Different countries have their own curriculums and assessments in their high schools. Due to this universities needed a common unbiased way to evaluate a student’s college readiness. This is where the Global Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT exam) comes in to even out the disparity.

Getting an  A1 education from top universities abroad, learning from prominent teachers, being surrounded by diverse classmates from different cultures, feeling confident and empowered in oneself, and making college buddies worldwide is the big dream that Rishi has. 

Now, the question arises, How will he achieve this all together? Can he even do this?

The answer is, yes! It is possible to do all of this and more with a good SAT score.

Oh, we forgot to introduce Rishi to you! 

Just like you, Rishi is a high school student and wants to pursue his graduation from prestigious and reputed universities abroad. Now you know, before applying for any exam, it’s crucial to understand why that exam is conducted and who conducts it. 

So to know all about the SAT, Rishi started his research and gathered the following information from online resources.

What is the SAT Exam?

The SAT is the test to evaluate critical thinking and problem-solving abilities along with reading and writing skills to get admission to undergraduate courses. The test score provides the international colleges with a common evaluation parameter to compare all the candidates.

The exam is administered by the College Board, a non-profit organization. All Rishi has to do is to create an account on the official website of the College Board and register himself for his preferred exam date before the deadline.

Why should Rishi take the SAT?

1. The key reason being that the SAT test score is essential for his entry to colleges in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and 80+ other countries across the globe.
2. Apart from admissions, his SAT score may help him avail good scholarships and financial aid. 
3. One test score opens doors to multiple streams such as engineering, liberal arts, law, business management, journalism, psychology, and more.
4. The SAT is conducted four times a year, giving him flexibility and a good time to prepare.
5. Moderate difficulty level with no negative markings and manageable time constraints.

This is exactly what he dreams for. So now he digs deeper into the details of the test, such as test eligibility, syllabus, and pattern, along with recent updates. 

Eligibility for the SAT Test?

He found out that there were no eligibility criteria. Any individual in his house or his neighborhood, if willing, can appear for the exam. Quietly fascinating. Isn’t it?

However, test takers are mostly students aged 17–22 who are aspiring to study abroad for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees.

What’s the SAT Test Pattern?

The SAT test has three sections: the reading section, the writing and language section, and the math section. Rishi has one more option, i.e., to write an essay, which is optional. The College Board will soon update the new pattern for the Digital SAT from 2023. 

The current SAT test pattern is given below.

Sections	Number of questions	Time	Score Range
Reading Test	52	65 Minutes	200-800
The Writing and Language Test	44	35 Minutes
Math Test (No Calculator)	20	25 Minutes	200-800
Math Test (Calculator)	38	55 Minutes
Essay (Optional)	1	50 Minutes	2 to 8
Total (excluding the essay)	154 Questions	180 Minutes	400-1600

SAT Test Syllabus to prepare for the exam

The SAT exam has 3 tests: the reading test, the writing and language test, and the math test. The syllabus is designed specially to test critical thinking and problem-solving abilities along with command on the language. 

Below are the syllabus and preparation topics:

SAT English-Critical Reading

This section comprises five passages of different lengths, based on which there are 48 questions and around 19 sentence completion questions. During the preparation, Rishi needs to focus majorly on the following topics:

1. Reading and Understanding Passages: Order and Test, Rhetoric, Synthesis

2. Improving Vocabulary-Words in Context.

SAT English Language and Writing

This section has four passages with 10–11 questions each, of the type: find the mistake, rephrase the highlighted sentence, and rewrite the entire passage. But Rishi’s major focus during the preparation needs to be on the following topics:

1. Grammar Practice-Standard English Conventions

2. Essay Writing (Optional)-Expressing the Idea

SAT Mathematics

It contains 58 questions spread across various foundations of mathematics, such as Algebra, Statistics, Geometry, Arithmetic, Probability, Data Interpretation, and Problem Solving. Focus during preparation should be on the following topics:

1. Basic Mathematics—Number Properties, Roots and Exponents, Ratio and Proportion, Fractions, Sets, Percentage.

2. Geometry: Coordinate Geometry, Functions, and Graphs

3. Advanced Algebra: Functions, Radicals and Exponentials, Simultaneous Equations, Inequalities.

Guide to SAT Exam syllabus and How Ritesh can prepare for it?
Section	Question Type	Focus
SAT English- Reading	Passage-based questions, sentence completions	Reading and Understanding Passages   Improving Vocabulary
SAT English- Writing and Language	Multiple choice-based questions	Grammar Practice Essay Writing (Optional)
SAT Math	Multiple voice questions and Numerical answer questions	Basic Mathematics Geometry  Advanced Algebra.

SAT Exam Updates 2022 that Rishi needs to be aware of

Now, it’s time for him to get the exam updates from the official website. The College Board has announced that the SAT test will now be conducted in an online mode from March 2023 for international students. Earlier (effective till Dec.22), the test used to be in the pencil-paper mode.

If he’s appearing for an exam in 2023, then it’ll be conducted digitally, and if he has to give it this year only, then it’ll be pen and paper. On the official website, he found some major changes for the SAT test.    

Here’s the list:

• The SAT test will be conducted at test centers on PCs or tablets with a proctor present (not at home)
• The SAT test will be shorter—about 2 hours instead of 3.5 hours
• There will be shortened reading passages instead of a few long texts
• Built-in calculators will be allowed for the entire Math Section
• It is easier to give and is more relevant
• Results will be declared in days instead of months

To register for the SAT 2022, Rishi needs to follow these steps.

Step I: Create an account on the College Board's official website.

Step II-Register when the links open before the deadline

Step III: And, the final step is payment.

If Rishi is an international student, then the registration fee is $60 plus the regional fee (ranging between $0 and $50). If he belongs to India, then it’ll be 8000/-to 9000/-.

Students in 11th and 12th grades with poor financial backgrounds can also apply for SAT exam fee waivers. Rishi can check here to see if he qualifies for a fee waiver.

What are the upcoming SAT Exam Dates? 

SAT Exam Date	Last date to Register	Registration Links
5th November 2022	7th October 2022	Register
3rd December 2022	3rd November 2022	Register
11th March 2023	10th February 2023	Register Later
6th May 2023	7th April 2023	Register Later
3rd June 2023	4th May 2023	Register Later

The SAT score that Rishi should score

The score range of the SAT Exam is 400–1600, which means:

• The minimum he needs to score is 400
• The maximum he can score is 1600

Different colleges have different average score ranges for admissions. It is usually advised for Rishi to set a target score, either based on the average score of his dream college or based on the merit he can get in the selection process. The average score of all the test takers is around 1060 out of 1600. Anything above that will get him into mediocre but respectable colleges.

SAT Score Type	SAT Score Range	Remarks
The Best Score	1400 - 1600	This will put you in the top 10%
The Competitive Score	1200 - 1400	This will put you in the top 25%, but is a highly competitive place for admissions
The Above Average Score	1070 - 1190	This will put you in top 50%, but won't be advantageous when applying to highly competitive programs
Below Average Score	400 - 1050	Maybe enough to get you into a wide variety of undergraduate programs, but will be below average

When will the SAT test results be available?

SAT score results are declared around 2-4 weeks after the test date. Once the results are out, the College Board starts sending the scores to the colleges that students have selected (if any).

 Rishi’s score report will have the following scores in it:

1. Total Score: This is the total score out of 1600.
   Score Percentile: This tells you what percentage of students who took the test did better or worse than you.

2. Score Range: This refers to the range of scores you might have gotten if you took the SAT multiple times on different days.

3. The section-wise scores are first evidence-based reading and writing and second math. The reading test, writing test, and language test are combined into one.

Along with these are three more score details: test scores, cross-test scores, and subscores.

5. Scores on three tests: reading, writing, and language, as well as a math test.
    

6. Cross-Test Scores: This test contains analysis in science and history/social studies. The questions for this score are taken from all the sections.
    

7. It provides information about the score on specific types of SAT questions:

• The Command of Evidence
• Words in Context
• expresses ideas
• Conventions of Standard English
• Algebra's Heart
• Problem Solving
• Advance Math

Is the SAT exam for you as well? 

Yes, it is! Like Rishi, if you also want to study abroad then the SAT exam is a way to accomplish your dream. Worldwide, nearly 3 million students take the test to realize their dream of studying at Ivy League colleges. Many avail scholarships and also get high-paying jobs and internships with their SAT test scores.

How to Prepare for the SAT?

With the SAT moving online, students need to get comfortable with the online mode by practicing more and more. Rishi has already started and made himself comfortable with Digital SAT. Here's how:

• Collegify flagship test-prep platform, with 10,00+ questions, 250+ video lessons, 20+ mock tests, and 400+ thematic worksheets, was sufficient as he want to study by himself. Collegify portal also provided Rishi with granular insights into his strengths and weaknesses, as well as his weekly progress—studying smartly rather than studying a lot.
• Along with that, for students who need SAT tutoring, Collegify also offers 8 weeks of live instruction and reviews, through pint-sized batches and interactive classes. Collegify’s tutors go that extra mile a student needs to get their desired score.
• Collegify believes in affordable and accessible tutoring. Money shouldn’t be an obstacle to achieving your dreams. No pesky marketing calls or predatory upselling!
• Collegify does not burden the students with excessive tutoring simply for the sake of their bottom line.Make Collegify your partner in self-study and achieve your dreams to study abroad.

Explore more about our SAT offerings here.