Navigating standardized tests: A guide to the SAT and ACT for student-athletes

The SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) and ACT (American College Testing)  - collectively known as standardized tests - have been critical elements of the college admissions process for decades. Although the landscape of standardized testing has changed greatly, with many universities providing the choice for students to go “test optional” when applying, writing a test can enhance a student’s chance of getting into competitive universities. Top US colleges such as Harvard, UC Berkeley, and Stanford have provided the option to not submit an SAT or ACT score when applying, however, the majority of students who did apply to those universities submitted either an SAT or ACT score.

Differences between the SAT and ACT

While each test is important for college admissions, their structures do have some key differences. Starting in 2024, the SAT in the United States will shift from pencil-paper format to an onscreen-only. The length of the test has also been shortened from three hours to approximately two. The overall test day will also be shorter, with the student questionnaire being completed before test day and there no longer being a need to deal with physical test materials. The SAT test now includes two sections: reading/writing and math. Each section is divided into two modules, the second of which cannot be answered before completing the first. The questions that students are given in the second module depend on their performance in the first. The digital test will be taken on a laptop or tablet, using a digital application that is downloaded to the device in advance of test day. Despite all of these changes, the maximum SAT score will still remain at 1600, with all scores still being valued the same as on the former test format.

The ACT has been through its own overhaul. Science and writing are now optional add-ons, and neither one factors into your Composite score. The core test covers English (35 minutes, 50 questions), math (50 minutes, 45 questions) and reading (40 minutes, 36 questions), which works out to two hours and five minutes of testing. Adding science takes it to two hours and 45 minutes. Adding both science and writing takes it to three hours and 25 minutes. The maximum Composite score is still 36. Canadian athletes should check location before committing to the ACT. There are only eight ACT test centres in Canada, and none in Quebec or Atlantic Canada.

Should student-athletes write an SAT or ACT if they are applying for a school with test-optional standardized testing?

Start by separating two things that families often treat as one. NCAA eligibility and college admissions are separate gates. The NCAA permanently removed standardized test scores from Division I and Division II initial-eligibility requirements at its January 2023 Convention, effective from the 2023-24 academic year. Eligibility now runs on core-course GPA, a 2.3 across 16 core courses for D1 and a 2.2 for D2, with Division III setting its own standards school by school. No test score is required to be cleared to compete.

Admissions is a different matter. A school's admissions office can still require a score even though the NCAA does not, and several selective universities reinstated testing after the test-optional wave. Scores also drive academic scholarship money at plenty of schools that do not require them, which matters in track and field and cross country where athletic aid gets split across large rosters. An athlete can be NCAA-eligible and still miss a school's admissions bar.

According to Forbes, over 1,900 institutions (83 percent of four-year schools in the United States) moved to “ACT/SAT-optional, test-blind, or score-free admission procedures” in fall 2023. Nearly 1,800 schools have extended their policy through fall 2024. In short, due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on in-person standardized testing and issues of socioeconomic and racial disparity, the majority of schools have adopted test-optional policies and the bulk of those are set to continue with this approach, at least in the immediate future.

However, SAT/ACT-optional policies at institutions in a student-athlete’s recruitment pipeline does not mean that taking the SAT or ACT (and ideally scoring well) will not support your application. Institutions with test-optional policies still accept standardized test scores and a strong test score could be the difference between acceptance and rejection from the university. If you’re looking to be accepted into a school at which you’ll be competitive with other applicants, it is highly recommended to adequately prepare for and write either the SAT or ACT, even if it is not a “requirement.” Just like training or competition, the extra mile can go a long way.

If you’re seeking support with SAT or ACT test preparation, please submit your information in the form below and Streamline Athletes will put you in touch with our trusted partner for personalized student-athlete SAT and ACT test prep.

Test scores are one piece of a larger academic picture. For how test scores and grades factor into recruiting fit, from GPA cutoffs to academic scholarship money, read our full guide.

Which test should student-athletes take between the SAT and ACT?

It can be difficult to decide which standardized test to focus on or which test you’re more likely to test well on. The best way to determine that is to take practice tests of both exams to see what test structure and style of questions you feel more comfortable with.

It is possible to take both exams and submit both scores to universities, although there are no schools that require both SAT and ACT scores during the application. If one score is significantly stronger than the other - say a 35 on the ACT and a 1250 on the SAT - it might be best to only submit the stronger score.

These tests can prove tricky and it is important to gear your studying to the specific questions that will be asked of you.

Do you need help selecting the right standardized test for you? With Streamline Athletes’ trusted test prep partner, you’ll have access to industry leaders in SAT/ACT test prep, who can help you choose which exam is best suited for your learning style.