Help with understanding SAT to ACT score conversion

Hello guys. I've taken the SAT already and am considering the ACT as well. I found a few SAT to ACT score converters online, but they all seem to give slightly different results. Can anybody explain to me how this conversion works and which conversion charts are the most reliable?

You're right to notice that various converters might give slightly different results, and it's because SAT to ACT conversions aren't an exact science. The score ranges on both tests and each test's scoring method cause some variability. SAT scores range from 400 to 1600 while ACT scores fall between 1 and 36. Plus, the way each test structures and weights its subsections is different.

To get the most accurate conversion between your SAT and ACT scores, you should use the official concordance tables provided by the College Board and ACT, Inc. These organizations periodically give large groups of students both the SAT and ACT under similar conditions. They then use these results to determine what score on one test is equivalent to a certain score on the other test.

While looking at these concordance tables, you will notice that each SAT score maps to a range of ACT scores and vice versa. This is because the two tests don't measure the exact same skills and have slightly different emphases—SAT emphasizes reasoning while ACT focuses more on the breadth of high school curriculum knowledge.

Use these concordance tables for a general idea of how your SAT score would translate into an ACT score (or vice versa), but remember it is not a guarantee of how you'll perform on the other test. If you're thinking of switching tests, it would be a good idea to take a full-length officially sanctioned practice test to get a more accurate sense of your potential ACT score. This can help you decide which test you want to focus on for college admissions. Keep in mind that most colleges don't prefer one test over the other!

Good luck with your ACT prep if you go that route!