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SAT is a standardised test of Math and English skills, used as one of the admission criteria by many of the leading universities in the U.S., Canada and India. It allows universities to compare students from a range of different educational backgrounds from across the world, on a common measure and assess their readiness for college. An increasing number of Indian students also appear for the SAT every year. So how should a student prepare for this test?
What is SAT?
First, it is important to understand what the test is. SAT is a multiple-choice test of English and Math skills and is administered digitally for students in India. The English questions assess you in areas such as expression of ideas, vocabulary, grammar and punctuation. This section has two parts, of 27 questions each and you have 32 minutes each to solve the two sections. The Math questions test you in areas such as algebra, problem-solving, geometry and trigonometry. The Math section has two parts, of 22 questions each, with 35 minutes each to complete the two parts. SAT is an adaptive test, so depending on how you score in the first part of the English/Math section, the second part can have tougher or easier questions. You have an average of just over 1 minute for each English question, and about a minute and a half for each question in maths – so this is also a test of how well you can manage your time.
Seven tips you should know about
The next step of your preparation should be to assess where you stand. The College Board (the organisation that administers the SAT) has provided 4 digital mock tests on its website. You should appear for one of these mock tests. After completing the mock test, you can view your score, as well as the questions you got wrong together with correct answers and detailed explanations. You should use this feedback to shape your preparation:
Time Management: Were you able to complete all the sections on time? Very often, students spend too much time on the first few questions and run out of time as the clock starts ticking. As a result, they either solve the last few questions of the section in a rush, making many mistakes, or end up not attempting these questions at all. If you have this problem, you need to work on improving your speed – by practising more.
Identify Your Weakness: Identify the types of mistakes you made. For instance, in maths, is it that you didn’t understand the concept, didn’t understand the question, or made an error while solving it? Likewise, in the English section, were your mistakes due to a weak vocabulary or were they in the grammar section? Once you have identified the weaknesses, work on these.
Graphing Calculator: Familiarise yourself with the graphing calculator (inbuilt) provided by the College Board for the test. It is a useful and very powerful tool – you should be able to make the best use of it. The test day is not the time to start learning how to use it.
Learn Formulae: Memorise the common formulae in geometry and trigonometry, although these are provided during the test.
Read Extensively: In the case of English, it is helpful to read more, from a variety of sources, including newspapers and books.
Grammar: Master grammar rules – these are useful not just for the SAT, but for life in general.
Mock Tests: Take regular mock tests to assess your progress.
With these steps, you should see a clear improvement in your performance and should be able to put your best foot forward on the test day.
The author is the SAT lead instructor with Scholarly and a published author.
