Many colleges and academic institutions use the SAT courses to analyze if students are ready for higher education. The SAT evaluates your skills to think logically and your ability to solve problems in math, reading, and writing. It is still important to prepare well, although the SAT only consists of two sections such as Mathematics and Reading & Writing. The duration of the SAT exam lasts 2 hours and 14 minutes. 1600 is the highest score, with 800 being the top score for each of the two sections. Preparing for the SAT can be challenging, but it is still manageable. All you need is to effectively prepare for the exam by avoiding the common mistakes.

What is SAT?

The SAT is a standardized test, and in the past, it was called the Scholastic Aptitude Test or the Scholastic Assessment Test. Students appear in the SAT exam at least two times. First in high school during their junior year and second at the start of senior year. The College Board precisely supervises the SAT. The test is offered several times each year; it is also available to international students who want to study in the US.

The test consists of multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions. During the test, students must fill in the circles that relate to the numbers in their answers. The test is divided into 10 sections, with questions including reading, writing, and math. The entire exam lasts just 134 minutes. SAT subject tests are also available for English, language, history, mathematics, and science. These tests assess a student's ability in a specific subject.

When is the Right Time to Take the SAT?

Taking the SAT is invariably the first step if you are a student who wants to get admission into top universities abroad. The SAT is not just a college entrance exam. It is your ticket to multiple opportunities, scholarships, and admissions in some of the best institutions around the world.

When is the right time to take the SAT?’ is one question that always stays in the minds of the SAT aspirants. Choosing the right timing can greatly influence your preparation technique, confidence level, and final score after the exam. Since there is no right time to take the SAT that will guarantee the top scores, except for the time you can invest in preparation. Keep in mind, success in the exam is a result of hours of preparation and continuous hard work.

Why Timing is Important for the SAT?

SAT is not a one-time opportunity in the student’s life. You can appear multiple times for clearing these exams until you achieve the desired scores. However, choosing the right time can have a great influence on your success in several ways: 

• Preparation Time: You will get enough time to study and take practice tests before appearing in the SAT exam.
• Application Deadlines: Most universities and colleges have certain deadlines for their application. Students must confirm a good SAT score before these deadlines.
• Stress Management: Sitting in the SAT exam without having proper preparation time can negatively impact your overall exam performance.
• Retake Opportunities: Accurate planning at a suitable time allows you to retake the exam if required. It will help in missing the application deadlines.

What are the Benefits of SAT Preparation?

Doing smart preparation and regular practice is helpful for students who want to take the SAT. Many high school students found early preparation really helpful for performing better in the exam. Below are the benefits of SAT preparation:

• For students who are appearing for the first time, SAT preparation will get to know the format of the test and the question types that will be asked in the exam. 
• Students who have already taken it at least one time and have done additional preparation can help to gain a higher score on a second test.
• Most students worry when taking the SAT, which is an essential component for college applications in the US. Doing SAT preparation encourages students to relax, as the test becomes more familiar. 
• Preparation allows students to know what to expect on the exam, offering sample questions and revealing the secrets to solving questions. 
• SAT aspirants are usually allowed to appear in one or more sample SAT exams.

SAT Prep Mistakes to Avoid for a Higher Score

Here are some SAT preparation mistakes that students must avoid to achieve the desired results.

Late Preparation 

Start preparing for the SAT exam as early as possible because late preparation is ineffective, since you can easily forget what you have already learned. Early preparation allows students to highlight and correct mistakes in their skills, knowledge, and techniques for exams. Therefore, if you have enough time, it is advised to create a detailed study plan to prepare. Learning using online study materials and past papers can boost your SAT preparation. Use these online math preparation resources whether you are taking the SAT exam or just need a refresher.

Making Errors

Leaving a question blank is a preferable technique instead of guessing the wrong answers. In such a situation, students must carefully transfer their accurate responses to the answer sheet. It is advised to skip the matching bubble if you have already skipped a question. Avoid making errors by putting the correct answers in the wrong bubbles.

Ignoring Guess in Math

In the Math section, your extra marks for the wrong answers are deducted. Therefore, when answering maths questions, students must follow a rational guess. For example, if you are asked what the fraction of a pizza is, don't attempt ‘2’; instead, use a better guess, such as ‘2/3.’

Leaving Too Many Questions

During the SAT exams, leaving too many questions will directly impact your scores. Since attempting nothing will get no score. Therefore, it is advised to try a sensible guess to rule out one or more answer choices within a question. In most questions, there is one unlikely answer, so rule it out and make a rational guess.

Underestimating the Math Section

Students are advised not to underestimate the maths section in the SAT exam, even if they are proficient in advanced mathematical classes. The SAT Math exam will ask you questions about the topics you studied in middle school.

Neglecting Vocabulary

Although the SAT is not a vocabulary exam, it is possible to gain a good score without knowing the definition of every word. However, experts think that vocabulary is important, especially for the reading section. Students can learn new words by creating a list that will assist them in dealing with common SAT vocabulary.

Not Having a Good Mindset

A good mindset may increase your confidence and, ultimately, your SAT exam score. To succeed, you must have confidence and a good attitude in yourself. Take proper time to adjust your thinking if you are feeling nervous or stressed.

Depending on Memorization

Just memorizing the concepts without proper understanding is like wasting time and not enough. The SAT exams analyze your skills and knowledge instead of your memory. Memorization can block your understanding of the topics and make it difficult to apply your knowledge during the exam.

Proven Tips and Tricks to Improve SAT Scores

Here are the top practical tips and tricks for students to improve their SAT scores with confidence. 

1. Eliminate the Incorrect Answers

You already know that each SAT question has three wrong answers and only one correct answer. All you need to do is eliminate these incorrect answers first and solve the right one. 

2. Understand Your Mistakes

Spending enough time to understand your mistakes and related causes can help you get a good score on the SAT exam. Missing content, lack of time management, misunderstanding your mistakes, and a negative mindset cause most errors. Therefore, students must fully understand their faults to address them and improve their scores. 

3. Purpose and Context Matter

Take a proper look at the purpose and context of the questions in your SAT exams. All questions have a positive or negative meaning, and this strategy helps you eliminate wrong choices. Consider understanding the context and concept of the question by finding the keywords like ‘analyze,’ ‘examine,’ and ‘evaluate,’ etc.

4. Find the Proof Questions

The latest SAT exam format requires you to select a passage text as proof for your answer. Therefore, it is advised to find these evidence-based questions that can help you avoid mistakes and clarify confusion.

5. Strategically Read Passages 

If your reading comprehension for the SAT is poor, then you can practice these practical techniques. For example, take a thorough look at the passage to get a sense of its main points. When you get to the main idea of the questions, you will know the passage's overall message.

6. Don't Avoid Passage Backgrounds

Each SAT passage starts with a brief background of the passage and the author. These introductions provide an overview of the entire passage. Skipping this introduction section will skip the easy points.

7. Get Interested in the Passages

Getting interested in the material of the reading SAT passages will help you retain the related information. This approach will make it much easier to recall the connected events of the passage.

Bottom Line

The SAT is an important exam that plays a significant part in the college admissions process of many students. To succeed in these exams, it is essential to start preparing as early as possible, avoid common mistakes that include time carelessness, incorrectly filling out the answers, ignoring keywords, or underestimating the math section, and not relying only on memorization. Online Platfrom likeMixt Academy tutors are skilled in many subjects, including math, reading, writing, and college admission test preparation. Students are connected with a SAT Math tutor or desired subject specialist who can help them with their specific needs and preparation for the upcoming exams. The SAT can be a challenging task for many students, and an expert online tutor supports students in customized sessions to ensure they are well prepared. 

FAQs

Why is the SAT important?

The SAT exam is among the most well-known college entrance exams in the U.S. Many students appear on the SAT to complete the application process for college admissions.

Why does achieving a perfect SAT score matter?

Achieving a perfect score on the SAT improves your chances of getting accepted into your desired college or university.

What is a perfect SAT score?

A perfect score is 1600 for the SAT exam, which is scored on a scale of 400 to 1600.

Is achieving a perfect score on the SAT possible?

Achieving a perfect score on the SAT exam is a challenging task. However, it is still manageable with the right approach for preparation, regular revision, and getting guidance from an expert online tutor can significantly improve your scores.

Why does starting early make a difference for the SAT exam?

Start preparing earlier, and give students more time to understand the structure and pattern of the exam. It helps you to strengthen the weaker areas of the preparation, and ultimately boosts their scores.