Hundreds of thousands of students register for the ACT and SAT every year, hoping to do well enough in one or both of them. They dream of snagging a place in one of the top universities and colleges of their choice. Yet, not many of them actually understand how one test score aligns with the other one. If this is about you, don’t worry; we’ve got your back.
Today, doing an ACT to SAT conversion is as simple as clicking a few buttons. But maybe you are one of those students with an analytical mind who likes to know why things work the way they do. In that case, keep reading as we will explore how the whole process actually works.
Why Would You Need ACT to SAT Conversion?
Most schools that require standardized testing for their college admissions processes will determine your eligibility using either the ACT or SAT scores. So, knowing how the ACT to SAT conversions work can help you figure out your chances in comparison to the requirements and other applicants. But maybe, like most students who take both tests, you just want to know which one you performed best in.
Still, even if you only take one of the two tests, you need to know how your scores match so you can determine your eligibility for admission. At the same time, students who decide to retake any of the tests may figure out which of the two to focus on.
Is There an SAT to ACT Conversion Tool?
Of course! A Google search will turn up tons of web pages and resources with free SAT to ACT conversion tools (and vice versa) or calculators. Most blogs that talk about how to secure college admissions will have at least one conversion table. You can use any of these free tools to convert your ACT test scores to SAT or the other way around.
Still, since most of those resources rely on the concordance study and conversion tool from the College Board, it’s best to start from there. Other resources might provide additional tips to help you understand the comparable scores or equivalent scores better.
6 Steps to ACT and SAT Conversion
The college application process can be tough. For people hoping to get into an elite computer science school or Ivy League college, knowing how you scored on the SAT or ACT is definitely a rite of passage. Now, let’s get to the main part, where you begin to make sense of the whole score conversion business.
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#1 Look Up the ACT to SAT and SAT to ACT Conversion Tables
The best and first resource you should check is the concordance table, the current one designed by the official ACT body. This is the basis the schools you apply to will use to judge your performance. You want to check if your scores will land somewhere in the 75th percentile or at least no lower than the 25th percentile. This is the range where most schools choose their admitted students. If you are looking at an Ivy League college, you already know that you need an outstanding academic and non-academic record to go with your ACT and SAT test scores.
Source: ACT.org
#2 Understand How to Interpret the Tables
Looking at the table, you can tell right away that while the SAT is capped at 1600, the ACT is scored out of 36. The two tables both show the conversions for SAT totals to ACT and on the right, you have table A2, which shows the value of ACT composite scores to SAT totals. Chances are that if you have high scores in one, you will likely do well in the other as well. For example,
- 33 ACT to SAT will be within the range of 1450-1480.
- 32 ACT to SAT will be equivalent to 1420-1440,
- 34 ACT to SAT will be somewhere between 1490- 1520
- 30 ACT to SAT score will land you smack in the range of 1360-1380
On the other hand, you may have noticed that conversion from the ACT scores to the SAT test scores will give you a ballpark figure or an approximate score, whereas the SAT to the ACT conversion chart will give you an exact or specific score. In either case, none of these tests is better than the other. The important thing is to ensure that you get excellent scores regardless of which one you decide to take.
#3 Decide on Your Next Step
Now, the next step you decide to take will depend on the reason why you need an ACT to SAT conversion chart in the first place. If your intention is to know which of the tests is ideal for you, then you probably want first to figure out if you are writing both or just one. Then, find study materials and practice tests to design an effective study strategy. Remember to take advantage of the numerous resources available for SAT and ACT preparation.
#4 Build Necessary Study Habits and Skills
Say you have taken tons of practice tests and read lots of books but still feel unprepared for the ACT; what do you do next? You probably need a private tutor or a study mentor who can both push you in the right direction and keep you accountable. Also, it is crucial to build time management skills as you need to be able to answer all the questions correctly within the allocated time.
#5 Pick Up as Many Relevant and Helpful Hacks as You Can
You probably know a few hacks for the standard exams, like answering the questions you know first and using flashcards to memorize important formulas. Still, there are many more, and some of them work best for specific sections of the test. For example, SAT writing redundancy question hacks will both save you precious time and improve your comprehension abilities.
#6 Maintain a Positive Attitude
Zig Ziglar once said that positive thinking will let you do everything better, and people across all walks of life can back that up. This is not just a motivational talk for athletes and high-power career people. If you know how to keep a positive mind about anything in life, you will be willing to put in consistent effort to succeed. Better yet, when you somehow come short, you won’t be ready to throw in the towel.
Instead, you will study harder and ask for help from others who are successful. These are life skills that will come in handy in college and other areas of life.
Conclusion
Understanding the SAT to ACT conversion can do more than satisfy your curiosity. It could be the thing that helps sharpen your focus for your upcoming tests and identify the right track to take. At the same time, your converted ACT score is only a measure of where your present performance level is and not an accurate prediction of your future performance. So, get right down to business, hit your books, and you could be in your dream college by the next admission time.
