will convert old SAT scores to new SAT scores.

SAT and ACT are standardized tests, designed to evaluate students’ level of knowledge and readiness for college. As high school grades and extracurricular activities may vary from school to school, standardized test is intended to generalize students’ knowledge assessment. The majority of U.S. colleges and universities require SAT or ACT to apply.

The ACT (American College Testing) is scored on a scale of 1–36. It consists of 4 major sections - English, Math, Reading, and Science. The writing section is optional and evaluates writing skills obtained in English classes. Writing doesn’t affect a composite score. You get 45 minutes to complete 75 questions in English section, 60 minutes for 60 questions in Math, 35 minutes for 40 questions in Reading and 35 minutes for 40 questions in Science. The questions are designed in the form of the multiple-choice tests.

ACT allows using a calculator for every part of the math section. The science section tests critical thinking skills. Math section covers a broader range of mathematical concepts and doesn’t provide any formulas at the beginning, unlike SAT does.

The SAT (originally called the Scholastic Aptitude Test) was originally designed not to correspond to high school curricula. But in 2016 it was revamped, and now it indicates how students learned the curricula and examines skills they are learning in high school that they are likely to encounter in college and beyond.

The Old SAT is scored out of 2400 points. It consists of 3 major sections: Critical Reading, Mathematics, and Writing. An essay is optional with 25 minutes given to write it. The composite score doesn’t include point gained for an essay. 70 minutes are allotted for 67 questions in Critical Reading, 60 minutes - for 49 questions in Writing, 70 minutes for 54 questions in Mathematics.

The new SAT has a 1600-points scale. It consists of the Evidence-based Reading and Writing section and Math section. The former includes Reading Test and Writing and Language Test. The total score is a combination of section scores. The essay is optional and is an analysis of a source. It doesn’t impact overall score and is reported separately. The math test focuses in depth on 3 fields of math: Problem Solving and Data Analysis, Heart of Algebra, and Passport to Advanced Math. The sections are broken down as follows: 52 questions and 65 allotted minutes - Reading Test, 44 questions and 35 minutes - Writing and Language, 58 questions and 80 minutes - Math, 1 question and 50 minutes - optional essay.

SAT and ACT differ in many ways. The pace of SAT gives you more time to think the questions through, in ACT you’ll have less time to ponder. ACT tests a wider range of mathematical concepts and has more questions on trigonometry and geometry. Ask yourself how confident are you in memorizing formulas: SAT gives math formulas at the beginning of the section, ACT doesn’t. Note, that SAT has a no calculator Math section. Do you have any science background? You’ll have to work with graphs and charts in the ACT’s Science section. In the Reading section, SAT has more information to work with and analyze, so you should be good at remembering details.

All in all the best way to figure out in which test you’ll perform better is to take full-length practice tests in both.