For the first time in decades, the SAT isn’t just competing with the ACT — it’s pulling away.
Among the high school graduating class of 2025, significantly more students took the SAT than the ACT. Nearly half of graduates (about 47%) sat for the SAT, while roughly 36% took the ACT. That’s a 45% gap in favor of the SAT, a sharp reversal from a decade ago when the ACT was the more popular option.
The shift didn’t happen by accident. In 2018, the SAT underwent a major redesign, and since then it has steadily gained ground. What was once a fairly balanced two-test ecosystem has tilted decisively in one direction.
The trend is even more pronounced here in Georgia.
In Georgia, the SAT is significantly more popular than the ACT. For the Class of 2024, roughly 52% to 56% of students took the SAT — translating to approximately 69,000 to more than 74,000 test-takers. By comparison, about 27% of Georgia students took the ACT. Georgia’s SAT participation rate is higher than the national average, and while many students take both exams, the SAT remains the primary test used for college admissions across the state.
This matters because, in Georgia, very few public universities are truly test-optional. Most institutions in the University System of Georgia either require test scores outright or strongly recommend them for admission, placement, or scholarship consideration. Even at schools that allow students to apply without scores, test results are often still used for course placement, honors eligibility, or merit-based aid. In practice, going “test-optional” can quietly limit a student’s opportunities once they’re admitted.
Meanwhile, the ACT has been trying to adapt — and as a test prep coach working directly with students every week, I can see those changes clearly. Many of the ACT’s recent updates are making it look and feel far more like the SAT than it did in the past.
On the digital ACT, students now have access to Desmos, the same graphing calculator used on the digital SAT. The reading section increasingly includes graphs and diagrams embedded within passages, another hallmark of the SAT. Passage lengths in the English and Reading sections have been shortened, reducing the endurance demands that once distinguished the ACT. The overall test has also been shortened, making it slightly shorter than the SAT.
In short, the ACT is shedding many of the features that once made it feel fundamentally different.
One major distinction remains: math. ACT math still requires a different skill set than SAT math. It moves faster, covers a broader range of topics, and rewards procedural fluency and quick execution. SAT math, by contrast, leans more heavily on reasoning, structure, and strategic use of tools. That difference still matters when students are choosing which test best fits them.
Test choice is especially important in Georgia because of the HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships. These state-funded programs can cover a substantial portion — or in the case of Zell Miller, all — of tuition at Georgia public colleges and universities. Eligibility is tied not only to GPA but also to SAT or ACT scores. A strong score can be the difference between partial aid and full tuition, and for many families, that difference is life-changing. In Georgia, standardized tests aren’t just about college admission; they are directly tied to affordability.
Behind the scenes, the ACT has also undergone major structural change. In 2024, the nonprofit organization that long administered the ACT sold its testing operations to Nexus Capital Management, a private equity firm, following more than $113 million in reported losses between 2019 and 2022.
That ownership shift raised concerns among educators and advocates. Critics warned that private equity’s primary obligation is to investors, not students or schools — a misalignment that could affect pricing, accessibility, and long-term commitment to the exam itself. Some experts have suggested that if the ACT fails to prove profitable, it could eventually be discontinued, leaving the SAT as the only national college entrance exam.
All of this is unfolding as colleges nationwide reverse course on test-optional policies. Princeton has announced plans to reinstate testing requirements, and Columbia is now the only Ivy League institution that remains test-optional. A majority of students submitting Common Applications now include test scores.
From my perspective as a test prep coach, the growing similarity between the SAT and ACT changes how students should think about test choice. The question is no longer “Which test is better?” but “Which test is more comfortable for this student?”
As the exams converge, individual fit matters more than market trends. Comfort with pacing, question style, math approach, and digital tools can meaningfully affect performance.
That’s why I encourage students to choose the test they prefer — or the one that aligns best with how their brain works — rather than chasing whichever test appears to be “winning.” With the right preparation, students can succeed on either exam. The goal isn’t picking the dominant test; it’s picking the right one.
And in Georgia, where test scores influence admission, placement, and tens of thousands of dollars in scholarship funding, that choice matters more than ever.