Need expert advice?
Feel like you need detailed guidance for further study options?
What is the SAT?
The abbreviation SAT stands for Scholastic Admission Test, which is an entrance test to assess the fundamental academic aptitude and skills of a student. The SAT is taken by those students who wish to pursue undergraduate courses in foreign nations, especially in the USA and Canada. Basically, it assesses the readiness and preparation of a student for university-level education.
When to take the SAT?
The SAT is conducted nationally in the months of March, May, June, August, October, November, and December. The perfect time to take the SAT depends upon your preparation. If you are confident that you will score well, then appear for the SAT between October and December of your 12th grade. Otherwise, you should sit for the SAT in 11th grade so that you can reappear for the test.
The structure of SAT
The SAT exam is an offline test scheduled for about 3 hours. A total of 154 objective questions are there in the SAT entrance exam. The SAT exam has three compulsory sections and one optional section.
-
Reading: This section comprises 52 objective questions on social and natural sciences, literature, history, etc.
-
Writing and Language: This section comprises 44 objective questions on grammar, editing, and vocabulary.
-
Mathematical Aptitude: It has a total of 58 objective questions, among which 20 questions have no calculator allowed, and for the remaining 38 questions, a calculator is allowed.
-
Essay (Optional section): This is a subjective essay question which you can opt for while filling out the application form. We recommend you check the college or university’s requirements before choosing this optional section.
The following are some tips to help you prepare for the SAT test:
-
Reading from online resources and books
Internat has a plethora of information that no book can give. There are several platforms which provide study materials for the SAT on the internet. Read from there, but your study shouldn’t be limited to those online study materials. You should purchase books from the market that are designated for SAT preparation and read them as well.
-
Developing a strong foundation in grammar and punctuation
As you know, 44 questions are solely about grammar and vocabulary. Thus, if you improve your grammatical skills, you can score well in this section without any stress. Grammar is something that we have all learned since first grade. If you put persistent effort into revising them, then this section will be the easiest one for you.
-
Learn tricks and hacks to solve math questions.
The mathematics section includes the highest number of questions, i.e., 58. So, you have to leave no stone unturned in maths and its concepts. Nowadays, there are several resources from which you can learn tricks and hacks for math questions. Shortcuts not only help in solving even the most tedious questions, but also help in increasing the speed of solving the test.
-
Attend at least 30 mock tests.
“Practice” is that word which is common in every test, whether it is academic or non-academic. The more practise you do, the more refined your skills and abilities will be. Even practise is that kind of mirror that will show you where you lag behind. It is recommended to appear in at least 30 mock tests before giving the SAT exam.
-
Always lend some time to proofreading what you have written.
The essay section is the only objective section where your writing and presentation skills will be tested. So, your sentence structure should be perfect according to subject verb agreement and other rules. Even after completing the essay, you should spare some minutes to proofread what you have written and rectify any errors (if any).
While preparing for the SAT, you might feel stressed and anxious, but your persistent efforts will yield a result that you will cherish forever.
