The CLT is a genuine, growing alternative to the SAT and ACT, accepted at hundreds of colleges -- but it's structured differently enough from both that it's worth understanding the real differences before choosing which test to prepare for.
Format and timing
The CLT has three sections -- Verbal Reasoning, Grammar/Writing, and Quantitative Reasoning -- 120 questions total in 120 minutes. The ACT's three required sections run 131 questions in 125 minutes. The digital SAT has two sections (Reading and Writing, and Math) across 98 questions in 2 hours 14 minutes. All three differ meaningfully in both total length and per-question pacing.
Related: What to Expect on the CLT: Format, Scoring, and How to Prepare
Reading passage content
This is where the CLT differs most distinctly. Its Verbal Reasoning passages frequently draw on classic literature, historical documents, and other public-domain texts. The SAT and ACT draw more heavily from contemporary sources across a range of genres, though both include some historical and literary passages as well. If you enjoy or are comfortable with older, more formal prose styles, the CLT's passage content may suit you better than the alternative.
Calculator policy
The CLT does not allow a calculator on its Quantitative Reasoning section, providing a formula sheet instead. The ACT allows a calculator (with some feature restrictions) for its entire Math section. The digital SAT provides a built-in calculator for every math question. This is a real, practical difference if mental arithmetic isn't your strongest skill.
Distinctive question formats
The CLT's Verbal Reasoning section includes analogy questions -- "word one is to word two, as word three is to a blank you fill in" -- at the end of every passage, a format neither the SAT nor the ACT uses. The ACT's optional Science section, testing data interpretation, has no equivalent on either the CLT or the SAT.
Scoring scales
The CLT is scored 0-120 (0-40 per section). The ACT is scored 1-36 (a composite average of section scores). The SAT is scored 400-1600. None of these scales convert directly to one another, so compare your performance against each test's own typical score ranges at your target schools, not by trying to convert one score to another informally.
Which one should you take?
All three are accepted at a wide range of colleges, though CLT acceptance, while growing quickly, is not yet as universal as the SAT or ACT -- confirm your specific target schools accept the CLT before committing to it as your primary test. Beyond that, the honest answer is that it depends on your own strengths: comfort with classic and historical prose, comfort doing math without a calculator, and your preferred pacing all point toward real, personal differences between the three tests, not one being objectively easier than the others.