Getting Started with the SAT and ACT in 2026

Here are some common questions about SAT/ACT preparation in 2026. If you have other questions or want more information about these topics, please reach out.

What’s new in 2026? What’s the same?

In many ways, the SAT/ACT world in 2026 is fairly similar to the way it was in 2025: admissions are very competitive, tests are more important because of high school grade inflation, and “test optional” policies make it difficult to decide whether scores are worth submitting. But there are some changes, and the big one is the “enhanced” ACT.

What’s new with the ACT?

The ACT underwent a big change in 2025. It’s now much shorter, it allows more time per question, and the Science section is now optional. While the test content is basically the same, having a shorter test makes the ACT more volatile than it used to be, meaning that students are getting scores that are very different from their practice scores, either higher or lower. That’s what happens when you have fewer questions.

·       For example, in the past, the ACT had 75 scored English questions, and now it has 40. With 75 questions, students typically got the scores they deserved. With 40 questions, they can get lucky, or unlucky.

·       Similarly, Math went from 60 scored questions to 41, and Reading went from 40 scored questions to 27. A shorter test means you’re more likely to get weird results. On a recent Reading test, 3 more correct answers could bring you from a 26 to a 32, which is a huge difference.

As a result, students should plan on taking the ACT more than once, unless the first score is spectacular. If the first score is pretty good, a second score could still be better, and if the first score is lower than expected, there’s a good chance to do much better on another day.

For more info on the ACT changes: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-changes/enhancements.html

If I’m taking the ACT, should I take Science?

Science is optional, but I recommend taking it unless you’re sure you won’t do well. Science usually isn’t that hard, and a good score can help compensate for weaknesses elsewhere. Also, if you’re more of a STEM student, it might look strange to avoid the Science section. We’re still not sure how different colleges will interpret the decision not to take the Science section, but you owe it to yourself to at least try it out and see if you’re likely to do well.

Are “test optional” policies likely to change? What does “test optional” really mean, anyway?

Some colleges have always been test optional, but test optional became the norm during the pandemic, when students often couldn’t take the tests. Since then, some very selective colleges have reinstituted test requirements, but most schools are likely to remain test optional because being test optional increases the number of applications they get.

If a college is test optional, you don’t have to submit any SAT or ACT scores, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t. In fact, strong scores may be your best chance at distinguishing yourself from other applicants with similar grades and APs. Also consider the potential effects of not submitting scores. Grade inflation is real, and colleges are discovering that people with great grades and no submitted scores are often not prepared for college work. These colleges may be looking more skeptically at applicants who don’t submit scores.

At minimum, you should investigate the tests and see if some effort there would help your applications. Taking a practice SAT and a practice ACT is a good first step.

Should I take the SAT or ACT?

First off, colleges don’t “prefer” one or the other. Everyone accepts both. The colleges just want to see high scores. Don't prepare for both at once. To choose the test that’s best for you, take a practice SAT and ACT. Consider your practice scores, your chances of improving, and how you felt during the test. Then make a decision and don’t change it unless you’re really convinced that the other test is better.

Generally, people who are better at math should look at the SAT first, because that's half math. But some of those math people get frustrated with the SAT's tough reading questions. The ACT is more time-pressured, but the questions tend to be less complex than SAT questions.

The ACT tests more math content and more grammar concepts, whereas the SAT is more focused on fewer topics. Usually, preparing for the SAT takes less time, but people can hit their ceiling more quickly on the SAT. With the ACT, it’s more likely that more work will lead to more points, but that could involve a lot of work.

What are you seeing now that the SAT is digital only?

Lately, SAT scores have been very unpredictable. Usually, people get about the score that they should, but there’s been more variance than there used to be, in both directions. Some people are getting scores much lower than they should, but some people are getting lucky and getting a score much higher than they should. For this reason, I advise SAT students to plan on taking the test more than once.

How do I take a practice SAT or ACT?

Make sure you take an official practice test. Don’t take a mock test from a test prep company. Instead, go to the official sites and you’ll be able to take a test and get the results right away.

https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/practice-preparation/practice-tests

https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation/free-act-test-prep.html

If you want access to more tests, please reach out and I’ll connect you to a cloud drive with lots of them.

When should I take the test?

The tests are available throughout the year, so pick a time when you’ll have enough time to study. Many people find that the summer before junior year is the best time to study, but if you’re past that time, don’t panic. Lots of people prepare for the tests during junior year or even senior year.

How long should it take to prepare?

People are different, and some need much more time than others. But usually, I try to get people ready in no more than three months. Still, sometimes people need to take the test more than once, and you want to leave room to do that if necessary.

How important is the PSAT?

Unless you do spectacularly well, the PSAT is just a practice test that helps you get ready for the SAT. If you do very well, you could be in line for a scholarship. The cutoff points vary by state and by year, but your scores need to be close to perfect to be in the running. There’s more detail at www.nationalmerit.org.

What scores are needed for the most selective colleges?

Google your target school’s name plus the phrase “25^th 75^th percentile SAT ACT.” This will tell you the typical scores of the people who got in. That doesn’t mean that if you have those scores, you’ll get in. But it gives you a sense of what it takes to be competitive.

How should I choose between preparation options such as test prep courses, software, and private tutoring?

All of these can be effective, but all have disadvantages as well.

Books, software, and online courses cost less, a lot less, and they can give a motivated student much of the same advice that a good class or a good tutor would. They also allow you to study at your own pace. But books aren’t tailored to your needs. They give the same experience to everyone. Software and online courses can be more customized, but not as much as a private tutoring session would be. Also, you have to be organized and motivated to make these options work. The book isn’t going to remind you to get things done.

Test prep courses give a lot of instructor time for the money, and they can be more customized if you ask questions and get involved. But they’re typically designed for a student who has average needs, and that may not be you. Also, busy students often have a hard time fitting a course into their schedule.

Private tutoring is usually the first choice if you can afford it. A private tutoring session is designed around your needs and can be scheduled when you want it. However, private tutoring is more expensive per hour than the other options.

How should I study for the SAT and ACT?

Everyone is different, but here’s some solid advice that applies to everyone:

1.       Set score goals: You don’t have to get everything right in order to achieve your goals. You may be able to simply guess on harder questions and focus your energy on the easier ones. Start off ambitious, but reasonable.

2.       Diagnose your problems. When you take practice questions, see what’s going wrong. Is it math or grammar content? Are you taking too much time? Making careless errors? To improve your score, you need to know what’s going wrong.

3.       Learn the patterns. Every SAT and ACT tests the same concepts in the same ways every time. If you learn how the questions work, you’ll have an advantage over people who don’t. Figure it out beforehand and there will be no surprises on test day.

4.       As you practice, focus on what each question has to teach you. Don’t beat yourself up when you make a mistake. Embrace it as a chance to learn something that will help you on the real thing.

5.       Use the structure of the test to help you. On the SAT and the ACT, the hardest math questions are at the end. So if you need to get those tough questions correct in order to get to your target score, you will need to move through the early ones quickly in order to have time for the killers.

6.       Practice guessing. There’s no wrong answer penalty on either test, so guessing never hurts you. Even on tough questions, you can gain points by eliminating choices and guessing. Get used to making educated guesses and learning what kinds of choices are usually wrong.

7.       A little can help a lot. If you’re scoring near the middle, as most people are, then just a few points can really improve your admissions chances. Going from a 17 to a 22 on the ACT jumps you almost 30 percentile points!

Best wishes on the SAT, ACT, and beyond!

About Ben Paris

Ben Paris is an elite tutor and test prep expert with over 30 years of experience. He is a former Curriculum Director for Kaplan Test Prep who has created industry-leading and award-winning test preparation courses. Ben has published essays in Inside Higher Ed, trained hundreds of teachers, written thousands of question explanations, and personally taught thousands of students how to succeed on standardized tests.