Who Decides What’s on the SAT® and ACT®?
Standardized college admissions tests like the SAT® and ACT® are thoughtfully developed by their respective creators—the College Board for the SAT® and ACT, Inc. for the ACT®. But these organizations don’t just choose questions at random. They use detailed processes involving collaboration with educators and academic experts to determine test content.
In short, test makers independently determine the content, guided by educational standards, research, and input from educators. Given the current scrutiny of these exams, it’s especially important to clarify that government agencies do not directly control test content.
Let's break down exactly how each test's content is developed and take a look at what external influences are involved.
How the College Board Decides SAT® Content
The College Board, a non-profit organization, owns and administers the SAT® Suite of tests (SAT®, PSAT/NMSQT® and PSAT™ 10, and PSAT™ 8/9).
Test Development: The College Board has a structured process for creating the SAT® content, beginning with establishing clear test specifications—essentially a detailed blueprint of the skills and knowledge required for college readiness. These specifications draw from extensive research on what students need to succeed in college, as well as from insights provided by both high school and college educators.
The College Board specifically notes that SAT® content development relies on "the best available evidence regarding college and career readiness requirements," including "input from postsecondary professionals" (college faculty). In simpler terms, professors and admission experts directly inform which skills and topics appear on the SAT®, ensuring it accurately reflects college-level expectations.
Content Creation: Once the specifications are set, professional test developers write SAT® questions accordingly. These potential questions undergo a rigorous review by committees composed of high school teachers and college instructors. Specifically, educators verify that each question:
Addresses essential skills and knowledge.
Is fair and accessible to all students.
Reflects what students learn in high-quality high school classrooms.
Practically speaking, this ensures SAT® questions align closely with typical high school curricula and avoid unfair bias. For instance, questions referencing obscure cultural idioms or unfamiliar regional contexts would be flagged and adjusted or removed.
Trial Run: Before appearing as scored items, SAT® questions undergo comprehensive pre-testing. New questions are included as unscored items on actual SAT® exams or in student focus groups. The College Board then analyzes responses to confirm fairness, clarity, and appropriate difficulty.
Each SAT® question goes through:
Accuracy and content review
Fairness and bias evaluation
Editorial clarity checks
Pre-testing with students
Statistical performance analysis
Even after appearing on scored exams, the College Board continues monitoring each question’s performance, revising or removing questions that do not meet quality standards.
Alignment with Educational Standards: SAT® content closely aligns with widely adopted high school standards, notably the Common Core State Standards. While the SAT® was not explicitly designed as a Common Core exam, its questions strongly correspond with common educational standards in areas like algebra, grammar, reading comprehension, and data analysis. Given that several states officially use the SAT®, the College Board ensures their test aligns effectively with individual state standards.
Although influenced by these external frameworks, the College Board retains independent control over final SAT® content decisions
How ACT, Inc. Decides ACT® Content
ACT, Inc., formerly a non-profit, now a for-profit organization, develops and administers the ACT®.
Test Development: Like the College Board, ACT, Inc. carefully designs the ACT® through research and educator collaboration, emphasizing a "curriculum-based" approach. ACT, Inc. explicitly highlights that the ACT® aligns closely with state educational standards, focusing on typical high school curricula. The ACT® evaluates English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science, plus an optional Writing essay—subjects most students encounter in standard high school courses.
Content Creation: To inform test development, ACT, Inc. regularly conducts the ACT National Curriculum Survey. Thousands of educators from middle school through college participate, identifying critical skills necessary for college readiness. This direct educator feedback shapes the ACT® content blueprint, ensuring questions reflect current teaching practices and college expectations.
Test Run: ACT, Inc.’s test developers write questions based on research-informed blueprints. Each ACT® question then undergoes:
Internal accuracy and clarity review
External review by experienced high school teachers nationwide
Fairness and bias evaluations
Pre-testing with student groups
Typically, 4–6 teachers from geographically diverse regions review each ACT® question. Their role is to confirm alignment with typical high school instruction and ensure fairness across diverse student backgrounds.
Alignment with Educational Standards: The ACT® closely aligns with common high school educational standards such as Common Core, emphasizing skills like algebra, geometry, grammar, reading comprehension, and scientific reasoning. As states update their educational standards to reflect college readiness expectations, ACT, Inc. adapts the ACT® accordingly.
For instance, ACT® math content includes algebra, geometry, and some trigonometry—topics consistently taught nationwide. Similarly, the reading passages, English grammar concepts, and science reasoning skills assessed align with typical classroom curricula.
Overall, the ACT®’s content is decided by ACT, Inc. with heavy reliance on school curriculum frameworks and educator feedback, to maintain alignment and relevance to what students learn day-to-day.
Do External Standards and Policies Influence the SAT® and ACT®?
Educational standards, educator feedback, and higher education expectations significantly shape SAT® and ACT® content. That said, it’s important to note that neither state nor federal agencies directly control what appears on these exams.
State Standards and Curricula: Both the College Board and ACT, Inc. ensure their tests align closely with widely adopted educational standards like Common Core. As educational standards evolve, these organizations adjust test content accordingly. For example, the SAT® introduced more real-world data analysis to reflect current math education priorities.
Educator and Expert Input: Feedback from high school teachers, curriculum specialists, college professors, and even students directly informs test content. Surveys and focus groups provide valuable feedback on essential skills, enabling developers to maintain tests that accurately reflect current classroom practices and educational priorities.
Higher Education Expectations: Since the purpose of the SAT® and ACT® is to gauge college readiness, the expectations of higher education institutions indirectly influence test content by defining skills necessary for incoming freshmen. Skills emphasized by colleges—like critical reading and data interpretation—influence exam design and content adjustments.
Federal and State Policies: While no federal agency dictates test content, federal laws like the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) indirectly shape exams. When states choose to use the SAT® or ACT® for official accountability testing, these exams must demonstrate alignment with state academic standards. This requirement incentivizes test developers to maintain close alignment with state curricula.
The Last Word
Ultimately, the College Board and ACT, Inc. independently determine the content of their tests. Yet, educational standards, educator expertise, higher education priorities, and policy requirements significantly influence these decisions. The resulting standardized tests reliably reflect essential skills and knowledge for college readiness, grounded firmly in real-world educational practices and expectations.
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