Successfully passing college entrance exams is an important milestone for high school students bound for college. These exams mean more than acceptance to college; they can also lead to valuable scholarships to help defray the cost of higher education. For many students, the Scholastic Assessment Test, or SAT, is the entrance exam they need to pass before applying to colleges and universities.
Subjects Covered on the SAT Exam
According to The College Board, the SAT exam is 3 hours and 45 minutes long, and it tests three categories: math, critical reading, and writing. Each category is graded on a scale from 200 to 800 points, with a maximum possible score of 2400. There is also a 25-minute unscored section of the exam used to try new questions for future editions of the SAT exam. These questions are not included in the student’s final score.
The writing portion of the exam includes multiple choice questions and a short essay written by the student. The multiple choice questions test one’s ability to identify sentence errors and to improve sentences and paragraphs. The essay requires a more comprehensive application of writing competence. Exam graders will score the essay on a scale of 1 to 6, based on the examinee’s ability to organize, express, and support ideas, as well as sentence structure and word choice.
For the mathematics section of the SAT exam, students are permitted to use a calculator. The College Board recommends a scientific or graphing calculator, although they claim the questions can be solved without a calculator. The format for mathematics questions includes both fill-in questions, where no answer choices are given, and multiple choice questions. Mathematical subject matter on the exam includes probability and statistics, data analysis, geometry, number and operations, algebra, and functions.
Critical reading is the third major section of the SAT test. This section of the exam includes both long and short reading passages. Questions are based on one or two passages at a time and are designed to test reading comprehension and critical thinking skills. Sentence completion questions are also included.
SAT Study Methods
Students could “wing it” and hope for the best, but this approach is generally not recommended. Even for students with strong skills in the tested subject areas, focused preparation can potentially enhance their performance on the exam. A higher score may mean the difference between acceptance at a first choice school and having to settle for a second or third choice instead.
Taking several practice SAT exams prior to the live test date can help students reduce anxiety and become familiar with the question formats. As the creators of the SAT exam, The College Board has a free SAT Preparation Center™ on their website to help students prepare. This resource includes an SAT practice test to help students identify which sections of the exam may require additional study and preparation.
SAT Prep Courses
In addition to the free SAT prep resources available from The College Board, several other exam preparation resources are available for a fee. Some of the better known SAT prep courses are provided by Kaplan Publishing, The Princeton Review, and College Board’s “The Official SAT Online Course™.” Preparation formats range from private in-home tutoring to classroom settings and online self-study.
Kaplan provides a broad range of tutoring formats, including tutoring with a personal instructor, group classes, and online practice exams. Prices for private tutoring range from $2,599 US for 20 hours to $3,799 for 32 hours. Small group tutoring costs $1,449 and instructor-led training in a classroom setting is available for $499. Kaplan’s online self-study course costs $399.
The Princeton Review offers a similar menu of tutoring formats as Kaplan, albeit with a heftier price tag for instructor-led preparation. Private tutoring from Princeton can cost from $2,400 to as much as $6,000 for 24 hours. Classroom and small group tutoring is available from $399 to $1,800. Princeton also has an express online course available for only $85.
Although The College Board does not offer instructor-led courses, their SAT study resources are much easier on the wallet. The Official SAT Online Course™ is available for only $69.95 and includes 10 official practice tests. They also sell a book, The Official SAT Study Guide™, which includes test taking tips and SAT practice tests. Finally, there is the Official SAT Question of the Day™ calendar for those taking a long-range approach to SAT preparation.
When the SAT exam date finally rolls around, thousands of high school students will enter testing locations with fingers crossed for good luck. As the Roman philosopher Seneca is famous for saying, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Investing several hours and some money into an SAT prep course can help students put opportunity and preparation onto a collision course leading to an outstanding college education.
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