The Ultimate Guide to the SAT

Article Type: Quick and Dirty

The SAT® is the preppy poster boy of standardized tests for college applications: clean cut, wholesome, but with that subtle mischievous smirk that makes ya melt. But seriously, the SAT is the test that freaks the most people out. A huge percent of that freak-out quotient comes from not knowing what to expect. 

Remember: fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering, and suffering sometimes leads to great art. But it also leads to the Dark Side. No need to turn into a cold-hearted Darth Vader toward this bad boy, because Shmoop's here to fill you in on the SAT.

The Skinny on the SAT:

1. What is it?
The SAT is a standardized test that exists to drive college-bound high school students insane...oh, and to test their problem-solving, real-world skills, and knowledge important for college and careers.

2. What's on it?
The test is divided into three sections:

• Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
  • Reading: 65 minutes for 52 questions
  • Writing and Language: 35 minutes for 44 questions
• Math: 80 minutes for 58 questions
• Optional Essay: 50 minutes for one essay

"Float like a butterfly, sting like someone who spent time on their SAT test prep."

(Source)

3. How often is it given?
The SAT is offered seven times a year in the United States and at least six times a year worldwide.

4. Where is it given?
You can take the SAT, you lucky bugger, you, at official testing centers, a.k.a. certain high schools, college campuses, or community centers.

5. When should you take it?
Never. Oh, wait, you want to go to college. In that case, give yourself enough leeway to take the test multiple times, in case you want to improve your score. (Note that there's no guarantee that taking the SAT over and over and over again will lift you up and over that 1550 you scored on attempt number one.) Most folks dip their toe in the SAT pool sometime near the beginning of their junior year.

6. How will schools look at your scores?
If you don't get a 1600, most colleges will burn your application on a funeral pyre. Others will take the highest section scores across test dates (a.k.a. superscore). Every school's different, so check with each Admissions department to find out.

Standardized tests can haunt your dreams and harrow your soul, so we're sorry to have to say this, but, if you're an international student, there's no exact answer to Question #6. In most cases, however, your standardized test scores are going to be super-duper important, because they allow colleges to compare you to your peers in a way your transcripts can't.

Everything You Need To Know About the SAT

Registration and Test Dates

The first step to taking the SAT is signing up for the SAT. Once you've committed to a test date, you'll be able to choose a study plan. This helpful guide answers some of those burning questions about registration, such as:

• When are the test dates and registration deadlines for 2018-2019? 
• How do I cancel my SAT test? Are there penalties for canceling?
• How do I apply for special accommodations for the SAT? Do I qualify?
• How much does it cost to take the SAT?
• How do I obtain a fee waiver for the SAT? Do I qualify for a fee waiver?

Exam Format and Structure

Maybe you're the adventurous type and you prefer not to know what's coming before you dive in, head first. Unless you want to end up on Fail Blog, we highly advise against going in blind. Here you'll learn about the setup of the exam, the skills tested by the exam, and what you should expect to see on each section of the SAT.

• What is the format on SAT?
• What does the SAT test on?
• What can I expect on the SAT Reading Test?
• What can I expect on the SAT Writing and Language Test?
• What can I expect on the SAT Math Test?
• What can I expect on the SAT Essay Test?
• How is the SAT scored?

What's a Good Score on the SAT?

The first step to reaching your goal score is to define that goal score. What's realistic for you? What's achievable? How well does everyone else do on the SAT? Having answers to these questions will help you define a target and attain the best score for you.

• What's the Average Score on the SAT?
• When will I receive my SAT Score?
• What does my percentile ranking on the SAT mean?
• Is this the only thing colleges look at?
• Are there any other reasons to take this test?
• What if the school I want to get into doesn't require that I take the SAT?

Preparing for the SAT

Maybe you're a senior googling anxiously the night before the exam; maybe you're a freshman planning ahead. Either way, we've got tips and schedules for you, wherever you are on the test prep journey. For students with one to three months left before the exam, we have suggested week-by-week schedules on how to use SAT test prep materials. For students looking for that last-minute cram session, we've got the most useful tips for game day strategy and preparation. 

• SAT Study Plan (90, 60, 30 days)
• Taking the SAT (Game Day)
• When do I need to show up for the SAT?
• What should I bring with me to the SAT?
• How do I prepare for test day?

SAT Tips and Strategies

Keep yourself sharp with some assorted freebie tips. We've got ideas for improvement for every type of student, from math whizzes looking to beef up their Reading and Writing score, to language-lovers fending off careless arithmetic errors. Here you'll also find in-depth guides to specific question types on the SAT.

• SAT DOs and DON'Ts
• How to Do Well on the SAT Writing Test
• Five Common Concerns of Math/Science People on the SAT Writing Test
• Five Tips and Tricks on the SAT Writing Test
• How to Do Well on the SAT Reading Test
• Common Concerns for Math/Science People on the SAT Reading Exam
• How to do well on the SAT Reading for a Math/Science Person
• Tips and Tricks for the SAT Reading Section
• How to do well on the SAT Math for a Language Arts Person
• Common Concerns of English/Language Arts People And Why You Shouldn't Worry
• Five Tips and Tricks for the SAT Math Section

The History of the SAT (or What You DON'T Need to Know About the SAT)

Once upon a time (or really, in the early 1900s) colleges had their own, unique entrance exams. In fact, candidates had to travel way out of their way to their college of choice to take these exams. However, because this was about as inefficient as three-hole punching one hundred sheets of paper one-paper-at-a-time, the College Board was formed, so that a uniform test could be created. The original test was based on the entrance exams for colleges that were part of the Ivy League.

Around the same time, IQ tests were becoming more popular. IQ tests basically gave people bragging rights about how smart they were even though said people didn't have to know anything to be considered smart. The SAT, which stands for the Scholastic Aptitude Test, was then born out of a combination of college entrance exams and tests that could identify student promise. The test was supposed to be able to predict how well a student would do in college based on aptitude, rather than assessing how well a student had done in school (on the basis of their past achievements). Think of the SAT as having crystal-ball like powers.

But is the test that we have today the same one that students were taking during the first administration of the SAT, in 1926? Nope: the SAT has undergone several makeovers since that time. Over time, the test has focused less and less on rote memorization of formulas and vocabulary, and it instead tests on the skills needed to succeed in college coursework. Significant changes were made to the SAT in 1995, then again in 2005. This super retro version of the SAT was scored out of 1600, with the average score hovering somewhere around 1000. (In fact, the 1995 version of the exam was created so that the mean would once again be 1000; it had previously started to dip to 900 or so before the College Board revamped it. The years 2005 to 2015 saw students taking what is now known as the "old SAT," which allowed students to reach a maximum score of 2400. In March 2016, the "new SAT" was released. This latest and greatest version of the SAT emphasizes the use of evidence to support arguments and math used in real-world contexts. It de-emphasizes obscure vocabulary and specific mathematic knowledge.

A Note on Standardized Testing

Standardized tests have come under scrutiny in recent decades because students who come from higher income families tend to do better on them. But, demographics aren't destiny. There are inexpensive ways to prepare for the test, such as through Shmoop's subscription test prep, which you can try for free for 24 hours. And for now, the SAT and the ACT are one of the clearest ways that colleges have to distinguish one candidate from another. Help admissions officers see how you can rise to the challenge. Once you've settled into the college of your choice, you can get ready to fight the man. But for now, it's time to hit the test prep books.

The Common Core

The new 2016 SAT was designed to better align with the curriculum standards of the common core. Here's a list of the ways that the SAT has changed to better reflect the common core standards.

• The test now requires that students cite "textual evidence" when considering key arguments and ideas. Learning to use evidence when interpreting a text is a major facet of the common core.
• The new test now includes a wide variety of source documents, just as the common core in English/language arts standards specifies that literacy in a wider range of fields (science, social studies, and other technical subjects) be emphasized (rather than just English language arts).
• Just as the math common core covers fewer topics, so too does the SAT aim for depth, rather than breadth.
• Since the common core emphasizes the use of diagrams and data to convey information, the SAT now includes data presented in a variety of forms throughout the exam.

Start preparing for the SAT with Shmoop!

SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

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