Standardized Tests Explained: SAT, ACT, GRE and GMAT

Standardized tests are the part of admissions that students tend to worry about most, because they feel like a single number that follows you around. In reality, each test is a defined set of skills, with a known format and scoring. If you understand what the test measures and how it is built, preparation becomes concrete.

This guide explains the four tests most often used for college and graduate admission in the United States and many other countries: the SAT, ACT, GRE and GMAT. Formats and policies change, so we checked the details at the official test providers on the date shown above, and we leave out fees and test dates, which change often.

What standardized tests are for

Admissions tests give schools a common measure of skills across applicants from many different schools and grading systems. Colleges and programs use them in different ways: some set a minimum, some use them as one factor among many and some do not require them at all. The weight a test carries depends on the school, so always check each program's current policy.

The SAT

The SAT is used for undergraduate admission in the United States. The current version is taken on a computer and is adaptive.

• Sections: Reading and Writing, and Math.
• Timing: 64 minutes for Reading and Writing and 70 minutes for Math, about 2 hours 14 minutes of testing time, with a 10-minute break between sections.
• Questions: 54 in Reading and Writing and 44 in Math, 98 in total.
• Adaptive design: each section has two modules. How you do on the first module affects the difficulty of the second.
• Scoring: a total score from 400 to 1600, made from two section scores of 200 to 800.
• Format notes: you can move between questions within a module and mark questions to return to.

The Reading and Writing questions are short passages with one question each, covering reading comprehension, grammar and expression. Math covers algebra, advanced math, problem solving and data analysis, and geometry and trigonometry.

The ACT

The ACT is the other main US undergraduate admissions test. It was shortened and made more flexible in recent years.

• Tests: English, Math, Reading, and an optional Science test.
• Questions and time: English has 50 questions in 35 minutes, Math 45 questions in 50 minutes and Reading 36 questions in 40 minutes. Science, if you take it, is 40 questions in 40 minutes.
• Scoring: each test is scored from 1 to 36. In the current version, the Composite score is the average of English, Math and Reading, and Science is reported separately and combined with Math into a STEM score.
• Writing: an optional essay is available separately.

The ACT and the older format differ in length and number of questions, so make sure any practice material matches the version you will take.

SAT or ACT?

Both are accepted by US colleges that consider test scores, and neither is generally preferred. They differ in style:

• the ACT has a Science test option, while the SAT has no separate science section;
• the SAT adapts to your performance, while the ACT does not;
• the pacing is different: the ACT gives less time per question in some sections.

A practical approach is to take a full practice test of each under timed conditions and see which feels better and gives a higher score. Then commit to one and prepare for it.

The GRE General Test

The GRE is used for admission to graduate programs and some business schools, in the US and elsewhere. It was shortened in September 2023.

• Analytical Writing: one 30-minute "Analyze an Issue" task, always first.
• Verbal Reasoning: two sections, one with 12 questions in 18 minutes and one with 15 questions in 23 minutes.
• Quantitative Reasoning: two sections, one with 12 questions in 21 minutes and one with 15 questions in 26 minutes.
• Total time: about 1 hour 58 minutes. An unscored research section may appear, and it would always be last.
• Adaptive design: the second Verbal and Quantitative sections are adapted to your performance on the first.
• Scoring: Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning are each scored 130 to 170, and Analytical Writing 0 to 6 in half-point steps.

Older study guides may describe the longer test, which ran for about three hours and 45 minutes, so check the date of any material you use.

The GMAT

The GMAT is used mainly for business school admission. The current version is the Focus Edition, also called the 11th Edition.

• Sections: Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and Data Insights, each 45 minutes.
• Questions: 21 in Quantitative Reasoning, 23 in Verbal Reasoning and 20 in Data Insights, 64 in total.
• Total time: about 2 hours 15 minutes, with one optional break.
• Content: Verbal includes reading comprehension and critical reasoning. Data Insights includes data sufficiency, multi-source reasoning, table analysis, graphics interpretation and two-part analysis, with an on-screen calculator available in that section.
• Scoring: total score from 205 to 805, with section scores from 60 to 90. The three sections are weighted equally. Scores are valid for five years.

Our guide to GRE vs GMAT compares the two for graduate applicants.

How scores are used

Schools may treat your scores as a threshold, as one input among many or not at all. For graduate programs, quantitative sections often matter more for technical fields, and verbal and writing scores more for humanities. Look at each program's published ranges, and remember that a strong application is more than a number.

How to prepare

Start with a diagnostic

Take a full practice test early, under real conditions, using official materials where possible. This shows your baseline and your weakest areas.

Build a schedule

Plan weeks, not days. A typical plan runs for 8 to 12 weeks with regular sessions, mixing content review and practice questions. Spread practice across days, in line with the evidence on spaced learning. Our guide to spaced repetition explains how.

Practice with the real format

Because several of these tests are adaptive and on screen, practice on a computer using the official practice tools. Learn the interface, and practice with the actual timing.

Review every mistake

After each practice set, find the reason for each error: content, misreading, strategy or time. Keep an error log and revisit it. This is the main way scores improve.

Build stamina

Take at least a few full-length tests, especially for longer exams. Practice sitting for the whole duration, with the same breaks.

Learn the question types

Each test has recurring question types. Learning how they work, and the approach for each, gives a measurable gain. Official guides and practice materials are the best source.

Test day

Plan the logistics: the time, the location or the online setup, the identification you need and what you can bring. Sleep well, eat sensibly and arrive early. During the test, keep to your time plan, and move on from questions that are taking too long. Our guide to what to do on exam day lists the details.

Retaking

You can often retake a test. Whether it is worthwhile depends on your gap to your target score, your preparation and the program's policy on multiple scores. Do not retake without changing your preparation, since the same approach tends to produce a similar score.

Accommodations

If you have a disability or health condition, you can apply for testing accommodations, such as extra time or breaks, through the test provider. The process takes time and needs documentation, so start early.

Common mistakes

1. Starting too late.
2. Practicing with outdated materials, from a previous format.
3. Only doing untimed questions.
4. Ignoring error review.
5. Switching resources constantly.
6. Not checking the program's actual requirements.

The bottom line

Each test has a defined format and set of skills. Know the current format, take a diagnostic, practice with official materials under real conditions, review every mistake and check what your target programs require. A steady, structured plan over a couple of months beats last-minute cramming.