How many times can I take the SAT?
I heard that schools only take my best SAT scores. Is this true?
How many times should I take the SAT?
How much does it cost to take the SAT and how do I register?
What's a good SAT score?
When should I start taking the SAT?
I heard that SAT prep courses are a waste of time, but I've also seen several companies that talk about average increases of 200-300 points. What's the truth?
What types of questions are on the SAT?
Do colleges look at anything else besides SAT scores?
My friend does worse than me in school but got a better SAT score than me without studying. How is that possible?
How long is the SAT?
When and where is the SAT offered?
How many times can I take the SAT?
While there is absolutely no limit to the number of times that you can take the SAT, more than 50% of students take the test multiple times, typically starting in their junior year of high school, and taking their final SAT in either the fall or winter of their senior year. Taking the test only once runs the risk that you didn't reach your own maximum score and still have room for improvement. In other words, what if you were able to boost your score by several hundred points on a future SAT test date through practice and preparation? Additionally, each week in school gives you more math, reading, and writing skills that can be used in conjunction with practice and preparation in order to boost your score.
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I heard that schools only take my best SAT scores. Is this true?
One common misconception that has been around for many years is the idea that schools will only see a student's highest scores, regardless of how many times he or she has taken the SAT. Unfortunately, this is simply untrue. SAT score reports are cumulative, listing scores from each and every administration of the SAT. While it's true that admissions officers can utilize score reports however they see fit, there is unfortunately no way to "hide" SAT scores from a particular date, so the best advice is to always put your best foot forward. Because you can take free practice SATs under the same timed testing conditions as the real thing, there's no need for you to you gamble with your future on a real SAT. Always prepare yourself fully for the real test by diagnosing your strengths and weaknesses ahead of time, then working to maximize your score over the course of weeks and months, if possible.
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How many times should I take the SAT?
There simply isn't any one "right" answer to this question. Most students begin taking the SAT sometime in their junior year of high school, after they've taken the PSAT. Armed with scores from the PSAT, many students begin their SAT preparation in earnest, and sign up for their first test shortly thereafter. Although every student is different, an example timeline for a student taking the test four times might be as follows then:
* PSAT: Fall of junior year (note: PSAT scores do not appear on official transcripts)
* First SAT: Winter of junior year (January or March, for example)
* Second SAT: Spring of junior year (April or May, for example)
* Third SAT: Fall of senior year (October, for example)
* Fourth and final SAT: Fall of senior year (November or December, for example)
Because each student has a different set of constraints, some plan to take the test only a few times, while others take the SAT three or more times. Regardless of how many times you plan to take the SAT, a sound piece of advice is to always practice and prepare prior to each time you take the test. Long before each SAT test date, try to learn from your past performance, diagnosing your strengths and weaknesses. If you did something well, keep it up! On the other hand, if there is room for improvement, try to close the gap through methodical preparation.
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How much does it cost to take the SAT and how do I register?
The basic registration fee for the SAT Reasoning Test is currently $43, although other fees may apply for additional services such as registration by phone, receiving scores by phone, international SAT registrations, or the question-and-answer service, just to name a few. Last year, the College Board granted fee waivers to more than 300,000 students as well, so don't be afraid to explore this option as well. Students can register online through the College Board website at www.collegeboard.com, by mail, or by phone (available only for students who have previously registered for other test dates).
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What's a good SAT score?
The answer to this question depends on many factors. What might be a "good" score for one student may be considered not so great for another. Each student has his or her own strengths, weaknesses, skills, and abilities, as well as unique choice of schools. You might choose to define your own definition of a "good" score based on a combination of your school choices as well as your past performance on either the SAT or PSAT. If you don't have any experience with either the SAT or PSAT, consider taking our practice test in order to get a baseline score. Then, research the average SAT scores for incoming freshman at some of the colleges and universities you might like to attend. Combining these pieces of data will help you define your own idea of a "good" score.
Just to put things in perspective though, for the class of 2007, out of nearly 1.5 million students, the average SAT scores were:
* Critical Reading: 502
* Mathematics: 515
* Writing: 494
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When should I start taking the SAT?
Because official SAT score reports include scores for ALL SATs that you've completed, and not just your highest or most recent scores, you should definitely consider this question very carefully. On one hand, you don't want to wait too long and not leave enough time to take the test more than once. What if, for example, you decide to only take the test one time, you don't do so well, but by then it's too late to take the SAT again due to college admissions deadlines? On the other hand, you also don't want to start too early. What if you decide to take the test long before you've been exposed to most of the relevant background topics in mathematics, reading, and writing, and end up doing poorly? You certainly don't want scores on your report that aren't representative of your true abilities.
The best approach lies somewhere in between these two extremes. Start late enough that you've been exposed to the relevant background information in school, but start early enough so that you can retake the test again (sometimes even more than once) if you don't reach your score goal. Many students wait until they've seen the score results from their junior-year PSAT before taking their first SAT, but keep in mind that everyone is different. Consider your own starting point, where you want to go, and your score goal, then put together a timeline that you're comfortable with. Try sharing it with your school counselor to see what he or she thinks, but always be sure to build in enough time between tests to receive your score results, then adjust your prep plan in order to boost your score incrementally.
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I heard that SAT prep courses are a waste of time, but I've also seen several companies that talk about average increases of 200-300 points. What's the truth?
While it's true that there is no shortage of companies out there which claim gigantic score increases for students who take their courses, it pays to be very cautious. It's certainly in the best interests of SAT preparation companies to quote huge average score increases by their students in order to give customers a sense of security. Some cite "independent" studies, while others cite their own evaluative measures. Several great unbiased points of reference do exist though, one of which is the College Board's own commissioned study, the results of which can be found here:
http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/highered/ra/sat/coaching.pdf.
"Typical" gains found for coached students on the pre-2005 version of the SAT were only about 8 points for SAT-verbal and 18 points for SAT-math, a far cry from the huge increases cited by many test prep companies.
Vocal critics of these results, which include major test prep companies, claim that the College Board itself is biased, pointing out that the College Board itself sells SAT prep products. If you don't trust the College Board though, thankfully the SAT is the most widely researched standardized admissions test, and many educators and statisticians have carefully examined the effects of SAT coaching, reporting their results in scientific journals for years. For example, here's a sampling of the findings of several published analyses of the effects of coaching on SAT scores:
* Becker (1990) estimated a 9-point gain on SAT-verbal and 16 points on the SAT-math in a comprehensive meta-analysis using studies with comparison groups
* DerSimonian and Laird (1983) showed average effects of 15-16 points for both verbal and math sections using studies with a comparison group
* Using controlled studies, Messick and Jungeblut (1981) estimated an average gain due to coaching of 14 points on SAT-verbal scores and 15 points on SAT-math
* Using several analytical models, Powers and Rock (1998) concluded that the average effect of coaching across all models was 8 points for SAT-verbal and 18 points for math
More recently, in 2004, Derek Briggs of the University of Colorado at Boulder found coaching effects only ranging from 3 to 20 points on the SAT-verbal and 10 to 28 points for the SAT-math. Here's a summary listing of these as well as several other published coaching studies on the SAT conducted by external researchers:
http://www.collegeboard.com/research/pdf/06-0487_CoachingStudies_9-21.pdf.
So, while it is technically possible that one of the SAT prep companies you've found does indeed have an average score increase of 100, 200, or even 300 points or more, it's entirely more likely that their claims are based on either biased, false, or faulty statistical measures. Obviously, what matters most to you is the end result. Therefore, regardless of how many testimonials they list, unless a company is willing to refund ALL of your money if you don't achieve their cited average gains, you might want to ask yourself how much they believe in their own statistics.
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What types of questions are on the SAT?
The SAT is comprised of ten separately timed sections which are geared toward assessing critical thinking and problem solving skills in three main areas: critical reading, mathematics, and writing. Three of the ten sections test critical reading (for a total testing time of 70 minutes), three sections test mathematics (total testing time: 70 minutes), three sections test writing (total testing time: 60 minutes), and one unscored "variable" or "equating" section tests any of the three main areas (25 minutes of testing time). This variable section does not count towards a student's score, but students are unable to tell which of the 10 sections this is. For example, on test-day, students will know whether they received an extra reading, math, or writing section, but they won't know which of the sections does not count, so they need to remain focused for the entire 3 hours and 45 minutes of testing time.
Overall, the test includes three question formats: multiple choice, student-produced responses or "grid-ins," and one essay.
| Content Area |
Types and # of Questions |
Total Number of Questions |
Section Type |
Length of Section |
| Writing |
Essay (1)
Improving Sentences (25)
Identifying Sentence Errors (18)
Improving Paragraphs (6) |
50 |
Writing:
Essay |
25 mins |
Writing:
Multiple-Choice |
25 mins |
Writing:
Multiple-Choice |
10 mins |
| Critical Reading |
Passage-Based Reading (48)
Sentence Completions (19) |
67 |
Critical Reading:
Multiple-Choice |
25 mins |
Critical Reading:
Multiple-Choice |
25 mins |
Critical Reading:
Multiple-Choice |
20 mins |
| Mathematics |
Numbers & Operations (11-13)
Algebra & Functions (19-21)
Geometry & Measurement (14-16)
Data Analysis, Statistics, & Probability (6-7) |
54 |
Math:
Multiple-Choice &
Student-Produced Response |
25 mins |
Math:
Multiple-Choice |
25 mins |
Math:
Multiple-Choice |
20 mins |
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Do colleges look at anything else besides SAT scores?
While SAT scores are certainly important in the college admissions process, many other factors are equally as important. For example, good grades, excellent recommendations, extracurricular activities, and a well-written admissions essay are just a few of the factors looked at by colleges. The truth of the matter though is that college admissions officers are looking for the most qualified applicants they can find, and to do so, they'll sift through as much information as they have available. So, while grades are important, colleges will also look at the courses you chose to take, whether your grades improved during high school, and even whether your senior year grades dropped. Similarly, being involved in extracurricular activities is important, but colleges also look at the level of your dedication to the particular cause or activity, examining whether you held or aspired to leadership roles. Essentially, the process is such that admissions officers are trying to piece together a snapshot of who you are and what you're capable of based largely on a paper trail. Your job should be to try and represent yourself, your potential, and your abilities as accurately as possible. For each piece of the admissions puzzle, be sure to put your best foot forward.
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My friend does worse than me in school but got a better SAT score than me without studying. How is that possible?
To answer this question, it's useful to explore the history of the SAT itself, and examine the historical debate over whether the SAT measures "aptitude," "achievement," or something entirely different. When the SAT was first administered to a group of high school students in 1926, it was called the Scholastic Aptitude Test, the word "aptitude" being used to signify that the test measured some amount of innate ability, as opposed to knowledge obtained through schooling. This acronym made quite a bit of sense, as the original test was adapted from the very first mass-administered U.S. Army IQ test, the "Army Alpha." Later, in 1933, Harvard decided to use the SAT to evaluate candidates for a new scholarship program for academically gifted boys. Their intent was to draw students from public schools as opposed to the usual northeastern boarding schools that regularly supplied Harvard's students, and the SAT was desirable as it seemed to measure pure intelligence, regardless of the quality of the test taker's high school education. By the end of the 1930's, the SAT was used as a scholarship test for all Ivy League schools, and, in 1944, an adapted version called the Army-Navy College Qualifying Test was administered to more than 300,000 high school seniors on the same day, proving that standardized multiple-choice tests could indeed be administered to massive groups of students. This paved the way for the creation of the Educational Testing Service (ETS) by the College Board in 1948, and by 1957 more than half a million students were taking the SAT for college admissions purposes. While the College Board administers the SAT, the Educational Testing Service develops, publishes, and scores the test.
Although the SAT has gone through many changes since 1926, its name remained the Scholastic Aptitude Test until 1990, when it was changed to the Scholastic Assessment Test, perhaps an underlining of the claim by the College Board that the test evaluates critical thinking and problem-solving skills while still effectively measuring what's going on in classrooms. In 1994 though, seemingly in an attempt to sidestep the debate over what exactly the SAT measures, the name was simply changed to SAT, with its letters no longer bearing any significance. You might see the SAT currently being referred to as the SAT Reasoning Test, which is now the preferred nomenclature used by the College Board. The official stance of the College Board is that the SAT has always been a test of "developed reasoning and thinking skills."
Now back to our original question of how someone could outscore you without studying very much. Armed with some of the SAT history, you might begin to see how the answer to the question is wrapped up in what the SAT actually measures. Some argue that the SAT tests IQ, others say it tests mastery of classroom concepts, while still others insist that it simply measures how good you are at working your way through the peculiarities of the SAT itself, with little connection to either IQ or classroom learning. Assuming that the truth lies somewhere in the middle of these extremes, conceivably someone with worse grades could do better than you on the test with less preparation for many reasons. So while you might have a better GPA in school and perform better than someone else in the classroom, it's conceivable that they might have developed a different style of problem-solving throughout the same course of high school studies that is actually more beneficial on the artificial environment of the SAT. How can you do well both in school and on the SAT then? By diagnosing your strengths and weaknesses on the SAT, and then working diligently to prepare yourself for both the structure and peculiarities of the test, not leaving anything to chance.
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How long is the SAT?
The SAT takes three hours and 45 minutes, and is comprised of 10 separately timed sections. In terms of order, the first section is always the essay, the last section is always a writing section, and everything in between can appear in any order.
| Section Type |
Length of Section |
| Writing: Essay |
25 mins |
| Writing: Multiple-Choice |
25 mins |
| Writing: Multiple-Choice |
10 mins |
| Critical Reading: Multiple-Choice |
25 mins |
| Critical Reading: Multiple-Choice |
25 mins |
| Critical Reading: Multiple-Choice |
20 mins |
| Math: Multiple-Choice & Student-Produced Response |
25 mins |
| Math: Multiple-Choice |
25 mins |
| Math: Multiple-Choice |
20 mins |
| Unscored Section: Multiple-Choice |
25 mins |
During the test, you'll be given three breaks: two five-minute breaks and a one-minute stretch break. By the way, it is allowed to consume snacks and drinks during the two five-minute breaks, so be sure to plan ahead.
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When and where is the SAT offered?
The SAT Reasoning Test is typically offered seven times per school year, beginning on either the first or second Saturday in October. Below are SAT test dates for the 2007-2008 school year:
| Test Date |
Regular Registration Deadline
(U.S. Only) |
Late Registration Deadline
(U.S. Only, Fee Applies) |
| October 6, 2007 |
September 10, 2007 |
September 14, 2007 |
| November 3, 2007 |
October 2, 2007 |
October 11, 2007 |
| December 1, 2007 |
October 30, 2007 |
November 8, 2007 |
| January 26, 2008 |
December 26, 2007 |
January 4, 2007 |
| March 1, 2008 |
January 29, 2007 |
February 7, 2008 |
| May 3, 2008 |
April 1, 2008 |
April 10, 2008 |
| June 7, 2008 |
May 6, 2008 |
May 15, 2008 |
The test is typically offered at a variety of test centers such as local high schools and universities. Online registrants receive immediate confirmation of their test center choice, while mail registrants are required to list their first and second choice test centers.
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