{"id":64700,"date":"2022-07-21T14:14:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-21T14:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prepmaven.com\/blog\/?p=64700"},"modified":"2026-10-10T09:16:02","modified_gmt":"2026-10-10T13:16:02","slug":"sat-act-score-conversion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prepmaven.com\/blog\/test-prep\/sat-act-score-conversion\/","title":{"rendered":"Converting SAT to ACT Scores (and vice versa)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Converting SAT to ACT Scores<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Bonus Material:<\/strong> Step-by-step plan for choosing between the SAT and ACT<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Want to know how to turn your SAT score<\/a> into an ACT score<\/a>? Or convert your ACT score into an SAT score?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, this is easy to do using the 2018 ACT\u00ae\/SAT\u00ae concordance tables<\/a>. These tables are the only official way to compare SAT and ACT scores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Comparing SAT and ACT scores is an essential part of test prep and college applications. You can use the concordance tables to determine which score is higher<\/strong>, and submit scores from only that test to college<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Download our \nstep-by-step guide<\/a><\/span>\n for how to try both the SAT and the ACT at home and make a test prep plan that plays to your strengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"SAT<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bonus Material:<\/strong> Step-by-step guide to decide whether you should take the SAT or ACT<\/mark><\/span> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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<\/a>Why SAT to ACT conversion is powerful<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These concordance tables are very powerful tools that allow students to see what an equivalent score would be on the other test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two big moments to use score conversion: when you’re making a test prep plan<\/strong>, and when you’re submitting your college application<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About half of the students in the US take the SAT, and about half of the students take the ACT. These days, colleges are accepting both tests equally for admissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Comparing<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Use SAT to ACT conversion for test prep planning<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The SAT and ACT are similar tests that are both designed to measure college-readiness, but they are different enough that many students score better on one test than on the other<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this reason, we often recommend that students try both tests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We know from admissions data that about 20% of students admitted to top-tier schools actually submitted great scores for both<\/em> the SAT and the ACT. This is not necessary <\/strong>and does not improve admissions chances<\/strong>, but it highlights how it has now become common practice for students to try both tests<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some students feel much more comfortable with one test than with the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We explore the differences between the ACT and the SAT in this post, and we can use those differences to predict which test will play to a given student\u2019s strengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Play<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes the results are surprising, though, so we recommend that students try both the SAT and the ACT, at least with a full timed practice test at home<\/a>. We also recommend that students try the other test if they reach a plateau in their score improvements. We regularly help students navigate these decisions in our one-on-one test prep tutoring<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use SAT to ACT conversion when you’re submitting college applications<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

When you’re sending in your college applications, submit only the test on which you scored more highly<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you scored exactly equally on both tests, then submit both. Otherwise, just send in the test for which your score is higher! There is nothing to be gained from sending in scores from both tests<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Submit<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, we\u2019ve worked with many students who have scored significantly better on one test or the other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, we\u2019ve seen a student with a 1230 SAT earn a 32 ACT \u2014 which is equivalent to a 1430 SAT. That\u2019s a 200-point difference! This student scored above average on the SAT<\/a> but very highly <\/em>on the ACT<\/a>. She should absolutely submit only<\/em> the ACT score to colleges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n