Parents and students are often confused about when to take the SAT. Although there are no hard and fast rules about when to take the SAT, academic experts opine that preparation for the exam should start as early as possible. A majority of students first take the test in the spring of their junior year and then retake it in the fall of their senior year. This article will help you determine the right time to take the test

Here are some facts about the SAT that you should know before you decide when to take it:

• The SAT is required for undergraduate admission in countries such as the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Germany, and Singapore.
• In general, it is administered seven times a year in March, May, June, August, October, November, and December.

Selecting the right test date for SAT exam:

When choosing a test date for the SAT exam, there are a few key factors to consider. One of the most important factors is your academic schedule. If you are taking challenging classes or participating in extracurricular activities, you want to make sure you have enough time to prepare for the SAT exam.

Another factor to consider is how early you want to apply to college. In general, colleges announce admissions decisions around mid-December, so if you take the SAT exam in November, your score won't be available until December. There are also some colleges that offer rolling admissions and others that have specific deadlines, so you should consider that as well.

You can figure out what test date works best for you by setting up a study plan. Once you have a plan in place, you can work backward and select a test date that gives you enough time to study and feel confident going into the exam.

Experts always recommend taking the SAT early to prevent time waste and to ensure seamless career advancement. In addition, there is a lot of confusion regarding which test to take: the SAT or the ACT. Again, it will depend on the university the student is aiming for and their individual career goals.

What is the maximum number of times I can take the SAT?

The College Board has not imposed any limit on the number of attempts one can appear for the SAT. This does not mean the student can appear as often as they like, as it may cause a negative impression on their college application. For effective results, the experts recommend taking the SAT no more than 1-3 times. The main reason for this number of attempts is- not every student may be able to ace the SAT on their first try. A maximum of three attempts would be necessary to understand the strategies, plan practice tests, and understand the tricks to ace the exam.

When should you take the SAT?

There are several factors to consider when deciding when to take the SAT. The most important factor is probably your own readiness. You want to make sure you give yourself enough time to prepare for the exam, but you don't want to wait too long and risk forgetting what you've learned.

Consider these five factors when choosing the best time to take the SAT:

1. Making a decision about the date and location: Know your schedule and how much time you have to prepare, cover the syllabus, and take practice tests. You need to make sure you choose a date that works for you and doesn't conflict with other important things in your life. Avoid taking the SAT the week your school's finals are taking place, for instance.
   SAT tests are administered in several centers across India, though not all centers conduct the test on the same dates, and the number of seats depends on the location. Some SAT test centres in India fill up quickly, so you need to register early if you want to get your first choice of dates.
2. SAT practice tests are essential to acing the exam, and the more you do them, the more confident you will become for the final examination. Take the time to determine your skill set and ask yourself questions such as:

• What are my strongest and weakest subjects? Is there a strategy I can use to become stronger at them?
• Where can I find a mentor who can provide me with the best guidance to improve these areas?
• What is the best way to plan my time to maximize my practice test time? What can I do to improve my overall score by evaluating myself better?

3. Managing Time for Exam Prep: Every competitive exam requires time management skills. Determine how much time you can devote to mastering a subject and completing each test section. Plan strategies to get better at handling time and answering questions - accurately and quickly.
4. Make sure you keep track of the college deadlines: Passing the SAT is just the beginning of your academic career. A student who scores high on the SAT will need to prepare a good profile, decide which colleges to attend, and get counseling guidance for better admissions. It is therefore important to keep track of the individual college deadlines and plan your exam dates accordingly.
5. The possibility of retaking the test: To achieve the best scores, you should consider taking the test at least twice. SAT retakes are common in August, October, and November prior to college application deadlines.

Conclusion

The best time to take the SAT examination is when you are feeling confident and prepared. Make sure to give yourself enough time to study so that you can feel comfortable with the material. Whenever planning a test date, take all the above factors into consideration as well as your preparation time. Taking practice tests can also help you gauge how well you will do on the actual exam. Trust your gut and choose a date that works best for you!

SAT exam structure comprises of two major sections – Evidence-based Reading and Writing (EBRW) section and Math and an optional essay section. Both these sections, EBRW and Math, are scored on a range of 200-800.  Even though it is optional, the SAT essay score is required by a number of colleges and universities during the SAT application process. The SAT Essay section score ranges from 2 to 8. 

• Both the sections of EBRW questions are of multiple-choice questions
• Maths section is divided into two sets of questions – one is to be attempted without using a calculator and one to be done with the help of a calculator
• Most of the Mathematics questions are MCQs; some questions are grid-ins wherein students must solve and fill in the answers on the bubble sheet
• The exam duration is of 3 hours. If attempting SAT with Essay then the duration is of 3 hours and 50 minutes.
• There is a time limit of 100 minutes to attempt EBRW section and 80 minutes for Maths section.

SAT Exam Pattern Highlights

The below table provides knowledge about the SAT exam structure. Candidates will get to know about the duration, number of questions, score range, and many more things.

SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

The SAT examination structure of SAT EBRW part consists of reading and writing sections. 

SAT Reading Test

• There are 52 multiple choice questions in the 5 passages that the student needs to be attempted in 65 minutes
• One literary passage from the American or International work of fiction such as short stories or novels
• One passage or a pair of passages from the US founding documents or Great Global Conversation on topics like human dignity, freedom, and justice
• A selection of passages on sociology, economics, psychology, etc.
• Two passages are from the work of science
• The students are required to read the passage and answer the question in the form of a story or by making an argument or explaining a study or experiment

Types of Questions

The SAT EBRW questions are divided into five major categories:

Command and evidence: A total of 10 SAT reading questions that comprises command of evidence questions. These questions test the interpretation of data presented in the form of graphics, analysis of evidence, understanding the author’s use of evidence, and also producing a link between text and graphics.

Information and Ideas - This type of question focuses on searching for direct or implied information, finding passages that describe the information, analyzing main themes, identification of summarization, and also analyzing links between ideas.

Rhetoric - Questions asking about the meaning, style, or tone are conveyed by the author. The word choice questions are more focused on the effect than the definition. The text structure questions can be solved with structural strategies such as problem-solution techniques, cause and effect.

Synthesis - Questions asking to draw conclusions and make connections between two passages or between passages and informational graphs like tables, charts, and graphs, accompany some passages

Words in context – In the SAT exam question pattern, words in context question focuses on the advanced vocabulary. According to College Board, majorly the focus should be on ‘high-utility academic words and phrases.

SAT Writing and Language Test

• SAT language and writing test consists of 44 multiple choice questions in the 4 passages that should be attempted in 35 minutes
• Requires students to revise and edit the passages accordingly
• Topics covered are social science, career, science, history, and humanities
• The passage writing modes are narrative, argumentative, and informative or explanatory
• At least one passage on each of the above writing modes is given in the question paper

Types of Questions

SAT questions of writing and language are as follows:

Expression of Idea – This focuses on the improvement of the structure, organization, and how the idea is being articulated in the passage as well as the overall effectiveness of language. The organization is a part of the expression of ideas. Here the candidates will be asked to place a particular part of the passage in the correct place. This requires picking up clues from the given passage. The development questions focus on strengthening the passage by addition or elimination of information. Last but not the least, effective language use focuses on a correct, accurate, and concise text. 

Standard English Conventions - The SAT writing and language test focuses on the use of Standard English conventions like word choice, agreement, and conjugation. The second point is a sentence structure which focus on the identification of dependent and independent clauses, usage of transitions, and conjunctions.

SAT Mathematics

• SAT Maths comprises of two sub-parts - maths with calculator and maths without a calculator
• 58 questions are to be attempted in 80 minutes
• 80% of questions are multiple-choice while 20% are grid ins
• Maths with calculator has 30 multiple choice questions and 8 grid-in questions to solve
• Grid in questions require students to write the derived answers in the grids as provided in the bubble sheet
• Math without calculator has 15 multiple choice questions and 5 grid-in questions to solve
• A set of references and formula are provided at the beginning of the SAT test
• The questions are framed in real-life settings on topics from science, social science, and career contexts.

Math No-Calculator Section:

• The applicant is not allowed to use a calculator in the 25 minutes duration section that has 20 questions.
• Out of these 20 questions, 15 are multiple-choice questions and 5 are the Grid In questions.
• This section contains questions from all the four main areas except the data analysis and problem-solving.

Math with Calculator Section:

• Here, the student is allowed to use a calculator to answer the 38 questions in the given duration of 55 minutes.
• Of the 38 questions, 30 questions are multiple-choice and the remaining 8 are again the Grid-in questions.
• The student has to bring a calculator; scientific calculators and some graphing calculators are also allowed to solve this section; whereas a calculator in the mobile is not permitted.
• Though a calculator is allowed, not all the questions in this section require a calculator to solve them.

Type of Questions

The Maths sections of SAT exam paper pattern comprises of questions categories into three different areas of maths:

• Heart of Algebra - create, manipulate and solve algebraic equations like linear equations and systems
• Problem Solving and Data Analysis - interpret tables and graphs and solve problems in real-world situations using proportional reasoning, ratios, and percentages 
• Passport to Advanced Maths - Work on, manipulate and solve complex mathematical function and equations

Majorly comprised of questions from the above topics, the sections also have questions from the additional topics in maths which includes –

• Volume and Area
• Coordinate Geometry
• Basic Trigonometry

SAT Essay

• The essay is optional but is required by most of the colleges and universities to get a deeper insight into a student’s personality and his/her thought process
• You must pay charges additional to the basic SAT registration fee to take the Essay section
• Students are required to write an essay on the given topic based on a passage within 50 minutes
• Students must consider and explain how the author evidence, styling, and reasoning elements to make the passage convincing in their essays
• Three separate scores on a range of 2-8 is given
• The essay sections help students assess their skills in –
  • Reading - how well a student could comprehend the passage
  • Analysis - how well a student analyzed the author’s argument in the passage
  • Writing - how well a student could structure his/her response

Types of Questions

The passage for essay in every SAT varies, however, all the passage consists of the following points:

• The questions are written for a broad audience
• Argue a point
• Express subtle views on complex subjects
• Use evidence and logical reasoning to support claims
• Examine debates, ideas, or trends in the arts and sciences, cultural, civic, or political life
• Always taken from published works

How to Get the Maximum Score in SAT?

In the coming year, the SAT exams aim to go digital, and the exam duration also seeks to reduce by two hours instead of three. SAT is a widely accepted entrance exam that determines international students for undergraduate admissions. The SAT exam scores ranges from a minimum of 400 to the highest SAT score of 1600. To enroll in the top universities worldwide, having the highest SAT score  matters. 

But the main question is to know what is the maximum score in SAT exam? This blog will help you know the tips on how to attain the highest SAT score possible. Here we have covered all the necessary details related to the SAT maximum marks to help prepare you in a better way. 

What is the Highest SAT Score?

The maximum score in the SAT exam is 1600. The minimum score is 400 and 1600 is considered as the perfect score. To achieve 1600, students should achieve 800 in both the sections, Maths and Evidence-based reading and writing. 

Pre-scholars have claimed that only 8% of students are able to achieve the highest SAT score, that ranges from 1400-1600.

Below is the table of the maximum SAT scores:

Tips To Achieve Highest SAT Score Ever

To simplify the admission process, we have listed the top 5 tips that can help you achieve the highest SAT score:

1. Focus on Perfection

If you wish to score 1600 in the SAT exam, you need to aim for perfection. For example, in the reading section, you are allowed to miss one or two questions, whereas in writing, only one question can be missed. But in the Maths section of the SAT exam, you need to get all your answers correct. The best way to achieve perfection in the SAT score is to be thorough with all the questions that could be possibly asked by practicing more sample papers. One should prepare for the SAT exam rigorously to excel in every question that passes your attention. The agenda here is to constantly work on your mistakes so that you avoid making the same mistake the next time you attempt. 

2.  Motivation

Another way to achieve a high SAT score of 1600 is via motivation. Constantly studying can leave you away from your attention span. Therefore, it is essential to understand the true purpose of conducting this action. It is better to list the real reasons why you wish to achieve a high SAT score. Such as to get accepted into your dream university, etc. Thus, you can always regain your purpose whenever you feel lost by reading the list. 

3. Use Authentic SAT Prep Material

Numerous SAT preparatory material is available in the market. But for a candidate to excel in the SAT exam, you require the best SAT study material for preparation. This is available in your college. One must refer to the sample practice papers that are available and include the same in your exam preparations. Apart from this, if possible, try to communicate with the previous highest SAT score holders to get better insights that you can use during your learning experience. 

4. Focus on Quality Studying

Now that you have all the study material, it is important to understand that by just completing books or turning pages you are not going to achieve the highest desired score. Hence, you need to focus on quality learning. One must focus more in grasping knowledge rather than by just studying multiple books. The better knowledge you have of concepts it becomes easier to solve and get perfect solutions. 

5. Learn from Your Mistakes

Last but not the least, with every SAT practice test, do focus on the mistakes that you make. Write them down and work on so that you do not make the same mistake again. Many times, it happens that students tend to remember the solution better that they witnessed from their mistakes. This is the pattern of reaching perfection is all about. Achieving a score of 1600 isn’t easy, but it isn’t that difficult as well.

Attaining the highest SAT score will help you be accepted into your desired university easily. The purpose of a SAT exam is to help universities understand the students in a better way and then provide you with an opportunity to exhibit your knowledge and determination to pursue the best academics. Now that you’re aware of the maximum SAT score, it’s time to register for the SAT exam. 

In a wider term if we see, the SAT assesses the students' Writing, Reading, and Maths skills. However, if you've started studying for the SAT exam, you will actually get to know that there's a lot more to it than just these three above-mentioned skills. Certain concepts and types of questions come up again and again, and prepare what’s on the test is important if you want to give your best.

Skills that you Need to Master to Succeed in the SAT Exam

• Eliminate the 3 Wrong Answers

The most important rule to remember for the SAT exam is that there is only one correct answer for each question, and you should be able to eliminate all the others. This means that your number one strategy on the test is the process of elimination. If you are struggling with a question, then try to find out the reasons to rule out most of the answers rather than reasons why certain options could work. One must learn to be careful about which answers to eliminate from the given options. This especially applies to the Reading and Writing part of the SAT exam. All incorrect choices are incorrect for good reasons, and it is your job to find those reasons until you narrow your answers down to one correct possibility.

• If Both the Answers are Grammatically Correct, then Pick the More Concise One

One of the skills in the SAT Writing tests is shortness, or use as few words as necessary to convey the meaning clearly. Being able to answer brief questions correctly not only requires knowledge of the grammatically correct choice, but of the best correct choice. This might be daunting, especially if you're not a native English speaker, so we recommend that if both the answers are grammatically correct, choose the one which is most concise.

• Always Understand Your Mistakes

This is vital if you want to see a few dramatic improvements. If you take out the time to understand each mistake you make while practicing questions in the SAT practice test papers, why you made it, and what you will do to avoid it in the future, you will be guaranteed with a good score in the SAT exam.

Mistakes that usually fall into one of the four categories:

#1: Content weakness
#2: Time pressure
#3: Question comprehension issue
#4: Careless error

• Reading

Finding evidence: Some questions in the Reading part of the SAT exam will ask you to find evidence to support your answers to another question. One trick is to approach these set of questions together, looking at the options before choosing an answer to the previous question. It's a great way to save time and improve your accuracy in the SAT exam. By handling the questions in this way, you can avoid getting tricked by the answer choices that look appealing but are not supported by the lines of evidence.

Identifying the author's purpose: Study the tone and theme of the passage. Ask yourself two questions. First, what is the author trying to say with this information? and secondly, what would the passage lose if this word, line, or paragraph were removed?

• Writing

Connecting the clauses: Knowing which punctuation marks to use between clauses is one of the most frequent concepts you will encounter in the SAT exam. After identifying the dependent and independent clauses within a sentence, make sure you know the rules for using semicolons, periods, colons, dashes, and commas between the clauses.

Transitioning between the ideas: Read the whole sentence, both before and after the underlined portion. Then, ask yourself how the two ideas relate (contrast, support, cause & effect, or sequence). Pick the most concise answer choice that connects the ideas accordingly.

• Maths

Solving systems of equations: Linear equations appear frequently in the SAT exam. One must know how to use the substitution technique or the elimination method—whichever you’re more comfortable with—to find the solution to a system of linear equations.

Converting units: Watch out for problems that refer to as one unit in the question asked and another unit in the given answer choices. Master the proportion chain to convert the measurements into different units. Once you’ve written down all the important information and set up the correct ratio, the rest will be the simple arithmetic.

Memorize the Formulas: Although the SAT maths section does provide you with a list of formulas, you’ll lose time and momentum by constantly turning back to reference them. It is always a best technique to have all the formulas memorized beforehand. 

Since ages the USA tops the list in study abroad destinations. When students plan to study overseas, the apparent decision of most of the Indian students would be to study in the USA. Whether you are planning to pursue your MS or under graduation, the USA is the first and foremost choice of Indian students. This is because the education system in America is flexible, versatile and offers innumerable courses to Indian students.

Dreaming of studying in the US is one thing, but fulfilling that dream requires proper planning and strategy. If you are also planning to study in the US, below is the complete guide that can help you win a seat in your desired US college.

• Start with Exploration:

The first step in your pursuit of studying abroad is shortlisting the colleges or universities and courses that you are planning to study. You need to research the program that you want to study and also research which colleges in the USA have your preferred courses. You should select a few colleges that you want to apply. Also, research about the course requirements, admission deadline, admission criteria, and other similar things.

Note: As shortlisting the college and program is a time-consuming and daunting process, it is better to start the interaction or the counselling one year ahead of the time.

• Test Preparation:

To study in the US universities, you need to clear standardized tests. The tests include IELTS/TOEFL/GRE/GMAT/SAT – you can take the test based on the program requirement; like if you are planning to go for MS in the US universities, you must embrace GRE. These tests evaluate your performance based on skills and score you achieve. All the colleges and universities in the USA value these scores while shortlisting any student for the admission. Thus, it is better to prepare and score well on these tests.

Note: The GMAT/GRE scores are valid for 5 years, whereas the TOEFL/IELTS scores are valid for 3 years.

• Application Process:

Once you have shortlisted your program and college and have your test scores in hand, next step is the application process. Here you need to begin preparing your application documents – SOPs, LORs, Essays & Expositions. As these documents help the admission committee to evaluate your profile and character, it is important to spend quality time on these documents to ensure that these help you stand apart from the rest.

Note: Your application documents must highlight your personality and how keen you are to take the program of choice.

• Post Application Process:

Between November and April is the time when you will begin hearing back from your preferred colleges. One should be quick in giving responses to the colleges or universities. Several colleges in the US undertake online interviews through video conferencing. The interviews are conducted to know more about your personality and how perfect a fit you are for the college.

Note: If you get an admit from more than one college, consider the cut-off time when imparting to the college about your choice.

• Financials & Student Visa:

As you have now received your acknowledgment letter, it is the time to sort your finances. Check for the suitable scholarships to study in the USA and then apply. One can also finance their education in the USA with the help of an education loan. There are several national & international banks that offer education loans to study abroad. Along with the finances, another important thing is to apply for a student visa. Check the student visa requirements & update your documents.

Note: Give mock visa interviews to increase your chances of getting a student visa.

• Pre-Departure:

If you think that with all the documents in place & a student visa in hand, you are all set to fly to the USA for studying, then you are so wrong – there is much more left! Whether you are an Indian student or not, you would need to sort your accommodation, bank accounts, insurance, and similar to avoid trouble in the foreign country.

Note: It is better to sort all your important things like accommodation, insurance, etc., before you depart to study in the USA.

We hope this Study in the USA Guide for Indian Students has been helpful to you. However, if this guide was not able to answer any of your queries related to studying in the USA, reach out to our consultant and we will help in the best possible way.

SAT is accepted by numerous countries all over the world such as the US, Canada, UK, Australia, Singapore, and Germany. With the help of the SAT score students can apply to study undergraduate courses in more than 800 universities all over the world.

Below are some of the most popular universities that accept SAT scores in the US, UK, Australia, Germany, Canada, and Singapore to study the undergraduate programs. Many colleges and universities have now become SAT test-optional. This means that the student must be aware about the SAT score that is acceptable by their desired college or university.

Countries accept the SAT scores which are not older than 5 years and the minimum SAT score requirement is different for different institutions. SAT is reliable, secured, and also follows the same test pattern no matter where the student takes the test.

List of Universities in the US Accepting the SAT Score

1.       Florida State University

2.       University of Georgia

3.       University of Florida

4.       Georgia Institute of Technology

5.       University of Central Florida

6.       Massachusetts Institute of Technology

7.       University of South Florida

8.       Georgetown University

List of Universities in the US Accepting the SAT Test-Optional

1.       Arizona State University

2.       Yale University

3.       University of Miami

4.       University of Pennsylvania

5.       The University of Texas at Austin

6.       Michigan State University

7.       Stanford University

8.       San Diego State University

9.       Ohio State University

10.   University of Washington

11.   University of Chicago

12.   University of Arizona

13.   Harvard University

14.   DePaul University

15.   Texas State University

List of Universities in the UK Accepting the SAT Score

1.       Aston University

2.       Abertay University

3.       Bangor University

4.       Bath Spa University Newton Park

5.       Brunel University London

6.       Cardiff University

7.       Cardiff Metropolitan University

8.       Durham University

9.       Edinburgh Napier University

10.   Heriot Watt University

11.   Imperial College of London

12.   Keele University

13.   Kingston University London

14.   Lancaster University

15.   Leeds Beckett University

16.   Liverpool John Moores University

17.   University of Salford

18.   The University of Derby

19.   Ulster University

20.   University of Nottingham

21.   Manchester Metropolitan University

List of Universities in Canada Accepting the SAT Score

1.       University of Manitoba

2.       Selkirk College

3.       McGill University

4.       OCAD University

5.       Douglas College

6.       Acadia University

7.       Alberta College of Art and Design

8.       Algoma University

9.       Capilano University

10.   Grant MacEwan University

11.   Carleton University

12.   North Island College

13.   Lakehead University

14.   University of Lethbridge

List of Universities in Australia Accepting the SAT Score

1.       University of South Australia

2.       University of Queensland

3.       Swinburne University Technology

4.       Monash University

5.       James Cook University

6.       University of Sydney

7.       University of Western Australia

8.       Australian National University

9.       Griffth University

10.   Macquarie University Sydney

11.   Deakin University

12.   Queensland University of Technology

List of Universities in Singapore Accepting the SAT Score

1.       Nanyang Technological University

2.       Singapore Polytechnic

3.       Digipen Institute of Technology

4.       Singapore Management University

5.       Yale-NUS College

6.       Singapore University of Technology and Design

7.       Nanyang Technical University

8.       Curtin Singapore

List of Universities in Germany Accepting the SAT Score

1.       Cologne Institute of Technology

2.       Lancaster University Leipzig

3.       Carl Benz School Mechanical Engineering College KIT

4.       Whu-Otto Beisheim School of Management

5.       Frankfurt School of Finance and Management GMBH

6.       EBS University

Now that you have done your SAT exam and other formalities. Here are a few steps on how you can apply in any of the above-mentioned universities in your desired country.

·       Decide your list of universities

·       Fill up the Common Application Form

·       Fill up the application form to other universities

·       Check your grade transcripts

·       Register and give the IELTS or TOEFL exam

·       Prepare your Letter of Recommendations (LORs)

·       Draft the Statement of Purpose (SOP)

·       Draft a Resume

·       Arrange the Bank Statement of your parents or guardian’s account

Hello SAT aspirants!!

Getting ready to take your SAT exam? A higher SAT score means you get the advantage of scholarships, good colleges, and definitely a lot of confidence.

Preparation for the SAT exam can be a daunting process for many of the students. With a huge increase in the number of students preparing for the SAT test every year, the level of competition is just getting tougher. In these times, it is important for a student to have a good study plan in hand which is effective for achieving better points.

Below is the plan to help you achieve a score of 1500 and more in the SAT exam: -

• Take a Mock test to Know your Performance Level

Those students who are preparing for the SAT exam often have this one particular question in their minds “When is the best time to start preparing for the SAT exam?” Start by deciding when you actually want to take the SAT exam. Then plan accordingly. The first and the primary step is to take a SAT mock test. You can do this at a SAT coaching institute, from an official SAT exam preparation book, or an online coaching platform such as TeamStrategize - FPLA. This will help you to get familiar with the test pattern, content, and in short will reveal your performance in the test.

• Start As Soon As Possible

If you have a clear mindset that you want to go and study abroad for higher education after schooling, then there is no harm in start preparing for the SAT as early as X^th grade. This strategy is majorly useful in preparing or mastering the English language and Maths skills as these skills are not mastered overnight, they require a few months’ time by solving numerous practice question papers. By starting preparation as soon as possible helps you in prioritizing in a much better way and also provides you plenty of time for the SAT examination.

• 1350+ is a Good Foundation Score

Maths and English evaluated in the SAT exam evaluates your skills and abilities that you have acquired over a period of time. If you achieve 1350+ points in the very first SAT mock test which is basically before starting with your preparations, then it is likely to say that you already have a good foundation score. If this happens, then just by taking a few practice tests, and follow-up analysis after each of these SAT practice tests will be sufficient to say that you can easily secure your dream SAT score.

• 2-step Preparation Method

There is no doubt in this that it is always a good idea to prepare in two stages if you have the time and luxury to do so.

Stage 1: It comprises of strengthening of your fundamentals which are relevant to the SAT exam. This stage will take 3 to 6 months duration depending upon where you stand in the mock test score. Those students who achieve 1350+ points in the SAT mock test can easily skip this stage.

Stage 2: This stage is of 1 to 2 months duration. The students in this stage take a lot of mock tests to basically sharpen their test taking and time management skills.

• Help from TeamStrategize

Not many people know about TeamStrategize but we are the official test preparation partners of SAT in partnership with Full Potential Learning Academy (FPLA), USA. We provide US tutor led virtual SAT preparatory classes to Indian students. We create customized lesson plans as we know that every child is unique.

High school can be a tiresome period in any parent-child relationship. The teen years bring new responsibility, independence, and often has the tendency to push their boundaries and establish a new sense of self. Parents of the kids often wonder how much they should continue to be involved in their teen’s daily routine lives and responsibilities as they stretch their wings and try to fly.

This can be true with the college application process and standardized tests such as SAT. While your kid might want freedom to tackle such challenges on their own, there’s still plenty of room for the parental guidance. In this article, we will now discuss how you can help your kids to achieve their SAT goals, without stepping on his or her feet.

• Understand the SAT

The first way in which you can help your teen as they prepare for the SAT is to learn about the SAT yourself. Even if you take the test as a kid, it has now changed significantly in recent years and bears a little resemblance to what it was 20 years ago. The College Board website is a great place to start when preparing for the SAT test. You will find the information about the SAT test format, content and scoring. Your input would then be helpful to your teen and better able to provide realistic advice if you understand the test.

• Create a Practice Schedule Together

You can help them to meet their goals by working together to create a practice schedule ahead of time. To get started, ask your kid to take a practice test first and see how your kid scores. This is an important step because it establishes a baseline and identifies the areas that require improvement. From this score, you can help your teen by establishing a target score and outline the areas to work on in order to achieve that score. Get your child a blank calendar and work with them to fill in the school deadlines, existing requirements, and other commitments. Work around these areas to create a realistic study schedule that won’t overwhelm your kid, yet allow plenty of time to improve. Post the schedule someplace prominently in the house, where both of you can see it frequently.

• Provide the Tools for Success

There are tons of study material available for the SAT test preparation, from tutors, online tutorials, study groups and prep books. The best SAT test preparation is a well-balanced combination of all the above study materials. Make these resources available to your kid if you want to support their efforts. Also, if by chance the budget is a concern, then there’s no need to worry. Tons of free study materials are available online to help the students prepare well.

Another great, free resource come from TeamStrategize. Here your kid can access dozens of free video tutorials and lengthy explanations of common strategies and mistakes as given by the US educators. There are communities also that provide free study opportunities in the form of study groups to the students. You can access these study materials at the school or at the library. You can also reach out to your kid’s educator to find out about the opportunities in your area nearby. If you have the budget, a tutor is a wonderful way for your kid to maximize their scoring potential. Tutors provide insight of the SAT test that is refined over years and years of experience. In addition to this, they have first-hand knowledge of which study techniques and strategies work best for which student. If you can swing it, a SAT tutor is an invaluable resource.

• Make Yourself Available for Review

Studying must be done by your kid and your kid himself. After all, as much as you might want to sneak into their room at night and subliminally transfer all of your algebra and vocabulary knowledge, that is just not possible. Instead, your kid needs to take the responsibility here. If you want to help your child you can help them with the review. Once your kid has compiled a list of new vocabulary words or worked upon a tricky algebra problem, you can help them in reviewing it. The review process is important because this is when the knowledge is truly internalized. Also, make sure that your kid knows you’re always available to help them with review. Your kid might be reluctant at first to accept your help, but if you just retell that you’re available whenever he or she would like a second pair of ears of eyes before the test day.

• Avoid Excess Pressure

It is important yet hard to remember that the person who is most concerned about your child’s SAT score is your child himself. Never try to turn up the pressure on an already stressful situation. At the same time, though, you know what is best for your child than others. If your kid tends to put things off until the last minute or sometimes overlooks the bigger picture, you might need to remind them often about the importance of the SAT test. Try to be supportive and constructive rather than critical. Remember that your kid needs to know that this is just a test. While it might seem like the most important thing in the world on the morning of SAT test day. The SAT score isn’t an indication of your likeliness to succeed and it’s definitely not a measure of your kid’s worth. Instead, it’s simply a high-stake standardized test that will play a significant role in the college admissions.

Are you wanting to improve your SAT score? Wish to study in the US, then the SAT isn’t just any sort of random score that won’t have any effect on your academic career rather it has a real impact on your future. This means, that increase in even a few points can make a big difference in allowing you to get into your dream college. So, let’s take a look at the below points on how to get your SAT score up by 320 more points!

Scoring higher points can accomplish a lot, below are the reasons for the same:

• Better college options

A higher SAT score will give you confidence when to send out applications to your desired colleges. While it’s true that you require a high SAT score to get into many of these colleges, improving your score by 320 points will also demonstrate that you’re willing to put in the work and efforts to achieve your desired academic goals.

• Better scholarship options

Some scholarships may have specific testing and entry requirements, while many others will use the test results as one variable. But having a high SAT score will always be beneficial. This will rather increase your chances of being awarded lucrative scholarships that will help you pay for your dream college.

• Better habits for the future

Last, but certainly not the least, setting your goals or aims this high will mean that you’ll have to establish the kind of study and preparation habits that will only help you in your academic journey. In fact, if you put in the work and reap the rewards, you’ll also teach yourself an important lesson about the value of applying yourself.

The only unanswered question now is: how do you do it? Here are some important tips for Improving your SAT Score by 300 points: -

• Improve your vocabulary

By having a wide and well-read vocabulary can be a major boost to anyone who needs to improve the reading comprehension. Try to incorporate more fiction reading into your routine, rather than relaxing and playing video games, surfing Internet or watching television. Keep a dictionary handy and look up the words that you do not recognize.

• Start studying now - Not the night before

Sure, there may be some fortunate individuals who can get 320 points higher even with their eyes closed. And maybe you’re one of them. But why not optimize one’s potential for a better and obviously a higher score by preparing far in advance and not just studying the night before the test? It will also help you to increase your memory retention and lower your stress level as and when you prepare.

• Take practice tests

The SAT exam might test your general academic skills. If you want to increase your score, then take practice tests that will teach you the art of test-taking, managing your time, and giving yourself the best chance to improve with less mistakes.

• Fill in every answer

In the SAT test, missing a question is the same as getting it wrong. However, if you don’t know an answer, fill something at least it will give you the chance of getting it right as there is no negative marking in the SAT exam. This may not be enough to improve your score by 320 points, but when you want to improve that much—every bit counts.

• Take an SAT Prep Course

Finally, the last way to get your SAT score up 320 points is to make sure that you reach out for outside help. Our SAT test prep courses from TeamStrategize-FPLA are a great way to learn the best ways to practice for the SAT tests. We provide online SAT classes through US educators here in India. So, sign up for a course today!

The Scholastic Aptitude Test, or commonly known as the SAT, is a reasoning test for getting admissions to universities in the USA and across the globe for undergraduate programs. The total score of the SAT exam is of 1600, where 800 for each of the two sections.

Below is the walk-through of the process of how to start preparing for this fun-to-study-for SAT test-

1. The SAT exam is structured below as follows-

1. 1. Reading Section comprises of 52 questions with a total time of 65 minutes to answer
   2. Language and Writing Section - 44 questions; 35 minutes
   3. Maths Section (without calculator)- 20 questions; 25 minutes
   4. Maths Section (with calculator)- 38 questions; 55 minutes
   5. Essay (optional)- 1 question; 50 minutes

The Reading, Writing and Language sections comprises of a total of 200 - 800 marks. Similarly, the Maths Section (with calculator and without calculator) comprises of a total of 200 - 800 marks. The sum is a total score of 400 - 1600 and sitting for the duration of 3 hours (50 extra minutes for the essay), with short breaks in between as allowed.

2. You should start preparing for the SAT test at least 3 months before the test date. To prepare for the SAT test, you can either take help of education consultants located near you like the TeamStrategize or prepare by yourself with the help of online resources and books available on numerous websites. The books for SAT exam preparation seems monstrous and enough to scare you at the first glance but, to be very honest, they are nothing less than fun thing to solve. Once you get into the habit of practicing the sample tests, you’ll find that the SAT basically tests your familiarity with the types of questions it throws at you.

3. The best time to give the SAT exam is in the 11^th grade of the high school, well before application deadlines, to give you time and elbow room for improving your score and reattempting the test, since the final year is strenuous for most of us. This also gives you time for your preferred college applications.

4. One should begin by registering on the official College Board website to register for the SAT exam and you can also take SAT Practice Tests over there.

5. Keep solving books, such as those offered by the College Board, Barron’s, and The Princeton Review. As for the vocabulary part, it is recommended that you jot down new words that you come across, or learn, daily on the sticky notes or flashcards and paste them in your study room or any other place that you find convenient to look at them more frequently.

6. The SAT is MCQ based. Learn the art of plugging in the choices in the question at hand as this will save a lot of your time spent on calculation. When you get stuck on a question or if you think it’s taking a lot of time, move on to the next question but not to the next section, till the time one particular section has ended. The simple rule to save your time during the SAT test is to first attempt the easiest questions, which you think will take up less time of yours.

7. Set your target SAT exam score in accordance to the preference of the colleges you want to apply to. You can make use of the consultants from the TeamStrategize to get knowledge about the colleges that will accept your score range as per your desired college. You can also check your average percentile on numerous other websites. For example, if you want to get into the Ivy League schools, you will have to score above 1400.

8. Take a full-length test after every 1-2 weeks under a time constraint of 3 hours as given. One can also practice for the essay part only if it is required by the University, as the Essay section is optional. Read newspapers and passages is a good way to improve your vocabulary. Limit your essay section to 50 minutes.

9. You will have to spend more time in preparation to increase your score, say about 20 hours for 50–100-point improvement, 80 hours for 200–300-point improvement, and 150+ hours for 300–500-point improvement.

10. Last but not the least, sit back and relax on the day before the SAT test. Surely, it is an advice which is hard to follow, but resist the temptation to study some more as it will only make you more anxious and less confident; you don’t want to pull on your hair when you are unable to answer a question in the middle of the test and trust me, it actually happens.

11. One last tip: if in the starting or while during your exam you skipped a lot of questions and now you don’t have time to solve them, then choose any of the answer choices that you believe would be correct. The SAT exam does not have any negative marking for incorrect answers, so guess work (or eeny, meeny, miney, moe, for that matter) might seem like a smart option.

Good Luck for your SAT Preparation!

Taking the SAT can be both tedious and rigours, and that also while sitting in a Test Centre on a fun Saturday morning. But then, why take the SAT, while you may have heard that more and more colleges are becoming test optional? So, is it still mandatory and worthwhile to take the SAT test? In this article, we'll talk about all the reasons to take the SAT, including why it might be a better test for you than other popular exams.

Standardized test scores are not only an important part of college admissions, but they also have value add-ons, as by taking the SAT you may earn thousands of dollars in financial aid or it may even help you get a job !

Below are the five important reasons why to take the SAT Test.

• Most Colleges Require Test Scores

There are a few colleges that don't require scores—schools that are test-optional or even completely test-blind. Test-optional policies became much more popular because of the coronavirus pandemic, when many students couldn't take the SAT Test. Most schools became test optional temporarily, but some decided to make it a permanent change.

Even if a school is test optional, having a strong SAT test score will not only boost your application but also help you stand out, from the crowd. If you decide not to take the SAT, it may limit the colleges you're able to apply to and you will lose out on a chance to make your application even more impressive. By taking the SAT, it helps you to keep a significant number of college options open which would otherwise, be closed for you.

• There Are Scholarships for High Scorers

It's very common for colleges to award merit-based scholarships to its top applicants. Test scores are one of the most important factors/markers in determining which students get scholarships and which don't. Even if the schools you're applying to, are test optional, they may still require SAT  scores for scholarships, as the associated financial aid packages are worth thousands of dollars Thus, it'd be well worth your time and effort to take the SAT and be eligible for such awards.

• Important SAT Test Dates

The SAT Tests are conducted multiple times in a year hence, giving students more time to prepare and practice. The dates for the Academic Session 2022-2023 are as follows :

The students may plan their test dates according to the college application deadlines and also may also enrol at the last minute for the Exam, based on the availability of seats. 

Planning for the SAT exam preparation is a daunting task. It requires figuring out the best study program and schedule that works best for you to succeed. There are only two ways through which you can prepare for SAT exam: it is either through online or offline coaching classes or through self-study. Both these options are unique and equally good in their own terms.
The SAT exam is divided into three sections: -

• Evidence-based reading and writing
• Maths, and
• Essay

The Essay section is optional in the SAT exam, however, many colleges ask for the Essay section scores as well while assessing a candidate's profile for admission. Now, we will help you with the tips to prepare for SAT exam.

Preparation Tips for Evidence-based Reading and Writing Sections in the SAT exam

This includes two sections in the tests, one is the reading test where candidates need to show how much they can read and understand the text. While the other section is a SAT Writing test where candidates are asked to read and then edit the text accordingly. The preparation tips are:

• Read the passage carefully and then try to find the answers
• Use proper reasoning to support your conclusions from the passage
• Make sure that your answers should be only from the passage
• Use your time wisely and try to answer maximum number of questions from one passage and then only move to another question
• Stress on facts, ideas, details and point of view from the passage

Preparation Tips for Writing and Language Sections in SAT Exam

This section of the SAT exam is designed to test the writing skills of the candidates. They are required to edit the text and organize sentences, passages, and paragraphs. In the writing section of the SAT exam, the multiple-choice questions are designed so as to test the candidates’ skills in sentence structure, usage, and punctuation.

• Passages can be of two types one where after reading you will need to find out the errors and the other, where you will need to understand the theme or idea behind the passage
• As the time given to complete the test is limited you can answer questions as you read the passage, maybe you won't get enough time to go through the whole passage completely
• You should first read the first question given and then read the first para to find an answer to it       
• Read the question carefully and try to understand how it asks you to answer it
• Every question is designed in such a way that it tests your word choice, grammar, and the sentence structure

SAT Preparation Tips for Maths

SAT Maths again comprises of three different sections: -

• Algebra and functions
• Geometry Statistics, and
• Probability and Data analysis

In Maths, there will be two parts, the test takers are allowed to use a calculator in one part and are not allowed to use a calculator in the other section.

• The applicants need to work upon their speed and accuracy for the Maths section
• The Maths section measures the candidates’ skills in solving problems with efficiency and accuracy
• The aspirants need to learn the maths rules, its concepts, and also relations at times. It is better to find the wrong answers rather than finding the correct answer, this will help you in saving your time too
• The candidates should have knowledge of the formulas as it includes questions related to linear equations, graphs, and analyzing a solution
• As there is no negative marking in the SAT exam so one should try to answer as many questions as they can

When it comes to study for the SAT, students consider either joining a class or hiring a personal tutor and be taught either online or offline, both the options being good.

Today, we’re going to discuss the six top benefits of joining an online private SAT coaching. This will help with professional assistance while preparing for the SAT.

• Focus on Your Strengths and Weaknesses

When you work with an online personal tutor, they help you polish your strengths and your weaknesses. Your tutor will assist you in building upon the strengths, and significantly improve the areas you need to work on. It’s unlikely you’ll get this personalized attention in a group SAT class.

• Move at your Own Pace

You will always be good at some topics. If you feel that you are not fully grasping a concept, your Personal Online Tutor will happily spend more time teaching you on that subject rather than moving on to some other topic. You may not have such an option available in a classroom setting.

• No Shortcuts

Your Personal Online Tutor will be accountable for teaching you everything you need to know, for you to ace the SAT. They will not let you take any shortcuts as you study and practice! Every time you work, they will encourage you to put your best possible effort into the session, so that you may come out feeling confident about what you have learnt, in the day-to-day class.

• No Distractions

In a group class, there might be distractions, such as people talking and playing on their mobile phones or with the other students. You may also be tempted to land into those distractions as well ! However, you will trust that your Personal Online Tutor will help you stay focused, on the task. There is neither potential nor time for having your studies derailed due to such unnecessary distractions.

• Immediate Help

If you get stuck on a problem, your Personal Online Tutor is there to immediately help you and solve your queries. They will explain to you about your process errors, what concept you need to be drawing from, and what specifically you should do to answer the question, correctly. But, in a group classroom setting, you might have to wait longer to ask the instructor for assistance, since they have other students to work with as well. Also, the instructor may not have time to give you the thorough answer you’re looking for, because they need to keep the class flowing too.

• More Comfortable

For some students, it can be intimidating to ask a question in front of a lot of people. Although you should never be fearful of asking a “dumb” question in any setting, you might feel more comfortable asking your Personal Online Tutor questions, directly. Also, after a few sessions, you’ll likely get to know your Personal Online Tutor fairly well. Having this level of comfort with your Personal Online Tutor, makes the study material significantly easier to learn.

• Study with TS Test Prep

As you may see, there are plenty of great benefits to a Personal Online Tutor for the SAT. If you believe that you would find more success from the online and private method of learning, schedule a tutoring session with a Personal Online Tutor from TS Test Prep.

Our team looks forward to help you earn a fantastic score !

About Us

Team Strategize in partnership with Full Potential Learning Academy, USA is offering SAT classes in India. We are proud to offer US tutor led virtual SAT preparatory classes for the first time for students aspiring to study in the US. We keep in mind that every child is unique so accordingly we create customized lesson plans. We also keep a track on each and every student’s progress. With FPLA, the Indian students will receive high quality 1-on-1 LIVE tutoring with the help of our own instructor led virtual classes.

Why Choose Us for the SAT Preparatory Classes?

• Group session of 5 students
• US based educators
• Our own virtual classroom
• Interactive sessions
• Free video lessons and guides
• Real results
• Qualified and expert tutors
• Customized lesson plans
• Any-time support available

About SAT Test

SAT exam schedule incorporates courses which the students have studied in their school throughout the term. So students with acceptable grades in school, should not confront any issues getting ready for the SAT Syllabus. There are two kinds of SAT Exams: SAT General Test and SAT Subject Test.

• SAT General Test

SAT General Test is more normal between the two SAT tests and is commonly utilized by the undergrad universities for admissions. The Scholastic Assessment Test evaluates the composed, verbal and numerical aptitude of the applicants.

• SAT Subject Test

There are 20 SAT Subject Tests which are partitioned into 5 branches of knowledge. These subjects are additionally sorted into more modest themes. The different SAT Subjects include:

• Arithmetic
• Science
• English
• History
• Language

SAT Exam Syllabus 2022

SAT exam syllabus incorporates courses that students have studied in their school educational plan. The schedule for SAT test includes:

• Writing and Language
• Arithmetic
• Reading

Reading

• SAT contains three basic understanding segments. This section contains 5 passages and 52 questions that are required to be answered in 65 minutes.  
• Understanding appreciation - 25 mins
• Sentence fruitions - 25 mins
• Basic reading of paragraph-wise length - 15 mins

Writing

• In the writing part, one needs to answer 44 multiple choice questions given from 4 passages. The maximum time duration to complete this section is 35 minutes. The passages are related to topics from humanities, science, social studies, and career backgrounds.  

SAT Maths Syllabus

• SAT contains three Math areas
• Functions of Algebra
• Math / Statistics
• Data Analysis and Probability

The Maths section is further divided into 2 parts: Calculator and No calculator. The first part has 38 questions and the time allotted is 55 minutes. Whereas the second part has 20 question and the maximum time is 25 minutes. So, basically total time required to complete this section is 80 minutes.