The Digital SAT was rolled out for all test-takers in March 2024, and the ACT is launching a new version of their test throughout the next year (DIGITAL ONLY for the April, June, and July 2025 tests, and then DIGITAL AND PAPER starting September 2025). Big changes are happening in college entrance exams, which means the factors to consider when choosing SAT versus ACT are also changing.
But Higher Scores has got you covered! We’ve gathered all of the critical details for you to make the most informed pros and cons list going into 2025:
Digital SAT Essentials –
- Exclusively digital starting March 9, 2024
- Have to bring your own device
- One question per passage
- More than 1 minute per question and overall a shorter test
- Two math sections with mostly algebra – math is half of the overall score
- Two combined reading and grammar sections, with poetry analysis
- The adaptive model gives some students more complex tests than others depending on their performance in the first half (more on this below!)
ACT Essentials –
- Choose between the digital and paper versions of the test – the digital platform is not as user friendly as the SAT but it has more accessibility features (more on this below!)
- A device is provided for the Digital ACT
- Multiple questions per passage
- About 1 minute per question on most sections
- One math section with equal algebra and geometry – English is two-thirds of the overall score
- The new version of the ACT has an optional “science” section that requires very little science knowledge (more like a second reading section with graphs); students can use this to generate a STEM score combined with math to show to colleges.
- The new ACT will remain the same when it comes to scoring – the test is still not adaptive, so questions will be worth more, but they will all be worth the same within a given section. Students can choose which questions to answer based on confidence, not difficulty.
You might prefer the SAT if you like –
- Exclusively digital experience and tools, including flagging questions to review at the end and highlighting text
- Smaller reading sections
- Using a familiar device
- Less geometry, more algebra
- Math over reading or grammar
- Shorter overall testing time
You might prefer the ACT if you like –
- Writing out problems, taking notes, and underlining passages (paper version)
- More accessibility features
- More control and flexibility over score performance
- Longer passages for more context on how to answer questions
- Reading and grammar over math
- More detailed score reports
How does the Digital SAT Adaptive Test Work?
College Board uses an algorithm that generates a unique combination of questions for each student. The system then applies a calculation method that gives a slightly different “weight” or value to each question depending on its difficulty to compensate for the test variation among students.
There are two rounds of each subject (math and language arts), and depending on each student’s performance in the first round, they are given an easier or harder version in the second round. Each student receives a slightly different version of the test, even if they all receive the “easy” or “hard” versions, which helps prevent cheating and allows for more flexibility in pacing.
The goal of this is to allow lower-performing students to get more questions correct and thus get a higher score than they might have with harder questions. So far, we have seen a flatter distribution of scores, meaning more students are scoring very high and very low, unlike previous test versions, where most students scored somewhere in the middle.
Students should utilize all of their time on the first round of each section to increase accuracy if they want to ensure they get the harder version of the test in the second round.
How is the Digital ACT different?
The Digital ACT is not a complete redesign of the content of the test in the way that the Digital SAT is. The concepts covered and the order of subjects are the same, as is the amount of time per section and per question. Students will find the Digital ACT very familiar, but with a few added digital tools that can help English learners, students with disabilities, or students who prefer a customizable digital platform to make the test accessible for everyone.
Many of the features in the Digital ACT are similar to those in the Digital SAT, with several additions that accommodate a wider variety of needs; however, the overall user experience is still clunkier than the Digital SAT.
Same as the SAT:
- Marking an item for review
- Highlighting Text
- Annotations
- Indication of time remaining
- Online calculator
Unique to the ACT:
- Magnification
- Different background or color contrast options
- Line reader, too (similar to a straight edge used in paper testing)
- Answer-masking or custom masking to prevent distractions
What Next?
As these tests continue to adapt, we will adapt with them, so we have rebranded our entire course catalogue to best prepare students for the current world of test prep. Explore our SAT and ACT course options to get started!
In the meantime, if you are still unsure about what to do next – how to prepare college lists or application timelines or whether or not to submit scores to “test-optional” schools? – set an (in-person or virtual) consultation appointment with one of our expert college counselors at March Consulting today!
