Table of Contents
How to study for the SAT? Do you find yourself wondering this same thing?
SAT preparation might be difficult, but you can increase your chances of success by using the appropriate methods and techniques. The SAT evaluates your critical reading, writing, and math skills and is an essential part of the college admissions process. But you can ace this test and impress college admissions officers with your skills if you study hard and are committed to the process. Experts at AllAssignmenthelp compiled this guide to help you with your SAT preparation so you may feel confident taking the test and getting the scores you want. This guide will provide you with all the resources and insights you need to ace the SAT, whether you’re a first-time test taker or an experienced student trying to improve.
The SAT (Back Story)
The SAT is a standardized test widely conducted in the United States for college admissions every year. It was first administered by the College Board in 1926. Since then, its name has changed several times. It was initially known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, then the Scholastic Assessment Test, and later changed to SAT I: Reasoning Test, after SAT reasoning test and know it is now simply called the SAT. The test is solely owned, developed and published by the College Board. The College Board is a non-profit organization in the United States.
As you can understand the SAT is an entrance test that students seek to get admission in undergraduate schools. The primary aim of the SAT is to evaluate the student’s skills and ability to get college admission. Assessing students based on their SAT scores is easy. Admission faculty compare all the applicants based on SAT scores, high school GPA, extracurricular activities, interviews, and personal college application essays. The significance of the SAT score may vary from college to college.
How One Should Begin Preparing For The SAT?
Most of the students do not have the correct answer to the question, How to study for the SAT? I will decode it in this blog and let you know about various things related to this admission exam. Here is a list of ways to know how to study for the SAT:
Sign up to take the SAT
Visit the College Board website to register for the SAT if you haven’t already. Register with them by creating an account. You will have a choice of many dates and venues. Select a place that is as close to your home as possible, as you will need to make a drive there on test day!
You should make sure you allow yourself adequate time to get ready before the date. We would suggest selecting a date at least three months in advance, if at all feasible if you are completely new to the SAT. You are also able to work under pressure if you must meet application deadlines.
Know the SAT’s General Format and Structure
Become Familiar with the General Format and Structure of the SAT
The next thing you should do is familiarize yourself with the test’s general format. The SAT consists of 1600 total points, split into two sections: 800 points are awarded for the math portion and 800 points are awarded for the evidence-based reading and writing portion (which consists of two reading tests and one writing test). 400 points is the lowest possible score (200 points for each segment).
Section | Order | # of Questions | Time in Minutes |
Reading | 1 | 52 | 65 |
Writing and Language | 2 | 44 | 35 |
Math No Calculator | 3 | 20 | 25 |
Math Calculator | 4 | 38 | 55 |
Essay (optional) | 5 | 1 | 50 |
Total: | 154 (+1 essay prompt) | 3 hours (3 hours 50 mins with essay) |
Note: Most of the test (aside from the optional essay) is comprised of multiple-choice questions with four answer choices.
Read non-fiction as much as you can
To a great extent, the SAT exam is based on extensive reading. You will see five big paragraphs with dense information and vocabulary. When you start reading them, you will feel mental fatigue and your brain might run out of energy to focus. Most of the students find the reading part extremely tough. You have to prepare your brain for it. For that, you have to read lots of non-fiction texts for it. You might be wondering why I am stressing non-fiction texts. The reason is, that schools and colleges are too focused on fiction reading. Whereas, in the SAT exam, you will encounter non-fiction reading. Since you cannot develop this habit overnight, you have to start reading books and magazines as soon as possible.
Do math in your mind
There are two sections of Math in the SAT exam. One of the math sections doesn’t allow the use of the calculator. When you are sitting in the SAT test, you will not get much time to do calculations with a pen or pencil. Therefore, prepare your brain to have mental calculations. This will take a lot of time. You have to learn the art of mental calculations either on your own or take online tutorials from websites such as Khan Academy. If you get the perfection in the oral calculation, surely you will be saving precious minutes during the exam.
Study Up on Test-Taking Techniques
Understanding the most effective test-taking techniques is a crucial component of SAT preparation. This includes time management, guesswork when necessary, and the best ways to omit answers. It also offers additional section-specific advice.
Befriend yourself with grammar
Almost 70 per cent of the verbal section is based on grammar. Many students are having complete focus on the comprehension section but some try to get good marks through the grammar section. When I say grammar, I think most of you are afraid of it. But preparing for grammar is one of the simplest things you will encounter while finding the answer to the question, how to study for the SAT. Almost everyone will say to focus on grammar as well. So prepare your SAT score by improving your grammatical knowledge.
Get your SAT preparation materials
There are hundreds of websites that provide the study material for the SAT exams. Most of them are not providing quality study material. You will be hurt to know that most of these websites have material that ain’t have any use. Studying from untrusted sources will surely not going to help you in the SAT exam. So, now you might be thinking, How to study for the SAT if most of the websites have useless material? Below I am mentioning some of the Ebooks from which you can study for the exams.
- Kaplan SAT Subject Test Mathematics Level 1
- SAT 4000 words
- Guide to SAT Reading
- The Official SAT Study Guide
These are the books that are considered good for the SAT preparations. You can get them from Rakuten Kobo.
Get your hands on mock tests
The SAT is having four significant sections, namely Math, Reading, Writing, and Language. Most of the students while preparing for the test follow the wrong pattern. They specifically target the subject. For example, doing Math for four days, then switching to Reading and writing and so on. If you are also studying in this manner, stop this right now. There are a lot of studies that have shown that you should focus on all the sections together. Give an hour to Math, then an hour to Reading and writing and then equivalent time to language. This practice will mimic what you will perform on the day of the SAT. Moreover, your brain will also adapt to work in different areas altogether.
Don’t mug up things
Good things take time, you cannot clear this Test by just studying a week or a month before the SAT. When you cram things, it feels like having so much knowledge, but that fades away within a week. If you want a long-lasting memory of all the information, make adjustments in your study pattern. Go slowly and understand the concepts. Don’t just cram things, rather learn them wholeheartedly. You don’t need to study for 10 to 12 hours a day. Just sit for 3 to 4 hours but with complete focus. Take study breaks, and let the information sink into your brain.
Read Also: Time management strategies to know how to manage your study time.
Figure out your weak zones
No one on this planet has complete knowledge of everything. Everyone is born with some weaknesses. Similarly, every student has some weak areas. So, you need to figure out what are your weak points in the SAT. Work on your weak areas more and get better at them. Remember, no one can achieve perfection in a single night. Things will take time. Achieving perfection is a gradual process. Work on tough areas patiently. A week before the exams, you will see how things turn out in your favour. Continuous practice and hard work are the only ways to turn your weaknesses into strengths.
Work during inactive hours
Most of us go out with friends or with family members, sometimes we have to wait for someone. Don’t waste that time. Read books while travelling or waiting for someone. You might feel that this won’t help much. But, such efforts will surely make a big difference in the actual outcome.
Practice, Practice, and more Practice
SAT preparation is divided into two parts. Practice specifically on the skills you need to polish for the test is the first aspect. This can be achieved by practising particular question types, subjects, or areas that require further attention. When you answer a question incorrectly, be careful to thoroughly go over it to determine where you went wrong.
The following things you can do during your inactive hours.
- Review vocabulary on your laptop, phone or from a dictionary.
- Have a quick look at the chapters that you have already read in the past. Revise them.
- You can also practice mental math during your free time.
- Read articles that will help in developing reading habits.
These are the tips you can say or answers for how to study for the SAT. You can follow all of them or at your convenience. Remember, to get admission in your desired college you have to work hard for it. Things will not come to those who don’t want to come out of their comfort zone. If you want something, make an effort for it. To get more help with study material, you may also contact experts online. Here you will get the notes prepared by the expert writers.
Things You Should Know About The SAT
Below is the list of the things that you should know before preparing SAT:
- The SAT is a 3-hour paper-pencil test.
- It consists of four sections- Reading, Writing, Language, and Mathematics.
- There is one more section of the SAT exam which is of essay writing. It is an optional one, if you take this, then the exam would be 3 hours 50 minutes. Some colleges prefer to assess the students based on the essay test as well.
- The SAT score ranges from 400 to 1600 for the whole test.
- The official website for the SAT: collegeboard.org
- The SAT is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS).
- Mode of writing the exam: Paper and Pencil
- The number of SAT exam centers: 25000 globally.
- SAT helpline numbers: 866-756-7346 (Domestic), 212-713-7789(International)
- The SAT registration can be done by online or offline methods.
- SAT exam fee for SAT: $49.50 and for SAT(with essay): $64.50.
- There are no eligibility criteria for the SAT. Anyone who is above the age of 12 years can sit for the SAT.
- Students below the 8th grade don’t put a photo in the registration form.
Options for How to Prepare for the SAT
You have a lot of options at hand to help with your SAT preparation. All you have to do is select the option that best fits your needs.
Self-Prep
With the aid of study guides, internet databases, smartphone apps, and other tools, a lot of students prepare for the SAT mostly on their own.
Online program
An excellent online preparation course might be very beneficial. It will correctly identify your areas of strength and weakness and then offer exercises and lessons accordingly.
So you can enrol for online coursework and learn from the experts. Also, these experts can help you with your online classes such as online math class, online English class, and so on.
Students who want to get better grades and succeed in a variety of disciplines might benefit greatly from taking online courses and studying under professionals. You are not the only who is thinking like can someone take my online math class for me? Or other class. There are many. Access to a vast array of courses taught by professional teachers is made possible via online learning platforms, which let students customize their learning to their interests and schedules.
Online Tutor
A skilled tutor is incredibly helpful. They will assist you with creating a study schedule, pinpointing your areas of weakness, understanding difficult ideas, and formulating the best SAT strategy for you. Tutoring from a top-notch tutoring professional gives you a knowledgeable guide and eliminates the uncertainty of making a study plan.
Useful Applications and Tools
There are also many online and mobile applications and tools for learning and practicing SAT material.
For more help visit Allassignmenthelp.com
Allassignmenthelp.com is one of the leading assignment writing service providers in the US and Australia. We have been providing assistance to students in their respective subjects for the last 10 years. You can find information on any subject or topic from us. We provide all types of academic writing services. We get around 100 queries a day from students saying things like, Please take my online class for me. Therefore, if you are in an urgent need of academic help, never skip our name from your mind. Here you will find highly qualified professional writers who are always up for completing your academic assignment or to guide you in academics. Along with academic assignments we do provide some benefits to students. Have a look at them below.
- Massive deals on all types of academic writing work. We provide a discount and cashback of up to 40%.
- Quick help on any topic by professional writers. Our writers never miss any deadlines. Moreover, we even assist you with short deadlines.
- You can earn additional discounts as well by referring our services to your friends. On a successful referral, you will receive a discount coupon.
- Trusted academic help from professional writers. Our assignments will surely help you to get an A or A+ grade. We have Ph.D. writers to tackle all types of academic needs.
- Get plagiarism-free assignment help from us. Our writers do all the research and provide you 100% real assignments.
There are many more things to experience by availing our online assignment help service. For more details visit our main website. To order your assignment click the button below.
FAQs
Q. What makes the SAT significant? Along with other considerations like extracurricular activities and GPA, SAT scores are a common component of admissions criteria at many schools and universities. |
Q. When should I begin my SAT preparation? It is advised to begin SAT preparation many months ahead of the date of the test to give yourself enough time for in-depth review and practice. |
Q. What SAT score should I look for? The goal scores differ based on the entrance requirements and universities you are applying to. To establish reasonable objectives, find out the average SAT scores of students who were admitted to your desired colleges. |