SAT - The First Step in College Admission

Sakshi Education

The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is a globally recognized college admission test that lets you show colleges what you know and how well you can apply that knowledge. It tests your knowledge of reading, writing and math — subjects that are taught every day in high school classrooms. Most students take the SAT during their junior or senior year of high school, and almost all colleges and universities use the SAT to make admission decisions.

Taking the SAT is the first step in finding the right college for you — the place where you can further develop your skills and pursue your passions. But SAT scores are just one of many factors that colleges consider when making their admission decisions. High school grades are also very important. In fact, the combination of high school grades and SAT scores is the best predictor of your academic success in college.

What does SAT Test?
The SAT doesn’t test logic or abstract reasoning. It tests the skills you’re learning in school: reading, writing and math. Your knowledge and skills in these subjects are important for success in college and throughout your life.

The critical reading section includes reading passages and sentence completions.
The writing section includes a short essay and multiple-choice questions on identifying errors and improving grammar and usage.
The mathematics section includes questions on arithmetic operations, algebra, geometry, statistics and probability.

Reading section (200-800 points): 70 Minutes - One 20-minute section & Two 25-minute sections
- 48 Passage-based reading Tests your comprehension of what is stated in or implied by the passage.
- 19 Sentence completion questions Tests your vocabulary and your understanding of sentence structure.
Writing section (200-800 points): 60 Minutes - One 10-minute section Two 25-minute sections
- Improving Sentences Tests your ability to correct faults in usage and sentence structure, and recognize effective sentences that follow the conventions of Standard Written English.
- 18 Identifying sentence errors Tests your ability to recognize faults in usage, and recognize effective sentences that follow the conventions of Standard Written English.
- 6 Improving Paragraphs Tests your ability to revise sentences in the context of a paragraph or the entire essay, organize and develop paragraphs in a coherent and logical manner, and apply the conventions of Standard Written English.
- 1 Essay - The SAT begins with an essay. You will be asked to present and support a point of view on a specific issue. Because you have only 25 minutes, your essay is not expected to be polished - it is meant to be a first draft
- Math section (200-800 points): 70 Minutes - One 20-minute section & Two 25-minute sections
- 44 Multiple choice. You're asked to solve a problem and pick the best choice offered.
- 10 Student-produced responses. You are not given answer choices. You must solve the problem and "grid in" your answers.

Every SAT question goes through a very careful review process before making it into your exam booklet. Each question that you see has been:

Reviewed by a team of experts, including math and English teachers, to make sure that it reflects what most college-bound students are learning in school.
Thoroughly tested to make sure that it is fair for students of all backgrounds and ethnicities.

Questions that don’t make it through these steps will never show up on an actual exam.

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