What to Expect on the SAT’s

The summer usually brings about a great deal of relief for students — they can put away the memories of the school year, stop worrying about studying for the next test, and finally breath easier.

But this is not the case for rising juniors. They have the all-important Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) to consider in the fall. The SAT is a standardized test that evaluates skills in reading, writing, and mathematics, giving all test takers a set number of questions. Each of the three sections is worth 800 points, making 2400 a perfect score.

Since many universities use the SAT’s as a measurement for academic success and college readiness, many students enroll in SAT prep online courses, and also in-class SAT test preparation, or test prep tutoring.

These college test prep classes can be a great way to help students familiarize themselves with the SAT’s.

Here is a breakdown of the different sections of the test, and what to expect from each one.

1. Critical Reading Over the years, this section has seen some minor changes, but for the most part, it consists of several reading passages. These are followed by questions that test a student’s understanding of the text, much like reading comprehension. There is also a sentence completion section that involves knowledge of a wide variety of vocabulary and sentence structures.
2. Writing.This section was only added in 2005 because colleges and universities complained that the SAT’s did not demonstrate a student’s writing ability. Students are now given a writing prompt, such a philosophical question about humanity, or one about technological advancements in the world. Students are also asked to correct grammatically incorrect sentences, and identify awkward phrasing in another portion of this section.
3. Mathematics. The Math section consists of several multiple choice questions, along with grid-in questions, which are designed to give students a way to write in their response. Among some of the newer subjects on the test are scatter plots and Algebra II.

SAT test prep review may not be the only college test prep a student needs, but it will likely boost his or her chances of scoring well on the exam. Subsequently, the college of his or her choice will be within reach. Continue.