SAT preparation becomes a necessity every fall for high school juniors and seniors in the wake of application deadlines. College applications start in early October, which sets pressure on anyone who needs to take the exam.
Start the process by first registering for the SAT. The next available date to register for the SAT is Nov. 4 and the deadline is Sept. 29. Students should visit www.collegeboard.com to complete the registration and get signed up for the test.
“Last year I forgot to register for the SAT,” Ashley Davis, ’07, said. “I realized I had to take it, so the day of the test I had to go early for the stand-by line. I had to pay $40 on top of the late fee and regular test cost.”
Keep track of all deadlines and due dates for each individual test. Any late payments or registrations can lead to extra fees or charges. The sooner registration is completed, the cheaper the total cost will be.
Use online resources to prepare for the exam. There are countless websites that provide free quizzes and practice tests. There are also many books that will outline the basics of the SAT and provide tips for higher scores.
The College Board website offers subscriptions to a “Question of the Day” email. This provides an official SAT question through email everyday.
Many teachers dedicate class time to preparation for the essay portion of the SAT. The essay portion is similar to an in-class essay with the exception that it must be completed in half the time.
“For my AP English class, I plan to do a lot of writing because of the essay component of the SAT,” Jon Endicott, associate principal, said. “Other classes focus on vocabulary because of its importance for the SAT. Students should have a thorough understanding of college level words.”
English teachers are aware of the SAT requirements and keep it in mind when assigning essays and writing assignments for class. Take advantage of what they have to offer by paying attention to class lectures and writing instruction.
The SAT is made up of three main categories: critical reading, math and writing. Each category is split up into several sections based on different question styles.
The critical reading section features a series of complete the sentence questions. It also includes reading comprehension where short stories and questions about the stories are given.
The math section is composed of multiple-choice questions from various levels of difficultly. There is also a Student Produced Response grid where the student must fill in their own response without any given possibilities for the answer.
The writing section includes a selection of grammar based questions. The main portion of the writing section is the essay.
Students must be able to process and express ideas faster in order to complete the essay in the 25 minutes provided. Historical events, famous figures in history, and characters from assigned novels are all good examples to use in the essay.
In every section, read each question carefully and do not rush. Be sure to mark the correct portion of the answer sheet. Each person should remember to stay calm and do their best.
Keep in mind that each section of the test is timed. The student should focus on the questions they know and go back to the ones they may not be as familiar with.
Overall, the key to success on the SAT is preparation. This means knowing the outline of the test and allowing time and effort for practice beforehand.
For more information and advice for preparation for the SAT, go to www.testinfo.net/sat/sat-tips.htm or www.collegeboard.com.
