ACT Research & Policy
RESEARCH NOTE
OCTOBER 2009
The concordance tables are only applicable to SAT scores obtained after January 2005 and before March 2016.
ACT-SAT Concordance Tables In 2005, the College Board added a required
Both tables are based on scores from
Writing test to the SAT and ACT added an
students who took both tests between
optional Writing test to the ACT. Before
September 2004 (for the ACT) or March
2005, the ACT and the College Board had
2005 (for the SAT) and June 2006. Students
periodically produced concordance tables to
in the sample represent the first high school
assist admissions officers who wanted to
graduating cohort since the introduction of
understand how students of comparable
the SAT with Writing and the optional Writing
ability would score on the two college
section on the ACT. The sample includes
entrance examinations. Given the changes
students who completed both tests and were
to both respective tests, the College Board
matched across ACT and SAT files. While
and ACT are now providing updated
the ACT and the SAT are different tests,
concordance tables that are appropriate to
these two tables are provided to help the
the current versions of the two tests.
education community better understand how students of comparable ability will score on
Students who take the SAT receive three
the two tests.
separate test scores: Critical Reading, Writing and Mathematics. Students who take
Notes to Consider
the ACT receive a Composite ACT score
A research report describing the sample,
and four subscores (Reading, English, Math
methodology and results will be published by
and Science). Students who take the ACT
ACT and the College Board in the coming
Plus Writing receive the ACT Composite with
months. Additional information and updates
the corresponding four subscores (Reading,
will be made available on the websites of
English, Math and Science) and also receive
ACT (www.act.org) and College Board
a Writing subscore and a Combined
(www.collegeboard.org). The following notes
English/Writing subscore.
and cautions should be considered before
Two separate concordance tables have been developed: •
Table 1 provides a concordance between the ACT Composite Score and the sum of SAT Critical Reading and Mathematics scores for 300,437 students.
•
Table 2 provides a concordance between the ACT Combined English/Writing Score and the SAT Writing Score for 190,148 students who completed the ACT Plus Writing.
www.act.org/research-policy
using the tables. •
Because the SAT score scale has more score points than the ACT, a single ACT Composite score concords to a range of SAT scores. In each of the tables, a range of SAT scores is concorded to a single ACT score. For example, in Table 1, the SAT (Critical Reading plus Mathematics) scores of 980 to 1010 are all concorded to an ACT Composite score of 21. For those users who want to concord an ACT score to a single SAT
ACT Research & Policy ACT-SAT Concordance Tables
score point, the most appropriate SAT score point within the
•
•
Concordance tables are dependent upon the sample used
range is provided. In this example, an ACT Composite score
to establish the relationship between the two sets of scores.
of 21 is concorded to a single SAT score of 990.
The ACT-SAT tables are based on an entire cohort of
Many students do not take the ACT Plus Writing.
students who completed both tests, but this sample is not
Consequently, the sample used for Table 2 is more
representative of either all ACT or SAT test-takers. The
restricted than the sample for the other table. Students who
tables, therefore, may not be appropriate for use with scores
took the ACT Plus Writing appear to differ from the total
from students who take either ACT only or SAT only.
group of ACT test-takers in terms of ability and other
Overall, a student who receives a score on one test will not
relevant factors.
necessarily obtain the concorded score on the other test.
Table 1. Concordance between ACT Composite Score and Sum of SAT Critical Reading and Mathematics Scores
SAT CR+M (Score Range)
ACT Composite Score
SAT CR+M (Single Score)
1600 1540-1590 1490-1530 1440-1480 1400-1430 1360-1390 1330-1350 1290-1320 1250-1280 1210-1240 1170-1200 1130-1160 1090-1120 1050-1080 1020-1040 980-1010 940-970 900-930 860-890 820-850 770-810 720-760 670-710 620-660 560-610 510-550
36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11
1600 1560 1510 1460 1420 1380 1340 1300 1260 1220 1190 1150 1110 1070 1030 990 950 910 870 830 790 740 690 640 590 530
Table 2. Concordance between ACT Combined English/Writing Score and SAT Writing Score SAT Writing (Score Range)
ACT English/Writing Score
SAT Writing (Single Score)
800 800 770-790 730-760 710-720 690-700 660-680 640-650 620-630 610 590-600 570-580 550-560 530-540 510-520 480-500 470 450-460 430-440 410-420 390-400 380 360-370 340-350 320-330 300-310
36 35 34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11
800 800 770 740 720 690 670 650 630 610 590 570 550 530 510 490 470 450 430 420 400 380 360 340 330 310
Notes 1.
Derived using ACT sum.
2.
Tables are only applicable to SAT scores obtained after January 2005 and before March 2016.
