The SAT is an entrance test conducted by College Board, a private non-profit organization based in United States for those students who are seeking admission to a college or university in the United States for an under graduate program. SAT 1 is a general test to evaluate the verbal and written language skills and mathematical skills of students. Those students who want to enroll for subject specific programs like Literature, History, Math and other subjects can appear for SAT 2. Over 2000 universities and colleges in the United States give admission to students based on their SAT score. Many of the universities in India also admit students based on the SAT score.
SAT General Exam Pattern
SAT consists of three components. Evidence based reading, evidence based writing and language, and Math. ( Essay optional). The total number of questions for SAT is 154. If the student is choosing essay , then it is 155. The duration for SAT general test is 3 hours plus 5o minutes if taking the essay. Evidence based reading and writing is measured on a scale of 200 – 800 points and Math on 200- 800. Thus, making a total score of 1600. The highest possible SAT score is 1600 and average is 1060. SAT subject based test is for 1 hour. The subject test will be conducted for 20 subjects. The candidates can choose the subject from the available options.
Eligibility
There is no specific eligibility for writing the SAT exam. Anyone who wants to enroll into universities in the US for an under graduate program may appear for the SAT. There is no limit to the number of times student can appear for the test. Usually, students start taking the exam in the 11th grade.
Validity of the score
SAT score is valid for 5 years. One may appear for the exam in September or October while pursuing the 11th grade. This gives them enough time to prepare and write again in April or May, if they want to improve the score.
What is a good SAT score?
As the SAT exam is divided into two sections verbal and written as one section and mathematics another section. Each section is measured on a scale of 200 to 800 point scale which makes the total score for two sections 1600. Anything above 1200 would help the student to get admission to a university. However, the students who aspire to enroll into an IVY league should aim for a score above 1400 that give them a fair chance to get the admissions. However, just the SAT score does not guarantee an admission. Admission to any university is based on the overall profile of student that includes GPA, English language test, Essay and other requirements that may differ from university to university.
How to prepare for the SAT exam?
There are many institutes offering SAT coaching in India. The coaching is generally for two to three months. They can either join one of these institutes or do a self study as study materials are available online.
How to register for the SAT ?
Students can register for the SAT either online or via mail. Visit the official website www.collegeboard.org and create an account. Enter all the details and submit it. The test centres are spread across India and students can choose their nearest location. The test is conducted in March, May, August, October and December of every year. The duration of the test is 3 hours. Students are advised to book the slot one month in advance before the date of the exam.
SAT Registration Fee
The fee for SAT is 101 $ without essay and 117 $ with essay.
SAT Syllabus
Reading Test:
This test focuses on the student’s ability to understand the concept and use the information. All the questions are multiple choice based on a passage. The passage may consist of informational graphics such as tables, graphs and charts. The students have to read the passage and interpret the infographics.
The passage is generally of classic or contemporary US work or world literature. It may also be on Economics, Sociology, Social Studies, Science or Psychology.
The students have to use clues in a passage to know which word or phrase is used. They also have to interpret data and examine hypothesis in certain passages to choose the right answer.
In this evidence based reading and writing, students will have to answer a total of 52 questions in 65 minutes. The length of each passage will be around 500 to 700 words and each passage will have 10 to 11 questions.
Writing and Language Test
All questions are multiple choice and the test is basically to test the students ability to find mistakes in a sentence and fix them. The student will have to improve the passage given by improving the sentences to make it more precise. Some questions may ask you to improve the word choice. Some may be to structure a sentence by using punctuation, verb tense, parallel construction and use of coma.
In this section, students will have to answer 44 questions in 35 minutes. The section consists of four passages that are generally on topics related to science, careers, humanities and social studies.
Math Test
This section consists of total 58 questions. 45 multiple choice questions and 13 student produced response questions. There are two types of test. Math with calculator and Math with no calculator. Math with calculator consist of 38 questions to be answered in 55 minutes and Math with no calculator includes 20 questions to be answered in 25 minutes. The test is basically to test the student’s ability to solve arithmetic problems. Topics include:
1. Heart of Algebra contains 19 questions solving linear equations
2. Passport to Advanced Math contains 16 questions and it involves creating algebraic expressions and solving non linear equations.
3. Problem Solving and Data Analytics consists of 17 questions on using ratios, finding percentages and units.
4. Additional Topics contains six questions from random topics like triangle, circle, polygon
5. Questions from Cross-Test Scores contains 16 questions that are from no calculator math. 8 questions from analysis in science and 8 questions from social studies.
The students appearing for SAT are advised to read books and other articles to improve their command over the language. Those who do self study may take up several mock tests or practice tests that are available online that would help them in time management and understanding the format of the test.
For more information on SAT registration and coaching, contact 8147245160 or email counselling@crozroadz.com