ACT to SAT Conversion Chart and Calculator – Convert Your Score

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When you’ve taken both the SAT and the ACT, how do you know which scores you should send to schools or scholarship programs? 400 to 1600, 1 to 36…it really can feel like comparing apples to oranges. After all, how many “SAT points” are one “ACT point”? But don’t let the different score scales throw you off! An ACT to SAT conversion (and an SAT to ACT conversion) is possible. In this post, we’ll take a look at how to compare your scores to find ACT/SAT equivalents.

To answer the ACT to SAT conversion question, we’ve created this ACT to SAT and SAT to ACT conversion tool!

(Still deciding which test to take? Remember that college admissions committees treat the SAT as equivalent to the ACT and vice-versa. Check out our ultimate guide to choosing the ACT or SAT for everything you need to know about comparing the two tests, including ACT vs SAT scores. Or try an ACT practice test or an SAT practice test and then come back to this post to see how your test scores compare!)

ACT to SAT Total Score Conversion

Curious about how boosting your score on one test would change the ACT to SAT score conversions? Take a look at how all ACT scores stack up to SAT scores with this ACT/SAT conversion chart! Hint: You can also type in your score into the search box to pull up the relevant line of converted ACT or SAT scores.

As of 2019, the College Board has noted: “The 2018 tables are now the only official concordance tables between the ACT and the SAT and should be used as the single source of reference when comparing scores on the two tests.” In other words, discard the old (2016) tables—this is what you should be looking at!

Check out how students have improved their scores using Magoosh SAT and Magoosh ACT and schedule your next SAT test date or ACT test date by clicking on these links to get your complete guides to choosing the right ones for you!

Previous ACT to SAT Scores Converter Table

Wondering how your ACT scores stack up to “old” (pre-2016) SAT scores on the 600-2400 scale? Take a look at the table for the old SAT to ACT conversion! (Note that this chart uses the SAT to ACT score conversion based on the current ACT concordance tables from 2018.)

Old SAT to ACT Score Comparison

SAT Concordance Tables

Wondering what your post-2016 scores “translate” to on the old scale? We have you covered! Here are the concordance tables for the old SAT to new SAT scores (composite).

New SAT Scores to Old SAT Scores (Composite)

What Next?

Now that you know what your scores mean in relationship to one another (including old SAT scores to ACT scores), you can plan for the future! First, determine what test you did better on with the above ACT to SAT comparisons. If you’re happy with your scores, it’s a great time to send either your ACT scores or SAT scores to colleges. You can also use those links to find how to check SAT scores and ACT scores and take a deeper look at the ACT compared to the SAT.

On the other hand, if you’re still looking to get your scores even higher, take a look at our tips for further standardized test prep: retaking the ACT or retaking the SAT. As you proceed, remember you can bookmark this page for SAT/ACT concordance information to check how your future SAT scores compared to ACT scores stack up!

Need more help?

With Magoosh ACT, you can choose between a live cohorted class with an instructor (which includes all our lessons and practice questions) or access to the self-study option by itself.

Author

Dr. Kristin Fracchia has over fifteen years of expertise in college and graduate school admissions and with a variety of standardized tests, including the ACT, SAT, GRE, GMAT, and LSAT, with several 99% scores. She had a PhD from the University of California, Irvine, an MA degree from The Catholic University, and BA degrees in Secondary Education and English Literature from the University of Maryland, College Park. She was the recipient of the 2013 Excellence in Teaching Award and the Chancellor’s Club Fellowship from the University of California, Irvine. She’s worked as a high school teacher and university professor, as an independent college and graduate school admissions counselor, and as an expert tutor for standardized tests, helping hundreds of students gain acceptance into premier national and international institutions. She now develops accessible and effective edtech products for Magoosh. Her free online content and YouTube videos providing test prep and college admissions advice have received over 6 million views in over 125 countries. Kristin is an advocate for improving access to education: you can check out her TEDx talk on the topic. Follow Kristin on LinkedIn! View all posts