OVERVIEW
What is the SAT?
The Digital SAT is an online exam that tests students’ Math, Reading & Writing skills. These are the kinds of skills universities, especially in the USA, look for in applicants. In 2023, close to 20 lakh high school students took the SAT.
Benefits of Taking the SAT
Students planning to study in the USA or Canada should strongly consider taking the SAT. For such students, taking the SAT offers the following benefits:
Compensates for profile weaknesses like low GPA
1450+ score helps students stand out from the crowd
Improves chances of admits from top ranked universities
Improves chances of getting scholarships, other financial aid
High scores could also help in securing a job after graduation
Is SAT optional?
You might see that some universities mention that submitting the SAT score is optional or not required when applying. However, this only means that you can apply without a SAT score. For such universities, students with high SAT scores are still much more likely to get admits and to get scholarships, i.e. students who submit a SAT score with their application have an advantage over students who apply without the SAT score.
When applying to universities, students will come across universities with three different types of SAT requirements. The categories and the interpretation are given below:
Students cannot apply without a test score. Students must prepare for and take the SAT.
MIT, Harvard, Brown, Yale, Dartmouth, UT Austin, Caltech, University of Wisconsin Madison, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech
Students can apply without a test score. Students who score >50th percentile in the SAT should strongly consider sending their score for an advantage in the admissions process.
Stanford, Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pennsylvania, Northwestern, University of Southern California, University of Michigan, Princeton University, William & Mary
These colleges do not look at test scores even if students submit them. There is no advantage to applying with a test score.
All universities in the University of California state system, All universities in the California State University System, Washington State University
Note:
You need not take the SAT only if the universities you are applying to are “Test Blind”. For any other category, students are strongly encouraged to study for and take the SAT to improve their chances of getting admits and scholarships – this includes students who plan to apply to test optional colleges. The following table shows a few popular test optional universities, and the proportion of admitted students who submitted their test scores:
University of Southern California
University of Pennsylvania
Carnegie Mellon University
Note:
This table clearly shows that even when universities they are “Test Optional” – they still do prefer students with competitive SAT scores. An extreme example of this is Duke which is “Test Optional”, yet 93% of the students who were admitted took the SAT and submitted their scores. We therefore strongly recommend that you take the SAT if you plan to apply to American (or Canadian) universities.
Schedule a counselling session to know if taking the SAT is the right choice for you.
What Score to Target
The average SAT score is 1050. A score of 1350 or higher will put you in the top 10% of test takers and will make your application competitive at selective universities. However, the exact SAT score you should target depends on the rank of the university students wish to apply to. Ideally, you should aim to score at the 75th percentile or higher in SAT for any particular university you wish to apply to. An estimate of competitive scores is given as per the table below:
The average SAT score is 1050. A score of 1350 or higher will put you in the top 10% of test takers and will make your application competitive at selective universities. However, the exact SAT score you should target depends on the rank of the university students wish to apply to. Ideally, you should aim to score at the 75th percentile or higher in SAT for any particular university you wish to apply to. An estimate of competitive scores is given as per the table below:
MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Yale, UPenn, Caltech, Duke, Brown, Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern
Columbia, Cornell, University of Chicago, Rice, Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, Notre Dame
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Georgetown, UNC Chapel Hill, Carnegie Mellon, Emory, University of Virginia, UT Austin, USC
Georgia Tech, NYU, UIUC, University of Wisconsin- Madison, Boston College, Rutgers, Tufts, University of Washington
Boston University, Ohio State University, Purdue, University of Maryland College Park, Texas A&M, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest
If you are targeting liberal arts colleges, then too a high score can get you into a selective college. Here are a few popular liberal arts colleges and the competitive SAT score for each category:
Williams, Pomona, Swarthmore, Wellesley, Bowdoin, Carleton
Barnard, Claremont, Grinnell, Middlebury, Wesleyan, Vassar
Colgate University, Haverford, Bates, Bucknell, Lafayette
Franklin & Marshall, Occidental, Scripps, Skidmore, Denison
Connecticut College, Depauw, Dickinson, Whitman, Furman
Note:
Since the admissions process to American and Canadian universities is holistic, students should not assume that scoring above the competitive score will get them. However, scoring below this competitive score can hurt their chances of getting in.
Take a diagnostic test to see what score you can get.
SYLLABUS
SAT Math
Algebra
[13-15 Questions: 35%]
Linear Equations in one variable
Linear Equations in two variables
Linear Functions
Systems of two linear equations in two variables
Systems of two linear equations in two variables
Linear Inequalities in one or two variables
Advanced Math
[13-15 Questions: 35%]
Geometry & Trigonometry
[5-7 Questions: 15%]
Lines
Angles and Triangles
Right Triangles
Trigonometry
Circles
Areas and Volume
Problem Solving & Data Analysis
[5-7 Questions: 15%]
Ratios
Proportional Relationships
Percentages
Units
Probability and Conditional Probability
1 Variable Data: Distributions and Measures of Centre & Spread
2 Variable Data: Models and Scatterplots
Inference from sample statistics and margin of error
Evaluating statistical claims: observational studies and experiments
SAT Reading & Writing
Information & Ideas
[12-14 questions: 26%]
Central Ideas
Details
Textual Evidence
Quantitative Evidence
Inferences
Craft & Structure
[13-15 questions: 26%]
Words in Context
Cross - Text Connections
Text Structure & Purpose - Main Purpose
Text Structure & Purpose - Overall Structure of the Passage
Text Structure & Purpose- Part to Whole Relation
Expression of Ideas
[8-12 questions: 20%]
Rhetorical Synthesis
Transitions
Standard English Conventions
[11-15 questions: 26%]
Boundaries - Types of Sentences
Boundaries - Word Syntax
Boundaries - End Sentence Punctuation
Boundaries - Mid Sentence Punctuation
Boundaries - Run on Sentences
Boundaries - Conjunctions
Form Structure & Sense - Subject Verb Agreement
Form Structure & Sense - Pronoun Antecedent Agreement
Form Structure & Sense - Verb Finiteness (Gerunds, Participles, Infinitives)
Form Structure & Sense - Verb Tense & Aspect
Form Structure & Sense - Modifier Placement
Form Structure & Sense - Genetives & Plurals
PAPER PATTERN
Test Format and Scoring
The test format and score range of the different SAT sections is as per the table below:
Note:
Each section is divided into two parts. The first part of each section consists of easy, medium and hard questions. Depending on the students’ performance, the next part within the same section could either be easier or tougher. For example, if a student gets most questions right in the first math section, then the next math section will be more difficult. This means the test is adaptive i.e. the level of questions adapts to the student’s skill level.
All questions in the Reading & Writing Section are Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) in nature. Every question has a preceding paragraph that is 25-150 words in length in one of these areas: literature, history / social studies, humanities or science and there is one question per paragraph. Questions testing similar knowledge are grouped together and arranged from least to most difficult.
In the math section, 75% of the questions are MCQ style and the remaining 25% are student produced response questions. This means there are no options and the student must type the answer in an empty box provided on the screen. Additionally, 30% of the questions are in-context questions i.e. these questions are related to a short paragraph.
There is no negative marking on either section of the SAT.
REGISTRATION & COST
Registration Process & Cost
The SAT is conducted 7 times per academic cycle (i.e. July to June). The registration deadlines for the SAT is roughly three weeks before the
SAT exam date.
You can register for the SAT online. The steps to register are:
Step 2:
Fill in your personal information and credentials like your username, date of birth etc.
Step 3:
On the home page of your account click “Register for the SAT”.
Step 4:
Fill in the demographic, academic & extracurricular information on the pages that appear.
Step 5:
Read the terms and conditions carefully on the page that appears after you
fill the information above and accept them to continue.
Step 6:
Select a test date and test centre.
Step 7:
Upload your photo. Check requirements
here.
Step 8:
Pay the registration fee of $111 (Rs 9220)
PREPARATION STRATEGY
How To Prepare For SAT
Most students who score 1450+ on the SAT prepare for at least 150 hours. This is over and above any coaching they might take. Depending on how much time you can dedicate weekly, preparing for the GRE can take anywhere from three to six months.
It is recommended that students take the SAT once in the first half of the 11th grade and then once again if needed in the second half of the 11th grade or the first half of the 12th grade.
Set a target score based on the university you want an admit from
Start by taking a diagnostic test to understand your current level
Identify 1 – 1.5 hours of free time daily for SAT preparation
Gather the appropriate materials for study
Go through the syllabus and make a detailed plan to cover the entire syllabus
Practice questions daily. Reading theory does not help improve scores
Maintain an error log to record which questions you’re getting incorrect
Take a test after completing each topic to get a realistic understanding of your preparation level
Take full length mock tests once you are done completing 70% of the syllabus
Take at least 5 mock tests. Analyze your performance after each test and work on weak areas before taking the next test.
AdmitAbroad's SAT Program
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
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