SAT

The College Board's SAT Program consists of the SAT Reasoning Test (SAT) and SAT Subject Tests. According to College Board, the SAT Reasoning Test is designed to measure students' "critical thinking skills.” It is a general test of verbal and quantitative reasoning required for admission to undergraduate programs of most universities in the US. SAT is conducted 6 to 7 times a year.

The test measures skills in three areas: critical reading, math, and writing. Most of the questions are multiple choices; however students are also required to write a 25-minute essay. Preparing for the test involves becoming comfortable with the test format and question types, having knowledge of effective test taking strategies, practicing the right kinds of test taking exercises, and studying the categories of material covered on the test. The SAT consists of seven sections: 3 verbal sections, 3 math sections, 1 experimental section.

The SAT results contain three different scores: Total score - 400-1600, Verbal section - 200-800, Mathematics section - 200-800. Most universities consider a score of above 1300 to be good. A score of above 1400 would be considered “very good,” above 1500 would be considered “excellent.”

Test Format

Critical Reading - 70 minutes
Writing - 60 minutes
Mathematics - 70 minutes
There are two versions of the SAT test. The SAT I is the called the Reasoning Test and is designed to evaluate your mathematical and verbal skills. It consists mostly of multiple-choice questions. The questions in the math sections cover arithmetic, algebra, and geometry, as well as logical reasoning, probability and counting. The questions in the verbal sections fall into the following categories:

• Analogies – These questions test your knowledge of the meanings of words and your ability to see relationships in pairs of words. 
• Sentence completions – These questions test you knowledge of the meanings of words and your ability to understand how different elements in a sentence fit together logically. 
• Critical reading – These questions measure your ability to read a passage and think about it.

The SAT II, on the other hand, contains 22 separate tests called Subject Tests. Each subject test covers a specific area such as world history, Spanish, or chemistry. These tests are designed to determine your level of knowledge in each area and your ability to apply that knowledge to answer questions. If the school you are applying to requires the SAT II, you will generally be able to choose which subject test(s) you would like to take. You can take up to three subject tests in one day. However, you cannot take the SAT I and the SAT II on the same day. For more information on the SAT tests, including registration and preparation information, visit www.collegeboard.com.