Top SAT Preparation Tips: Check Section-wise SAT Prep Tips

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Aishwarya Bhatnagar

Aishwarya BhatnagarStudy Abroad Expert

Updated on Dec 18, 2024 18:18 IST

There are two ways students prepare for SAT exam - Self-Study or Coaching Classes. Both options have their own benefits and they are equally good with quantifiable benefits. SAT preparation tips that will help you in preparing for the SAT exam 2024 include starting early, studying with official SAT practice on Khan Academy, taking at least one full-length practice test on Bluebook, and paying attention to your high school classes. All these methods are free and you can follow them for better practice. We have mentioned the best ways with which you do your SAT preparation effectively along with some SAT preparation strategies that can be followed in this article.

sat exam preparation

Q:   How can students prepare to get a good SAT score?

A:

An average SAT score is around 1000. Check what is your target score and try to achieve that. Although anything above 1200 is considered a good SAT score. The maximum anyone can score on the SAT is the perfect score of 1600. Learn more about what a good SAT Score here. Preparation should be based on a specific strategy and focusing on the weak points and strengthening them first and then moving on to the strong points. 

Q:   What is the best SAT prep app?

A:

Best SAT prep apps are follows:

  • Daily Practice developed by the College Board
  • Free mocks before main day on Bluebook app
  • Khan Academy SAT created by the College Board and Khan Academy together
  • Vocab Genius to prepare for the critical reading section
  • Ready4 SAT

All these apps can be used for free. 

Q:   How to prepare for SAT for free?

A:

Free SAT prep sources:

  • Collegeboard.org
  • The Princeton Review
  • Kaplan
  • McGraw-Hill
  • Test Prep Review

SAT Preparation Tips - Latest Pattern Based

Follow the below-mentioned SAT preparation tips after understanding the SAT exam 2025 pattern thoroughly. With the following tips, applicants should be able to crack the SAT exam with the right strategies.

1. Start early to Prepare for the SAT

It's the early bird that catches the worm. Thus, planning always helps! So, when in high school, it is better to start preparing for the SAT. Begin with understanding the SAT syllabus and while managing your studies, you need to take the SAT preparation. Select the SAT date by giving yourself an abundance of time to prepare for the test. Take at least 2 to 3 months to prepare for the test. As you start early, you will have the time to learn the concepts practice them and make a strategy. After learning the concepts you'll gain confidence while going into the test.

2. Make a study plan for the SAT Exam

Decide when you are going to take the SAT. Build a study plan and follow it rigorously. It will help you manage your time well before the test. Watch instructional videos and allocate specific time for practice. Work more on your weak areas set targets and try to achieve them. Make sure your target is aligned with the colleges that you want to apply to.

3. Prepare with Official SAT Practice from Khan Academy

It is always best to prepare for the SAT by using the official resources crafted by the makers of the SAT. College Board has partnered with Khan Academy for SAT preparation which is available for students for free. The Official SAT Practice includes the official SAT study resources. Khan Academy has created a study plan based on the latest Digital SAT exam pattern, your past scores, and the upcoming test date. You should prepare for at least 6 - 20 hours for your first SAT. After this take at least one full-length practice test on Bluebook. After completing this, you'll know about your weak areas and can focus on them more.

4. Pay more attention to details in class for SAT prep

Since 2016, SAT has been more aligned with classroom learning. So, it is imperative to pay attention in your class and learn the concepts wholeheartedly. If you think, you need to revisit some of the areas then spend more time on them. Catch hold of some of the important resources and work out your plan according to your weaknesses. Ask as many questions as possible in class and ensure that you are conceptually sound and have no queries whatsoever before attempting the SAT exam. Also, focus on building your SAT vocabulary for RW section

5. SAT Practice Tests to Crack SAT at Once 

The key to success is to try, try and try harder. This is only possible if students preparing for the SAT exam can get a lot of practice before going in for the main exam day. SAT practice tests are essential for SAT preparation. Through SAT practice tests, one understands the strengths and areas of weakness. If there is sufficient time in hand, the weaknesses can also be conquered. Thus, for individuals, it is highly important to get ahold of sample SAT papers and make the best use of them. 

6. Inculcate Regular Reading Habits

This is an important aspect of SAT exam preparation, where students have to regularly read to increase their reading speed and increase their vocabulary so that they can answer the questions in the Reading and Writing section of the SAT easily. The students will also build confidence because conversational skills will also improve when they read regularly. Their communication while studying abroad will be a cakewalk. 

7. Manage Your Time Well

To ace the SATs, applicants should know how to time themselves well. For each section and each type of question, applicants should time themselves. They should check how much time are they taking to answer the questions. Based on the timing, applicants will get practice in attempting each question and not leaving any unanswered questions. Plus, it will help them understand how to utilise time to go back to unanswered questions, if any. Thus, managing time well is an asset to ace the SAT exam in one go. Check out the Powerful Time Management Strategies for Students.

8. Targeted Practice

Focus on weak areas identified through practice tests and use resources like Skills InsightTM for tailored SAT exam practice. Through this approach, applicants can ensure that their study time is optimized and that they're not wasting much effort on topics they have already understood well. 

9. Avoid Answer Choice Patterns

Questions have varied answer distributions, so use the eliminator tool instead of relying on patterns of previous SAT exam mocks. 

Thus, by following these 8  SAT prep tips, applicants can ace the exam, score well and build up their soft skills with knowledge.

Q:   How many hours of study are required to prepare for SAT?

A:

Usually, candidates need to study for 2 hours daily for at least 4 months. If you study for more hours then you may cover the syllabus in less time and vice versa. Also, it can vary from individual to individual as some students can understand the basics in less time whereas some can take a little more. Those who have less confidence in certain topics may take more time for preparation in comparison to preparation for other topics on SAT. 

Q:   How can I start preparing for SAT?

A:

Follow these steps to prepare yourself for SAT exam:

  • Make yourself familiar with the SAT test format
  • Work on his reading skills
  • Use free test prep available online
  • Make a proper study plan
  • After completing the syllabus give practice tests

Q:   How to prepare for SAT to crack in one go?

A:

There are just five broad steps to prepare for SAT and be able to crack it in just one go with minimum effort, check them out below:

  • Step 1: Understand the SAT exam pattern
  • Step 2: Gather study material offline and online
  • Step 3: Make a proper study plan
  • Step 4: Work on your strategy
  • Step 5: Take timely practice tests

These steps can help applicants prepare for the exam in a very systematic manner and will help them clear the exam as well.

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SAT Preparation Timeline 2025

The following is the SAT Digital preparation timeline for prospective students, who are still wondering how and when to do what before appearing for the newest SAT Digital exam in 2025:

sat prep timeline

This is just to give an idea to students as to how to go about registering on Bluebook, then attempting a mock and when to download their admission ticket for the SAT Digital Exam to be conducted in 2025.








SAT Preparation Strategy 2025

Since the SAT exam is divided into two broad areas of testing - Reading + Writing & Math sections, students registering for SAT in 2025 will have to devise their SAT preparation strategy in such a manner that they cover both areas with conceptual clarity and are able to get enough practice before finally attempting the SAT exam. The SAT preparation strategy can be devised based on each section. There are just a couple of important preparation tips which can help students ace their SAT exam in just one go. check out the following SAT section-wise preparation strategies and tips to be able to crack the exam. 

SAT Preparation Tips for Reading and Writing Section

This section includes reading and writing areas together and tests around 54 questions in the MCQ format. This section covers areas of Craft & Structure, Information & Ideas, Standard English Conventions and Expression of Ideas. Check out the following SAT RW Section preparation tips to ace the SAT exam:

  • Read the passage carefully to find answers
  • Use reasoning to support your conclusions from the passage
  • Make sure that your answer should be from the passage only
  • Use your time wisely and try to answer the maximum number of questions from one passage and then move to another one
  • Stress facts, ideas, details, and points of view from the passage
  • Passages can of two types one where there will be errors that you need to identify after reading and one where you need to understand the idea or theme of the passage
  • As the time is limited you can answer questions as you read the passage, maybe you won't get time to go through the whole passage completely
  • You can read the first question and then read the first para to find an answer to it
  • Read the question carefully and try to understand what is required to answer it
  • Every question is designed in such a way that it tests your grammar, word choice, and sentence structure

Read: SAT preparation tips: Reading section

SAT Preparation 2025 Tips for Maths Section 

While the Math section of SAT is the second area which includes a total of 44 questions, where 33 are MCQ-based and the other 11 require students to produce an answer themselves without choosing from options. SAT Math comprises three sections Algebra and functions, Geometry Statistics, and Probability and Data analysis. In Maths, there will be two parts, test takers are allowed to use a calculator in both modules. Check out the SAT Math section preparation tips: 

  • Candidates need to work on their speed and accuracy for the Math section.
  • Pick up the best book for maths SAT preparation and solve as many questions as possible.
  • The math section measures skills in solving problems with efficiency and accurately
  • Candidates need to learn the math concepts, rules, and relations At times, it is better to find the wrong answers rather than the correct answer, this may help in saving your time
  • Candidates should know formulas as the section includes questions related to graphs, linear equations, or analyzing a solution
  • As there is no negative marking on the SAT, so, try to answer as many questions as you can

These above-given SAT prep tips can prove useful for those who are dedicated to their preparation for SAT and want to take one thing at a time and be able to master their preparation. It is not always necessary to go section-wise to prepare for the SAT, rather, students who find that their weak points in specific areas, can start from there as well. The overall point is to have SAT preparation strategy and stick to it no matter what. 







Q:   Can I crack SAT by preparing without coaching?

A:

Yes, it is very much possible to crack SAT exam in one go, with a god score and without coaching. All the student needs to do is, begin his/her preparation timely, check SAT syllabus and have it handy at all times, dedicate a certain number of hours of study each day, begin preparing section-wise or based on weak areas and most importantly practice as much as possible. 

Q:   Is it hard to prepare for SAT for Indian students?

A:

This is a very generalised question and there is no answer to such questions. SAT is designed in such a manner that international students are able to attempt this exam for abroad university admission to undergrad courses. The SAT syllabus is common and applies to all international students. Thus, there is no yes or no answer to the question if it is hard to prepare for SAT as an Indian student. 

Q:   Is SAT preparation easy for Indian high school students?

A:

The preparation of SAT exam solely depends on the applicants and how they have the SAT syllabus covered while they were in high school. The ease of SAT exam preparation depends on the applicants solely. For those who have even one SAT exam section covered, they can still take some more time to take up the next section of SAT and prepare. The preparation of SAT exam is easy for those applicants also who are good at Mathematics and English language. 

SAT exam preparation will also be based on the applicant's previous knowledge. The applicants who are preparing for SAT exam will have to take into consideration that they also have to take up mock tests, which will further prove beneficial in cracking the exam. The SAT exam preparation can be eased off by following these five tips:

  1. Make a schedule and make a plan. Weak topics must be picked up first followed by the those topics which the applicant is confident about.
  2. Decide how much time needs to be given to each topic and how much time will it take to complete the entire syllabus.
  3. After the prep time is allocated, make some room for practicing on the SAT mocks.
  4. Also some time must be dedicated to revision, and coming back to those topics where the applicant lost marks in the mock test. 

Upon following these steps, the applicants will be able to ease their SAT exam preparation. 

SAT Top Preparation Books 2025

Many candidates prefer self-study to prepare for the SAT test. With the best books and resources for SAT, you can prepare for the SAT exam on your own. Apart from this, there is online study material for SAT prep is also available which is helpful in preparing for the SAT. Some of the books that can be helpful in covering SAT preparation are as follows:

SAT Reading & Writing Section Best Books:

  • Classical novels, literature, and unabridged books can be helpful in cracking the reading section.
  • Reading is always essential because when attempting SAT RW section, will increase your speed of reading one, and two, and you'll be able to understand the context of the passages wth ease.
  • The Critical Reader: The Complete Guide to SAT Reading, 3rd Edition 

SAT Math Section Best Books:

  • High school textbooks for conceptual clarity.
  • 500 New SAT Math Problems by Dr Steve Warner's
  • 800 Math Workbook New Edition by Dr Jang's SAT

Apart from the above-mentioned resources, students can look for more resources and prepare for the SAT exam based on their previous knowledge and the kind of time they have in hand. 

Still, have more doubts about the SAT? Go through the most frequently asked questions about the SAT preparation FAQs given below for prospective students.

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SAT Preparation 2025 FAQs

Q. I found common options as answer while preparing for SAT. How far is it feasible?

A. No, there is no common answer on the SAT. Each answer choice whether A, B, C, or D are evenly distributed, so, guessing a particular choice (e.g. option B) for most questions will not be the right approach. Even while preparing for SAT exam, students may have come across a couple of questions which may have a common option as answer but this rule may not apply at all times, especially for the main exam day. So please avoid falling into such traps and prepare for SAT based on will and academics. 

Q. How to prepare your child for SAT?

A. Follow these steps to prepare your child for SAT exam:

  • Make him familiar with the SAT test format
  • Tell him to work on his reading skills
  • Use free test prep available online
  • Make a proper study plan
  • After completing the syllabus give practice tests

Q. How to make SAT prep a fun activity?

A. Plan your study time to prepare for SAT exam in such a way that it doesn't seem to be a learning exercise rather it should be a fun activity.

  • Start reading for fun and not just as an exercise every night before sleeping.
  • Play word games to build a strong vocab for this you can read non-fiction books or solve crosswords in newspapers.
  • Watch educational videos regularly.
  • Pick up one topic everyday and discuss amongst yourselves while each member puts in some ideas, at the end there will be enough knowledge on the topic.

Q. Is it easy to prepare for SAT exam in a month?

A. Preparation for SAT in a month may be possible for some but may be a herculean task for others. The previous knowledge is key to preparing for SAT. If the student has a strong background in any of the two sections of SAT or in both sections of SAT, they can easily prepare for SAT in a month because they just have to brush up their skills. However, others not falling in any of these categories will have to buy more time to prepare for SAT exam.

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Comments

(1348)

Hello Ma'am, so these are the queries which are rising up:- •What are the admission steps required for SAT examination from an Indian student. •Can we actually choose our center for the specific test •how will we know where and at which place will the test be conducted at.

Reply to Anadishree Singh

A

Aishwarya BhatnagarStudy Abroad Expert

5 days ago

Hello Anadishree! For SAT registrations, check out - https://www.shiksha.com/studyabroad/exams/sat/how-to-register and understand the steps for registration. While registering you will be given an option to choose the area where you reside and you will be prompted with the number of SAT centres avai

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M

Mahi

a month ago

what is portion of an sat exam and what are books required to prepared for it if you are india in 11 grade

Reply to Mahi

A

Aishwarya BhatnagarStudy Abroad Expert

5 days ago

Hello Mahi! If you are in class XI you can begin preparing for SAT exam, by first understanding the SAT exam's pattern and syllabus. You can then pick up books relevant to SAT exam topics that are tested and begin your preparation for the exam. You can check out the details on our page for all the a

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H

Hrishi Gupta

3 months ago

Hello mam, Here's a query rising that, if a I pass my sat exams after my high school completed, will it be too late for applying in a foreign university .I mean is there any time period applying for university . Moreover will u recount me a good platform preparing for my sat exams .

Reply to Hrishi Gupta

A

Aishwarya BhatnagarStudy Abroad Expert

2 months ago

Hello Hrishi! In case you take your SATs after completing your high school, you can still submit your admission application, without SAT exam scores. A window opens for universities abroad to submit scores within that period, and you can update your SAT scores or score reports can be sent officially

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I

Ishika Sonthalia

5 months ago

What if I pass sat in 11? Like what am I suppose to do now? Clear 12 then register for college with my 11 sat marks?

Reply to Ishika Sonthalia

H

Hrishi Gupta

3 months ago

If you are ready then u can contact me from my instagram account- hogwart_sorting . thank you

H

Hrishi Gupta

3 months ago

Hey Ishika, Hrishi here; I'm preparing for my sat too but I need a little bit of help about preparation, if u don't mind will you help me for my preparetion too, I mean if we will work as a classmate then it will be helpful for both of us.

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K

Kareena Bwaniwal

6 months ago

1)Are SAT & SAT subject test both different? 2) Is it compulsory to attempt both sat & sat subject test? Can you please give information about it?

Reply to Kareena Bwaniwal

A

Aishwarya BhatnagarStudy Abroad Expert

5 months ago

Hello Kareena! SAT Subject Tests have been discontinued for Indian students. Thus, you only have to register for the SAT exam.