In Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, my SAT tutors often get asked the difference between these tests. The test makers offer free samples so you can take a trial test and judge for yourself. The ACT is shorter but you must work faster. There is no penalty for guessing. The SAT can prove better for kids who easily master testing strategies. Some college guidance officers now insist that their students take both tests TWICE before their senior year. That’s probably overkill considering everything else that’s important in a teenager’s life: grades, activities, social life and some iota of balance!