You're sitting there with a 31 on your ACT, wondering if that beats your buddy's 1400 SAT. It’s a classic high school standoff. But honestly, the answer isn't as straightforward as just looking at a single number. Colleges treat these tests like two different languages, and to understand them, they use a "translator" known as a concordance table.
Back in the day, the College Board and ACT, Inc. actually worked together to create these official "conversion" charts. They did a massive study, looking at students who took both tests, to see where the percentiles lined up. While the tests have changed—especially with the SAT going fully digital recently—the core logic remains the same. A 36 on the ACT is still the "Gold Standard," but you don't actually need a 1600 SAT to match it.
The math is a bit funky. Because the SAT is scored out of 1600 and the ACT out of 36, the increments don't line up perfectly. One point on the ACT is "worth" much more than one point on the SAT. This is why you'll often see a range of SAT scores mapped to a single ACT score.
How the Conversion Actually Works (And Why It's Not Perfect)
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of ACT scores equivalent to SAT scores.
If you're hitting the top of the charts, a 36 ACT is generally viewed as equivalent to a 1570-1600 SAT. That's a tiny window. But as you move down the scale, the gaps widen. For example, a 28 ACT—which is a very solid, competitive score—is usually seen as roughly equal to a 1300-1320 SAT.
Wait. Why the range?
It's because the tests measure different things. The ACT has a dedicated Science section; the SAT doesn't. The SAT gives you more time per question, but the questions can be a bit more "tricky" or abstract. The ACT is a frantic sprint where the challenge is often just finishing the section before the timer beeps. Because the underlying structures are different, a student might naturally perform better on one than the other.
Colleges know this.
🔗 Read more: Curtain Bangs on Fine Hair: Why Yours Probably Look Flat and How to Fix It
They use the 2018 ACT/SAT Concordance Tables as their primary reference. Even though it's been a few years, those tables remain the industry standard. Most admissions officers at schools like Vanderbilt or Georgia Tech aren't guessing. They have these charts built into their application review software. When they see your ACT score, the system automatically flags the SAT equivalent so they can compare you fairly against an applicant who took the other test.
Breaking Down the Mid-Range
For the "average" high-achieving student, the middle of the pack is where things get interesting. A 21 on the ACT is often cited as the national average. On the SAT, that equates to somewhere around a 1060 to 1090.
If you find yourself with a 24 ACT, you're looking at a 1160-1190 SAT equivalent.
If you’ve got a 33 ACT, you’re basically sitting on a 1450-1480 SAT.
It's worth noting that "equivalent" doesn't mean "identical." Some schools might have a slight, unstated preference based on their historic data, but 99% of the time, they truly do not care which one you send. They just want the higher "translated" value.
The Digital SAT Factor
Things got weird when the SAT went digital. The College Board insists that the scoring scale remains the same—a 1200 on paper is a 1200 on a laptop. However, many tutors and educational consultants, like those at PrepScholar or Kaplan, have noted that the "feel" of the test has shifted.
The Digital SAT (DSAT) is adaptive. If you do well on the first module, the second one gets harder. This has led to some debate about whether the old concordance tables for ACT scores equivalent to SAT scores are still 100% accurate. For now, the 2018 data is still what the Ivy Leagues and state schools use. They haven't released a "New Digital SAT vs. ACT" chart because, frankly, the statistical data is still being gathered.
The Section-Level Comparison
You can't just look at the total score. Sometimes the "sub-scores" tell a better story.
💡 You might also like: Bates Nut Farm Woods Valley Road Valley Center CA: Why Everyone Still Goes After 100 Years
- SAT Math vs. ACT Math: SAT math is 50% of your total score. ACT math is only 25%. If you’re a math whiz, a high SAT score might actually look more impressive to an engineering program than an equivalent ACT score.
- The Reading/Writing Split: The SAT combines these into one "Evidence-Based Reading and Writing" score. The ACT keeps them separate.
If you’re a "STEM person" who struggles with grammar, you might find that your SAT math score carries more weight than your ACT math score, even if the "concordance" says they are the same. This is the nuance people miss.
Which Test Should You Send?
This is the million-dollar question. If you’ve taken both, and your ACT scores equivalent to SAT scores are basically a wash, look at the percentiles.
Every year, the ACT and SAT release "percentile ranks." This tells you what percentage of students you beat. Sometimes, a 30 ACT might put you in the 93rd percentile, while its "equivalent" 1370 SAT might only be the 91st percentile for that specific year. In that case, send the 30.
Also, look at the specific college's "Common Data Set." This is a public document every university releases. It shows the mid-50% range of scores for their admitted students.
- Example: If a school's 75th percentile ACT is a 32, and their 75th percentile SAT is a 1450.
- If you have a 32 ACT (which "equals" a 1430 SAT), you are actually hitting their top-tier ACT mark better than you would be with the SAT equivalent.
It's a game of inches.
Misconceptions About Concordance
People think these tables are a law of nature. They aren't. They are statistical approximations.
One big myth is that the SAT is for "smart" people and the ACT is for "hardworking" people. That’s nonsense. Another myth is that Western schools prefer the ACT while Ivy Leagues prefer the SAT. Also false. Every single accredited four-year college in the U.S. accepts both.
📖 Related: Why T. Pepin’s Hospitality Centre Still Dominates the Tampa Event Scene
The real difference is the Science section. If the thought of interpreting graphs under a time crunch makes you sweat, the ACT might lower your composite score. In that case, your "equivalent" SAT score would likely be much higher because the SAT hides its science questions inside the Reading and Math sections rather than giving them their own spotlight.
Actionable Steps for Students and Parents
Don't just stare at a conversion chart and hope for the best.
First, take a full-length practice test of both. Do it under timed conditions. You can find free official ones on the Bluebook app (for SAT) or the ACT website. Once you have those two raw scores, use the official concordance table to see which one is higher.
Second, check your "superscore." Many colleges will take your best sections from different dates and mash them together to create a new, higher total. However, some schools superscore the ACT but not the SAT, or vice versa. If your ACT superscore is significantly better than your SAT superscore, the choice is made for you.
Third, focus on the "Point of Diminishing Returns." If your ACT score is already equivalent to a 1550 SAT, don't waste your summer trying to get a 36. At that level, the admissions officer is looking at your essays and extracurriculars. A two-point jump on the ACT isn't going to change your life as much as a killer personal statement will.
Finally, keep an eye on the "Test-Optional" movement. While some schools like MIT and Dartmouth have brought back testing requirements, many others haven't. If your scores are consistently below the 25th percentile of your target school's "equivalent" range, you might be better off not submitting them at all.
Basically, use the concordance as a roadmap, not a destination. It tells you where you stand, but your specific strengths—whether it’s speed-reading or complex problem solving—should dictate which path you actually take.
Next Steps for Score Optimization:
- Download the 2018 Official Concordance Table to keep as a reference on your phone.
- Identify your "Strong" test by comparing your percentile ranks rather than just the raw numbers.
- Research the Common Data Set for your top three colleges to see if they lean slightly higher on one test's "equivalent" range than the other.
- Verify the superscoring policy for every school on your list before deciding which scores to send via the official portals.