Preparing for the SAT can be confusing and overwhelming. To help, we have gathered and answered a few questions we hear most often from our students and their parents.
If you don't see your question here, or require further clarification, please call us. (877) 738-7737.
What's on the SAT?The SAT Reasoning Test is composed of three sections: Critical Reading, Writing, and Math.
SAT Critical Reading: This section contains multiple-choice questions that test sentence completion and passage-based reading. The SAT critical reading section takes 70 minutes (two 25-minute sections and one 20-minute section).
Sample sentence completion question
SAT Writing: This section consists of multiple-choice questions and an essay, and tests your ability to recognize sentence errors, improve paragraphs, and write an essay. The SAT writing section takes 60 minutes (two 25-minute sections and one 10-minute section).
Sample essay prompt
SAT Math: This section is made up of multiple-choice and grid-in questions, and tests Algebra, Geometry, Statistics & Data Analysis, and Geometry. The SAT math section takes 70 minutes (two 25-minute sections and one 20-minute section).
Sample multiple-choice algebra question
The total SAT score is 2400. There are four sections, and each section is worth 800. The sections' scores are added together to make up your total score.
Sample SAT score
| Critical Reading | Math | Writing | Essay | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 550 | 650 | 630 | 8 | 1830 |
SAT essays are graded on a scale of 1 to 6 by two essay graders. The two scores are added together for your essay score. A perfect score on the SAT essay is 12. Your essay score is factored into your total writing score.
A perfect score on the SAT is a 2400. A ‘good’ score depends upon which college you want to attend. We recommend looking at a school’s admission page on their website to find out what score they require. This will help you set a goal score for the SAT.
Guessing isn't always the best choice to make on the SAT. A quarter of a point is subtracted from your score for every multiple-choice question you answer incorrectly. However, if you don't answer a question at all, nothing is subtracted from your score. This means, generally, that if you have no idea what the answer to the question is, it's better to skip it. However, if you are able to eliminate some of the answers to narrow down the choices, it may make sense to guess.
The College Board, (the company that administers the SAT) has a new policy on reporting your scores called Score ChoiceTM. Score Choice lets you choose the score you want colleges to see. That means if you take the SAT twice and your second score is higher, that's the only one the college you apply to will be able to see.
However, some schools choose not to participate in Score Choice, so these schools can see all of your SAT scores. Make sure to check the policy of the schools you're applying to.
Generally, the best time to take the SAT is in the spring of your junior year. This gives you plenty of time to re-take the SAT, if necessary. Most students start preparing for the SAT by the fall of their junior year.
If you have any questions about your SAT testing timeline, please do not hesitate to contact us at (877) 738-7737. Our experienced and knowledgeable test prep counselors are always available to help you understand the college admissions process and plan your testing schedule.
Yes! We absolutely encourage you to take a Revolution SAT Practice Exam. We offer SAT practice exams at local high schools, and we can also mail one directly to you. To give you the most accurate practice score possible, we mirror the grading of the actual SAT with our practice exams.
To sign up for a Revolution SAT practice exam in your area, search for a course or just give us a call at (877) 738-7737.
