ACT
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FASTER PACE
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~215 questions in 2 hours 55 minutes
~Better for students who work quickly, guess confidently
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MATH
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~Only multiple-choice questions
~Calculator allowed on all questions
~Covers a wider range of content than the SAT, including advanced topics such as logarithms, graphs of trig functions, combinations and permutations
~Less opportunity for "careless" errors
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READING
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~Passages tend to be more engaging and easier to understand
~Fast-paced: students have about 50 seconds per question
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ENGLISH
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~Tests grammar, punctuation, diction, writing conventions, clarity and efficiency of expression
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SCIENCE
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~Tests the ability to understand experiments and interpret graphs and tables
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~Mostly a test of a student's ability to think logically in a scientific context, but does contain a few questions about a student's outside knowledge (such as about the pH scale or which planet is the biggest)
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SAT
(applies to the paper-and-pencil SAT, which will be in effect through the end of 2023)
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SLOWER PACE
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~154 questions in 3 hours
~Better for students who work more deliberately and carefully
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MATH
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~Has both multiple-choice and non-multiple-choice questions
~Has a calculator and a non-calculator section
~Covers a narrower range of content, with more emphasis on algebra
~Problems designed to "catch" students who don't read the problem carefully or tend to make careless errors
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READING
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~Passages tend to be more difficult and less engaging to the average student
~Includes a history passage that can be 100+ years old, which can be the most difficult for many students
~Slower-paced: students have about 75 seconds per question
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WRITING & LANGUAGE
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~Tests grammar, punctuation, diction, writing conventions, clarity and efficiency of expression
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SCIENCE
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~Does not contain a dedicated Science section, but will require the student to interpret charts and graphs on the science-themed passages in the Reading and Writing/Language sections