Introduction to the SAT
SAT Score- just one factor colleges look
at
• Also look at
– Academic record (grades)
– Involvement in school activities
– Application essay
– Letters of recommendation
When do I take the SAT?
• Students usually take the SAT once in the
spring of their junior year
• Again in the fall of their senior year
• Sat.collegeboard.org/register
How is the Test Organized?
• 3 sections
– Critical Reading
– Writing
– Math
• Eight Types of Questions in Each Section
• 3hrs and 45 minutes total
How is the SAT Scored?
• Multiple choice questions:
– One point for each question answered correctly
– For each question answered incorrectly, ¼ point is
subtracted from the total number of correct
answers
– No points added or subtracted for unanswered
questions
Ready4College Website Content
• How much time does the whole SAT take?
• How much are you penalized if you get a
multiple-choice question wrong?
How is the SAT Scored?
• Student-produced response questions in the
mathematics section:
– Nothing is subtracted for wrong answers
• The Essay: receives a score of 2 to 12. Must be
legible (or you could get a 0!)
• Score Range for each section: 200-800
Pop Quiz
• What is the score range for each section of
the SAT?
• The SAT has 3 sections, so what is the highest
score you can earn for the whole test?
Critical Reading Section
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19 sentence completion questions
48 Passage-based reading questions
67 questions total
70 minutes total (two 25-minutes sections and
one 20-minute section
The Writing Section
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18 Identifying Sentence errors questions
25 improving sentences questions
6 improving paragraphs questions
1 Essay
Total Questions: 49 + Essay
60 minutes total (one 25-minute essay, one
25-minute multiple-choice section, and one
10-minute multiple-choice section)
The Mathematics Section
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44 Multiple Choice Questions
10 Student-produced response (grid-ins)
54 total questions
70 minutes total (two 25-minute sections and
one 20-minute section)
• Table 1.1 – Page 5
Ready4College Website Content
• How many sections does the SAT have?
• What are those sections?
• What do we know about each section?
How do I study for the SAT?
• Come to this class, Saturday practice sessions, and…
• The Official SAT Study Guide – Take home and practice
on your own!
• The College Board Official SAT Question of the Day
• Book Owners’ Area:
www.collegeboard.org/SATstudyguide
• Enter your answers online
• PSAT – Oakland Tech in October – Take Junior year
• Ask Counselor
Strategies during the test
• -Read and think carefully
• Use your test booklet
– Mark each question that you don’t answer so you
can easily find it again
– Draw a line through each choice as you eliminate
it (POE)
– Mark sections, sentences, or words in reading
passages
– Check your answer sheet regularly to make sure
you are in the right place!
More Strategies
• Skip questions that are hard and return to
them later
• Answer the easy ones first
• If you are not 100% sure, but you can
eliminate one answer choice, then make an
educated guess
• Example 1, 2 and 3: Page 16-17
Other Strategies
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Think Positively
Stay Focused
Concentrate on your own progress
Keep the Test in Perspective!
Ready4College Website Content
• What are some helpful strategies to use
during the SAT?
• Page 14-19