If you are a current high school student in the United States, the SAT is probably on your college prep checklist. If you’re an underclassman, you have some time to prepare (good job on starting early!); if you’re an upperclassman, this post will definitely help you cram more effectively.
Though the SAT is arguably not the best way to measure student success, it is considered a very important criterion for college admissions. However, as of 2021, many schools do not require the SAT for applicants. I suggest you check with each school on your college list [link] to determine if you should take it or not.
If you do plan on taking the SAT but are not sure how to prepare, this post is for you. I’ll first introduce you to the test itself, then dive into specific ways to prepare. I self-studied completely for the SAT and received 1580. After taking it one more time (my score dropped the second time), my superscore was 1590. Therefore, I can attest that self-studying is effective; you just need to do it right. So let’s start!
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Table of Contents
About the SAT
The SAT is a standardized multiple-choice question test administered by the College Board. It lasts for 3 hours and includes 4 sections: reading, writing, math no-calculator, and math calculator-ok. There is an optional essay section, which I will not be discussing because most schools do not require it.
As of 2021, SAT is scored out of 1600 points, with the average score being around 1060. Most students of top colleges have average scores of above 1500.
You can register for the SAT online through the College Board website. Some high schools also offer the SAT on SAT School Days, and you will likely be notified directly if there is such an opportunity.
Now, a question many students wonder: is the SAT hard?
It could be. The SAT is not an intelligence test, but it does take a lot of practice and strategy to understand what the College Board is looking for and perform well on the test. In this post, I’ll teach you all about these strategies and how you can ensure a good score through self-studying.
Why You Should Self-Study
Obviously, it’s not a bad idea to take SAT prep classes. However, for some students, self-studying may be the better choice. If you’re not sure whether or not you’d like to self-study, here are a few reasons why:
Price
SAT prep classes cost money, and it may simply be too much for you or your family. On the other hand, if you choose to self-study, the only investments you’ll make (if you even feel the need to) are prep books. And very often, you can find used or second-hand books from your classmates or neighbors.
Flexibility
Self-studying for the SAT brings you a freedom and flexibility you won’t have in prep classes. When self-studying, you can choose when, where, how, with who, and what to practice. This may be helpful for some students who want to focus on specific skills or sections.
In addition, if there were any unexpected events that pushed back your test (like the COVID-19 crisis in the 2020-2021 testing season), you don’t need to worry about forgetting all the important things you learnt a few months ago. You’ll have all the materials you need to keep learning and improving.
Necessity
Lastly, consider if prep classes are really necessary. Do you only learn or improve when you’re guided by a teacher or other professional? Or do you perform just fine with individual online research and practice?
In my opinion and through my personal experience, knowing how to practice and practicing often is the fool-proof strategy towards getting a good score. Though prep classes do give you a certain structure and some resources, you can also find these yourself.
Therefore, carefully consider whether or not you want to self-study, and proceed accordingly. But in any case, this blog post will be helpful for you to learn what skills you should be working on and how to practice them.
Helpful SAT Prep Books
Official SAT prep books are a great source of relevant tips and strategies, as well as full practice tests. Below are 3 of the top-rated books (and the only ones) that I recommend:
- Official College Board SAT Study Guide: from the makers of the test, this study guide reviews all the skills you are expected to know and apply during the test. It also includes full-length practice tests, but you can find these online as well. If you’re looking to not invest too much in prep books, this is the one to get.
- SAT Prep Black Book: a very popular, non-official, prep book. This book covers a lot of clever strategies that may help students struggling with the strict skill-based expectations of the College Board.
- Princeton Review SAT Premium Prep: this is another thick book with 8 practice tests (4 are online), which are often the most helpful part of prep books. However, readers have often revealed that this book does not offer strategies like those in the Black Book, so if you’re happy with just 1 or 2 prep books, don’t feel obligated to buy this one.
Note: I do not recommend the Barron’s SAT prep book. It provides full practice tests in the book, but Barron’s questions do not resemble the College Board’s, and you are better off using the official guide or the Black Book mentioned above.
Free Online Resources
The prep books mentioned above are super helpful in gathering the best strategies and tips on how to tackle the questions. But the most valuable part (and a MUST as you study) is practice tests.
Many prep books include multiple full-length practice tests. However, you can find many past or released SAT tests online and use them to practice. While they won’t directly teach you how to approach certain problems, doing more of them will give you an idea of what the test looks for and help you perform better.
With that said, here are a few online resource hubs of free practice tests:
- Khan Academy: Khan Academy partnered with the College Board to integrate their 8 released practice tests onto the digital platform and allow students to take them and review official answers and explanations.
- CrackSAT.net: there are over hundreds of SAT practice sets on CrackSAT. Not all are full-length, but this can be helpful if you’re struggling on one specific section of the test and would just like to focus on that.
- Reddit: you’ll be able to find many past SAT tests on Reddit, along with their QAS (answers), and you can practice taking them.
YOU’LL LOVE THIS POST: 9 Essential Study Skills To Study Smarter, Not Harder
Before You Start…
The rest of this post will cover all the details on what’s tested in each SAT section, as well as how to prepare and answer the questions. But before you start applying these tips, it is essential to take a full (diagnostic) test.
Your first test will give you an idea of how much you need to study and which areas you need the most help on. You can do this diagnostic on Khan Academy!
Once you’ve completed the diagnostic test and have an idea of what the test is like and what you need to work on, dive into understanding and practicing specific sections.
The Reading Section
The reading section is the first on the SAT and is often the hardest for many students due to its nuances and lack of straightforwardness. It is 65 minutes long, has 52 questions, and is scored together with the Writing section out of 800. Now, let’s talk about what’s tested.
What Is Tested
The SAT tests your evidence-based reading and provides different types of passages and questions to do so. The passages will be drawn from American and/or World Literature, Social Studies, and Science.
The types of questions are always the same, but there is a variety of them:
- Identifying the main purpose or main point of the passage.
- Determining the meaning, function, or effects of a specific word or phrase.
- Describing the author’s tone, style, perspective, and how it shifts.
- Identifying an idea in the passage and providing evidence.
- Interpreting data from a graph, table, diagram, etc.
How To Study
The hardest part about the SAT Reading section is finding the one best answer out of the 4 given choices. Often, you’ll be able to eliminate 1-2 answers that are blatantly wrong; it’s then up to you to decide which of the correct-looking answers is the best answer.
In my opinion, the best way to practice this process of elimination is to do more official SAT practice problems, identify their pattern, and memorize them. Here are some of the common reasons why a certain answer is not correct:
- Too specific. This occurs especially in questions that ask you about the entire passage, or how something changes over a passage.
- Too broad. This occurs especially in the questions that ask about specific words and phrases.
- Unrelated answer. This answer choice may be factually or contextually correct, but it does not answer the question.
- Inaccurate. This answer choice is simply false based on the passage. This often appears among very similar-looking answer choices, so read carefully!
Therefore, do more practice, know what the College Board is looking for, and ingrain that pattern into your brain. Khan Academy is extremely helpful because it has answer explanations!
While Testing…
There are a few strategies you can use while testing to maximize efficiency. Try these with practice tests so you know which one works the best for you once test day arrives!
First, you can try skimming the questions before you read the passage. This way, you’ll have an idea of what you should be looking for while reading and be able to highlight relevant information as you read.
Next, while answering the questions, try predicting the answer. If you have an idea of how a question should be answered and that exact option is there on the test booklet, that choice has a higher chance of being right. However, make sure your reading comprehension is strong enough before jumping into this strategy!
Lastly, and most importantly, explain (to yourself) why each answer is incorrect or correct. SAT questions only have 1 correct answer– always. If you have to try really hard to convince yourself of your choice, go back and re-examine the question and text.
The Writing Section
The writing section goes hand-in-hand with the Reading section but is generally more straightforward. It is 35 minutes long, has 44 questions, and is scored together with the Reading section out of 800.
What Is Tested
The SAT writing section is all about grammar, syntax, and flow. These questions are less about analyzing text (though for some, you do need to pay attention to the context), and more focused on standard grammar rules.
Some common questions that often confuse students include:
- Verb noun agreement (singular vs plural)
- Pronouns (when to use their and when to use he/she)
- Concision (getting rid of all unnecessary fluff in a sentence)
- Word choice (choosing the most appropriate synonym)
- Modifier placement (subject vs object)
There are many types of questions, and the only way to familiarize yourself with them and get better at them is to practice.
How To Study
The Writing section, especially after enough practice and familiarity with College Board’s expectations, is easier than the Reading section.
Like with the Reading section, do a lot of official practice questions on Khan Academy or other sources and know what your weaknesses are (especially focus on the common questions listed above!). Usually, students repeatedly get 1 type of question wrong.
If this happens to you, make sure to understand why the answer you chose was wrong and why the correct answer is right. Knowing the concept behind the answer will ensure that you apply it correctly next time.
If you need, you can keep an error notebook to track all your mistakes across SAT sections. This is a great method of studying in the long run and a helpful last-minute review.
While Testing…
Unlike the Reading section, the absolute best way to approach the Writing section is to answer while you read. The questions are embedded in this way, so it would simply not make sense if you tried answering the questions after reading the entire passage.
The Writing questions are much more straightforward than those of Reading, and as long as you’ve done enough practice and mastered the skills the College Board is testing on (Khan Academy comes in handy to practice specific skills), you can be confident in your answers.
But just as an extra boost, here are some extra (miscellaneous) tips:
- When placing a modifier, be sure to look at the context both before and after.
- “Such as” can replace a colon when declaring a list.
- Singular subjects always use “he/she,” not “they.”
- When combining two sentences, the shortest answer is often the right answer (not always!).
- Trust your instincts. If it sounds wrong, it probably is; examine it carefully.
The Math Section
There are 2 subsections for math: Math No-Calculator and Math Calculator-Okay. The No-Calculator section is 25 minutes long and has 15 multiple-choice questions and 5 grid-in (short-answer) questions. The Calculator-Okay section is 55 minutes long and has 30 multiple-choice questions and 8 grid-in questions.
What Is Tested
The SAT tests basic high school math, from courses up to and including Algebra II. It is much easier than the SAT Math II Subject Test (no longer offered), for it doesn’t test advanced concepts like trigonometry or calculus.
Concepts covered include:
- Linear equations, inequalities, functions, graphs
- Quadratic and exponential functions
- Radicals and exponents
- Polynomial factors and graphs
- Ratios and proportions
- Percents, basic probability
- Basic statistics like mean, median, mode
- Scatterplots, data distribution
- Area and volume of shapes
- Basic geometry like angles, arc lengths, sector areas
- Circle equation
This is not an extensive list, and there are many more ideas covered in the 58 total questions. However, most of them are relatively simple and are well-mastered by the time you’re taking the test. If you’d like a more comprehensive list, you can visit this post.
How To Study
I’m sure you know what I’m about to say: practice!
Just like the Reading and Writing sections, only practice will help you identify your weak areas and strengthen them. While memorizing formulas is important, being able to apply them is crucial. In addition, many formulas are provided on the test booklet, so you don’t need to spend a lot of energy trying to memorize them.
While the Reading and Writing sections are more strategy-based, the Math section is very much understanding and application based. Therefore, prep books are very helpful for learning how to do certain problems. Here are the 3 books I recommended again:
Now, simply go through the prep book and learn how to do the problems, then head to your SAT dashboard on Khan Academy and start practicing a lot of Math questions.
While Testing…
Like the Writing section, the Math section is relatively simple if you understand the concepts well. There is no strategy to efficiently complete the sections except to stay calm and be careful.
For most problems, the best approach is to do your work on the paper. Even if it seems just a little bit complicated, actually write down the work and don’t do it in your head! Better safe than sorry, especially in a scenario like the SAT!
Lastly, if you have time after completing all the questions in the section, always check your answers. The College Board designs questions to be confusing, and especially in the Math section, there will be a few questions just begging you to pick the wrong answer.
Here are some things to pay attention to:
- Units, especially while interpreting graphs. If the graph is in millions and the data point shows 4, the answer is 4 million, not 4.
- Using the wrong formulas. Especially for the basic geometry problems, do not overthink!
- Answer the question! If you were looking for 2x+3, don’t just give the value of x.
How To Practice
If you’ve learned anything from this post, it’s that practice is important. I’ve already provided you with some resources and tips for practice problems and full tests, but here are a few extra tips to help you maximize the effectiveness of practice.
Make A Schedule
Hopefully, you’re studying for the SAT months in advance. This will ensure that you’re doing enough practice and spending enough time strengthening your weak spots.
If you’re using Khan Academy to practice for the SAT (which you should be!), you can use its built-in schedule feature to set goals and stay accountable while practicing. Since Khan Academy implemented the official College Board practice tests into the platform, you can set dates for full tests as well.
Lastly, you can even set up reminders to make sure you’re not missing a day of practice. The more practice, the better your score will be, so be consistent and stay practicing!
Simulate The Environment
Just like any other standardized test, the SAT will be a very serious test taken in a serious environment. In order to minimize testing anxiety the day of the test, you need to simulate the environment while you practice.
Here are some things you can do:
- Find an isolated space at home where you can study alone.
- Remove all distractions like music, games, and snacks.
- Set up a timer to time each section and each break.
- Take the test in one sitting.
The Day Before…
Do not cram the day before your SAT. If you’ve followed the tips outlined in this post, you should be fully prepared for the SAT by then.
It may be tempting to do a bunch more practice problems because you “just don’t feel ready yet.” However, by the last day before the test, doing extra practice will not do you any good. You can review your error notebook or search up some specific tips on Reddit, but don’t do any more practice tests.
Instead, take some time to relax, and– most importantly– get enough sleep. Make sure you’ve got all your supplies ready and just relax. By this time, your mindset is more important than the practice you choose or don’t choose to do.
Repeat to yourself that it will be okay. The SAT does not define you. In fact, it’s not even a consideration factor anymore for many colleges. You as a person create your success, not a mere standardized test.
So take a deep breath, listen to some uplifting music if you’d like, and go to bed early.
Conclusion
Phew! That was a long read, but you’ve made it to the end! I hope this post was helpful for you and that you’ve gained something useful out of it!
If you’re taking the SAT soon, leave a comment down below and I’ll cheer for you! And if you’re looking for more posts like this one, check these out:
- How To Motivate Yourself To Study When You Don’t Feel Like It
- The Complete College Prep Guide For High School Upperclassmen
FAQs
How many hours should you study for the SAT to get a 1500? ›
As an example, if you get a 1200 on your practice test, and your target score is 1500, then you have 300 points to improve, meaning you should put in about 80 hours. You could space this out (say, three hours per week for six months) or study intensely over the summer (16 hours per week for five weeks).
Is it easy to get a 1500 on the SAT? ›Achieving a 1500+ score on the SAT is not an impossible task, but it will require you to adopt a well-crafted study plan and to have a comprehensive understanding of how the test and its scores are broken down.
Is it possible to study for SAT on your own? ›Self-guided SAT prep is a great way to begin studying for the test; it's the most flexible and least expensive type of test preparation. Even if you do end up taking a class or hiring a tutor, you will have knowledge and skills from your self-study that will make guided SAT prep easier and more productive.
How to prepare for 1500 on the SAT? ›For instance, you need at least 55 out of 58 questions correct in the Maths section, 41 out of 44 in the Writing & Language section, and 48 out of 52 in the Reading section to score a 1500+ on your SAT. This combination is just an example of the number of questions you need to answer correctly to score above 1500.
Can I get into Harvard with 1500 SAT? ›There's no absolute SAT requirement at Harvard, but they really want to see at least a 1460 to have a chance at being considered.
Is a 1500 SAT good enough for Harvard? ›Achieving a 1500 SAT score would put you in the middle 50% range of admitted students' scores. A 1500 SAT score is good for Harvard, but a score closer to 1580 (the 75th percentile) will make you a more competitive applicant.
How many questions can you miss on the SAT to get a 1500? ›So, start answering the questions which you find easy. To get 1500 SAT, you need to get at least 48 right out of 52 in the Reading section. 41 right out of 44 in the Language section and 55 right out of 58 in the Maths section.
Is 1500 good enough for Ivy League? ›As you can see, your score of 1500 is an average or slightly below-average score for most Ivy League universities. Your score is slightly above-average at Cornell and Brown. However, admissions experts say that students applying to Ivy League universities should aim for a minimum score of 1470.
Can I get into an Ivy League with a 1500 SAT? ›A 1500 SAT score is incredibly competitive and makes you eligible for admission into all colleges — even the most competitive ones, the Ivy Leagues. Included in the institutions you can apply to are the University of Chicago, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Duke University.
What is the best way to self study for the SAT? ›If you have 4-6 weeks to prep, start by timing individual passages, next time full sections, and then full practice tests. If you have fewer than 4 weeks until your SAT, do full sections timed, understanding that the more comprehensive your mastery of content and strategy, the better you'll be at pacing.
What is the average SAT score without studying? ›
Although it's possible that you will earn a higher score without studying, even if you are a strong student, you will likely score slightly below the average SAT score of 1051. The SAT was designed to create a bell curve where the average score falls around 1000-1050 each year.
Is Khan Academy enough for SAT? ›Is the Khan Academy a Good Way to Study for the SAT? Yes! Khan Academy offers personalized and interactive tools and resources for SAT study and prep. The site gives students a tailored practice plan based on their practice scores or previous scores.
What is the most common SAT answer? ›Sometimes it seems like “C”—or its equivalent, “H”—is the most common answer choice, but this is merely a myth. In fact, the answer choice orders on the ACT and SAT are generated by a computer and are entirely random.
Is 1500 SAT good enough for MIT? ›The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1500, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1570. In other words, a 1500 places you below average, while a 1570 will move you up to above average. There's no absolute SAT requirement at MIT, but they really want to see at least a 1500 to have a chance at being considered.
Is 2 months enough to get a 1500 on SAT? ›It is very possible. However, I made sure to study for about 4–5 hours daily and I did full length practice tests every other week, helping me increase to this score. You just need to believe in yourself and work really really hard, and then you will get it.
Is a 4.7 GPA good for Harvard? ›You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants, but scoring high on the SAT or ACT is not required. Meeting Harvard's requirements (such as having a 4.7 GPA) is important, but don't forget about things like extracurricular activities and letters of recommendation.
What is the minimum SAT for Ivy League? ›The minimum SAT score to get into an Ivy League school ranges from 690 to 730 for the reading section and from 700 to 730 for the math section. Getting 700 or 710 (or higher) on both of these sections will give you an advantage at most Ivy League universities.
Is 1450 SAT enough for Ivy League? ›For the Ivy League, competitive scores range between 1500-1550. For other highly competitive schools, it's above 1400. 1300 and above will make you a competitive applicant for most other public universities and private universities.
Can you miss questions on the SAT and still get a 1600? ›As you can see with the above SAT scoring chart, it's possible to get some questions wrong and still earn the max SAT score. Generally speaking, you can miss 1-2 questions on each section and still get a perfect 1600.
Do you have to get every question right to get a 36? ›Based on the ACT practice tests, most sections require you to miss 0 questions to receive a score of 36. However, in the Math section, you might be able to miss 1 question and still receive a 36. Receiving a score of 35 most often entails missing 1–3 questions in each section.
What was Will Smith's SAT score? ›
Will Smith SAT score was a perfect 1600. A rare score few people have earned. Despite this incredible score, Will chose not to attend college, did not even enroll, and decided to pursue his career in music.
Is a 4.7 GPA good enough for Ivy League? ›However, for college applicants, the average GPA is more likely between 3.5 and 4.0. If you're aiming for a top university such as one in the Ivy League, Stanford, MIT, or others of the same caliber, a 4.0 GPA — or close to it — is expected.
Is a 3.7 GPA bad for Ivy League? ›While 3.7 is a good high school GPA, Ivy League schools are incredibly competitive and a 3.7 GPA alone likely isn't enough to differentiate yourself. Applicants generally have a better chance of getting into an Ivy League school if they get closer to a 4.0 GPA.
Can a 3.7 GPA get you into Ivy League? ›Yes, you can get into an Ivy League with a 3.7 GPA. Though, the lower your grade, the less your chances of getting into an Ivy League, but with a strong personal statement and a properly packaged application, you can get in with a grade even less than 3.7 GPA.
Will one C ruin my chances of Ivy League? ›Just one bad grade in an advanced level course is not going to ruin your chances at an Ivy League. However, consistently underperforming in advanced classes in your area-of-interest classes will penalize you in the applications process.
What is the easiest Ivy League school to get into? ›Cornell is considered the "easiest" Ivy League to get into because it has the highest Ivy League acceptance rate. While it's easier, statistically speaking, to get into Cornell, it's still challenging. It's also important to remember that students apply directly to one of Cornell's eight undergraduate colleges.
Is 1500 enough for Stanford? ›Admissions Summary
Stanford University is extremely selective with an acceptance rate of 4%. Students that get into Stanford University have an SAT score between 1500–1570 or an ACT score of 33–35.
Two to three months of studying will put you right in the sweet spot for being well-prepared. You have just enough time to become an expert on the test and not let your grades suffer (especially if you're on summer break). But with this amount of time, it can be tough to stay focused.
Is 3 months enough to study for SAT? ›Three months is a great amount of time to prep for the SAT. You can spread out your studying and you'll have ample time to master the concepts tested on the SAT. It can be difficult to know where to start your SAT prep. The key is finding the right resources, staying organized, and sticking to your plan.
What part of SAT is easiest to improve? ›If you're trying to boost your SAT Reading/Writing and Language score, the Writing and Language section is the easiest to tackle. With a few SAT Writing and Language strategies, you'll be on your way to a much higher score.
What is the highest SAT score without essay? ›
The scores from each required section can range from 200 to 800, so the best possible total score without the essay is 1600.
Do colleges look at lowest SAT scores? ›Less selective public institutions, as well as many small liberal arts colleges, regularly accept applicants in the 950-1050 range. Public universities in your state might also accept residents with scores on the lower end of the scale depending on their policies and your other qualifications.
What is the maximum SAT score without writing? ›The highest possible score you can earn on the SAT is 1600 points. To get this score, you have to get a perfect 800 on each of the two sections: Math, and Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW).
Is the SAT getting harder each year? ›A: Yes, the SAT is getting harder.
As the years have passed, students worldwide have improved on the SAT, as the number of real practice tests has grown, and knowledge about the exam has spread.
Keeping in mind that the official statistics by ETS, the test publishers, "show" that the average combined improvement is 60 to 70 points, a 150-point improvement is quite respectable, 200 to 300 points is excellent, and 400 points is phenomenal.
Has the SAT gotten easier over time? ›In many ways, the new SAT is much easier than the older version. However, this doesn't mean you shouldn't study and be prepared! While the format may be better for some students, the questions are still designed to test your ability and skills in each particular subject.
Is C really the most common answer? ›So, ultimately, guessing C (or any letter!) will give you the correct answer only a statistical 25% of the time (20% on the math section). Which means it's NOT true that choosing C will give you a better rate of success than choosing any other letter for your blind guessing.
What is the best guessing letter on SAT? ›Guess any letter for any question. It doesn't matter if you guess A,B,A,B or A,A,A,A or any variation. Your expected number of correct answers are equal—actually, you'll actually do sliiightly better by guessing randomly on every question.
What is the best letter to guess on a test? ›C or H are right (and wrong) as often as any other answer choice. The only guess letter you don't want to use when you are completely guessing is E or K because they only show up on the math test.
What was the lowest SAT accepted to MIT? ›MIT SAT Requirements
You must at least have an SAT score of 1500 to have a chance of being considered for admission to MIT. If we investigate the data of previously admitted students to MIT, the lowest SAT math score was in the 700-740 range.
Is a 4.7 GPA good for MIT? ›
GPA Requirements
MIT does not have a strict minimum GPA requirement for undergraduate admissions. However, admitted students typically have very high GPAs, ranging from 3.9 to 4.0, with an average GPA of 3.96.
1500 SAT Score Standings
Out of the 2.13 million test-takers, 20911 scored the same or higher than you. You can apply to 1482 colleges and have a good shot at getting admitted.
Students can take the SAT as many times as they want. We recommend that they take it at least twice—in the spring of their junior year and the fall of their senior year. Most students get a higher score the second time, and most colleges consider a student's highest SAT score when making admission decisions.
Can I improve my SAT score by 100 points in 2 weeks? ›It's possible to raise a low SAT score by 100 points in a week. Getting familiar with the test format and strengthening weaknesses can make it happen. In contrast, raising an already high SAT score by 100 points in a week is hard as it requires learning new skills, which require more time.
How many hours should I study for the SAT for a 1500? ›You may never get to 1500, as an 1100 indicates you were struggling with some of the basics. The rule of thumb is anywhere from 1 to 5 points per hour of dedicated study. So, you need to spend a minimum of about 80 hours and a max of about 400 hours.
Is 20 hours enough for SAT? ›Generally, students put in 10 to 20 hours a week while preparing for the SAT, but that amount could be larger or smaller depending on your score goals. There are a couple of factors you should take into consideration when determining how many hours you'll need to put into your prep.
Is 100 hours of studying enough for the SAT? ›To raise your SAT score by 100 points, you'll need to devote about 20-30 hours of studying. On the other hand, if you're trying to drastically improve your score by 300 points or more, you may need to dedicate 80+ hours to test prepping.
How many hours of studying is enough for SAT? ›Studying for the SAT in a month is possible, though it's recommended that you spend 10 to 20 hours per week over the course of two or three months prepping for the SAT.
How many hours do you need to study for the SAT to get a 1600? ›If you're highly motivated and aiming for a top score, you're likely to spend at least 200 hours studying for the SAT. Your job is to get the most out of every hour you can.
Does Khan Academy actually help with SAT? ›Is the Khan Academy a Good Way to Study for the SAT? Yes! Khan Academy offers personalized and interactive tools and resources for SAT study and prep. The site gives students a tailored practice plan based on their practice scores or previous scores.
Does taking the SAT too many times look bad? ›
It does not hurt to take the SAT multiple times. Colleges cannot see how many times you have taken the SAT. However, writing the SAT is a stressful and time-consuming endeavor, so it's important to know how many times are right for you.
Is 2 days enough to study for SAT? ›If you've only got a week or two to study, the information you learn won't have enough time to sink in. Ultimately, you have to give your brain adequate time to retain new SAT concepts! So try to study, at a minimum, at least two weeks before your test. A month or longer is, of course, even better.
Does the SAT get harder each time you take it? ›A: Yes, the SAT is getting harder.
Why? Because the SAT is a scaled exam, and the College Board needs to maintain the integrity of the "normal distribution," a.k.a. bell curve. In other words, 99th percentile scores can only be earned by 1% of students, or else they would no longer be 99th percentile scores.
Total hours per week: 2; 5-6 on weeks with full practice tests. If you're a first-time test taker, with only three months before test day, you'll likely need more time each week. Plan to spend at least an hour on general content review and then at least two hours on practice sessions and homework.
What is the best age to start preparing for the SAT? ›Junior school: The 11th grade, also known as a junior school, is the best time when a student can start the preparation for the SAT exam. This is an age perfect to comprehend things precisely and learn things at a good pace.
What is the most effective way to study for the SAT? ›- Create an SAT Study Schedule. ...
- Use Quality Prep Materials. ...
- Increase Your Reading Speed. ...
- Target the Mistakes You Can Control. ...
- Come to Test Day Prepared. ...
- Answer the Questions You Know First. ...
- Eliminate Incorrect Answers.
Research has shown that just 6–8 hours of study with Official SAT Practice is associated with a 90-point score increase from the PSAT/NMSQT to the SAT, or from SAT to SAT. And 20 hours is associated with a score gain of 115 points.
What SAT score is required for Harvard? ›Harvard University's SAT scores for admitted students range from 1480 - 1580, with an average score of 1530. Although SAT scores are optional, we recommend that students aim for a good SAT score of at least 1530 to be competitive in the admissions process at Harvard University.
What did Elon Musk score on SAT? ›Elon Musk reacts to GPT-4 scoring 93% on SAT exams.
What was Mark Zuckerberg's SAT score? ›Mark Zuckerberg.
The founder of Facebook scored the perfect 1600 on the SAT and attended Harvard University. There's no surprise there on the score or prestigious university!