The SAT is a standardized test designed to show how prepared you are to enter college and measures key skills, such as reading comprehension, computational ability and clarity of expression. It is composed of two main sections: Reading and Writing and Math. Each section is broken down into two modules; the first module of each section is computer adaptive and determines the level of difficulty a student will see in the second module of a given section.The Reading and Writing section includes short reading passages and grammar questions. The Math covers topics from Algebra I through basic trigonometry, and a calculator is permitted on both Math modules. The maximum possible points on each section is 800, with a total maximum score on the SAT of 1600. Each student takes the test online on his/her own computer or on one borrowed from College Board, and the test takes a little over 2 hours.

ACT

The ACT (American College Testing) is also a standardized test and is an alternative to the SAT. It covers four academic skills: English, Mathematics, Reading and Scientific Reasoning, in addition to offering an optional Writing test. The four main sections of the ACT are scored individually on a scale of 1 to 36 and the final grade is the average of the four sections. The ACT is 3 and a half hours long. The optional essay test lasts 40 minutes, which increases the total test time to 4 hours and 10 minutes (not taking into account the intervals between sections).