Upcoming SAT
March 15, 2023
To all juniors at Edsel Ford, the SATs are extremely important to your college applications. A higher score on the SAT could be what separates you between thousands of others in the application pool, and could potentially be your way to acceptance at your dream school. That’s why it’s necessary to do all that you can to achieve the highest score possible. Unfortunately, the SAT is right around the corner, and before you know it you’ll be knee deep in exasperatingly long, difficult questions. You have to start preparing now if you haven’t started already.
About the test: The SAT is split into four categories: Writing and Language (35 minutes), Reading (65 minutes), Math without calculator (25 minutes), and Math with calculator (55 minutes).
Studying Materials:
The amount of SAT materials you could use to study are plenty, and looking for one to help you can be overwhelming. To narrow it down for you:
- Khan Academy is one of the best tools to help you ace your SAT. They not only have practice tests and questions, but they also have many videos and articles on tips and strategies. They do deep dives into the format of the exam, make sure to take advantage of it!
- Practice Exams/Former Exams: There are many materials, like full practice tests, that you can print off the CollegeBoard website. These are possibly the greatest tool at your disposal because it is directly from the makers of the SAT, therefore contain the same style questions and tricks. Setting aside a couple hours to take these practice exams will get you used to the format of the exam, as well as help you look over your struggle areas and areas you need to pay more attention to. Another important aspect of the SAT to get used to is time management, because the clock will be ticking when you come to take your SAT.
- Prep Books: There are many strategies that you should learn to overcome the tricky questions that are written with the intention of straying you away from the right answer, and the key to learning these strategies exists in prep books as they go into a lot of detail about every possible aspect of the SAT. It is important to research which book is the best for you and your way of learning. I’ve attached a website that goes into detail about the best ones, and which one is best suited for you.
The total score of the SAT is the score of the Reading and Writing sections and the Math sections combined. The maximum score you could possibly get is 1600, with a Math and Reading/Writing section of 800. The lowest you can get is 400 in total.
Depending on the schools you apply to, a higher score might be needed to even be considered. You can look at the SAT requirements of the schools you are considering on CollegeBoard as well as their other requirements to make sure you are prepared.
Although the greatest tips are in the materials I listed, a few of the most important ones are:
- Memorize grammar rules: Grammar is heavily tested on in the SAT!
- Practice your reading by reading long and difficult passages: You will see similar passages on the test.
- Memorize important math formulas: Examples include the slope formula.
- Skip Questions you don’t know the answer to: This method is tried and true, as there is no use of spending too long on a question you have no idea how to answer.
- Annotate and markup questions: Time is pressing, and annotating questions might help you organize your thoughts easier and faster.
- Don’t leave any question unanswered: If you end up with questions you don’t know the answer to, guess! You might get it right instead of leaving it blank and wrong.
Here are some websites to read up on:
https://blog.collegevine.com/25-tips-and-tricks-for-the-sat/
https://blog.collegeboard.org/what-best-way-prepare-sat
https://4satprep.com/7-effective-sat-study-tips/
https://www.quadeducationgroup.com/blog/how-to-prepare-for-the-sat-complete-guide-for-2022
https://collegesofdistinction.com/advice/sat-and-act-study-tips/
Good luck!
