When Should You Start Studying for SAT?
SAT
SAT Exam Preparation depends on your weaknesses and strengths in different subjects. Students must know the SAT Exam Pattern and the required score to get to a good university. For new candidates, when should I start studying for the SAT? This is a common question. Students preparing for the SAT are usually confused about how much preparation is required for the SAT and when they should start it.
When to take SAT exam?
Given the college application timeline, you should try to take your first SAT exam in Sept-Oct of the eleventh class. This way, if you are not happy with the score and want a better score, you can retake the SAT in April-May or after your eleventh final exams. If you get a good score on the first attempt, it means your twelfth class will be completely free for the college application process. If you require a score improvement of up to 100 points then studying for a month will help you with the target SAT score. Check out - How to Score 1600 on SAT?
How to Prepare for SAT?
To prepare for SAT exam applicants must be thorough with the SAT exam syllabus and also understand all major details about the recent SAT exam pattern. After understanding the weak and strong areas, begin preparation. It is always advisable to begin preparation with weak topics first and then move on to strong areas of preparation. Once the topics are complete, applicants must practice SAT previous papers and check for their understanding and knowledge, this will in turn help them in assessing their preparedness.
Predict your IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE in just 4 steps!
Also check out: Top 10 SAT Accepting Colleges in USA
When to Prepare for SAT?
Before starting the preparation for the SAT exam, candidates are required to get a suitable study approach. It is important to understand the method of studying, know their target SAT score, SAT preparation materials, and hours of study.
- Applicants should make up their minds if they wish to study abroad after class XII. Once they do, they should ideally begin their SAT preparation as early as possible.
- For SAT, applicants will have to choose between an intense study schedule which requires 10 hours per week for two months or a gradual study schedule where they study for a couple of hours a week for at least six months.
- It is also advised that applicants appear for the PSAT so that they can understand how much they need to prepare for their SAT exam and when should they ideally begin their SAT preparation.
- Applicants in high school can hone their SAT syllabus for Reading and Maths sections. This way they can keep a check on their academics and prepare for SAT side by side.
So choosing either of the plans depends on your study style and the time available. Apart from this, candidates also want to know what is a good SAT Score.
Also Read
- Best Books and Resources for SAT
- Taking SAT Practice Tests: Tips and Resources
- Exam Day Tips for SAT
How to choose the length and intensity of SAT study plan
Your study goals completely depend on your college goals. If you’re aiming at a state university, there will be less pressure on you to score high than if you aim at Ivy League universities like Harvard or MIT.
Use the three plans below for different universities to help you figure out the best SAT study plan.
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SAT Study Plan for Ivy League Universities
Are you looking to get into top universities in the world? In universities like Stanford, MIT, etc. getting a high score on SAT becomes important. You should take the PSAT* in the tenth class to see how you are doing on the SAT prep. You should also take the full SAT practice test as well. Once you have a starting score without preparation, decide your study pace. Your target SAT score should be higher than 1300.
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SAT Study Plan for top-tier Universities
These universities admit around half of the applicants. These universities are tough to get into but not as competitive as the Ivy League. Research online the SAT score ranges for your target universities. Set your SAT score target based on those numbers. Once you have your base score after taking the full practice SAT and your target score figure out your study plan.
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SAT Study Plan for less selective universities
Less selective universities are those that admit more than half of the applicants. This is the case with usually large public universities or small colleges. Your SAT score is important but isn’t required to be very high. Look up the average SAT score ranges at the target universities and set your target score based on that range. If you get a 1600 score on SAT practice test, it means you have to improve by 100 points. You could either pack this into four weeks during summer or spread it over a couple of months.
SAT Preparation 2024 Tips
We recommend you follow these steps.
- Take the PSAT or SAT practice test at the beginning of the eleventh class to get a starting score.
- Figure out the target SAT score based on the average SAT score at the most competitive school on the list of shortlisted colleges.
- Start either studying during the eleventh class or the beginning of the twelfth class. The intensity of your studies will vary by what kind of colleges you want to get into, and your starting score.
- Take SAT in Sept-Oct.
*Students should contact their school to check if they administer the PSAT. PSAT is administered in October, and you should register by mid-September.
Related articles about SAT exam:
- New SAT could be more difficult for international students: The Princeton Review AVP
- Best Books and Resources for SAT
When to Start Preparing for SAT Exam FAQs
Q. Is one month enough to study for SAT?
A. Studying for the SAT Exam in a month is possible, though it's recommended that you spend 10 to 20 hours per week over the course of two or three months prepping for the SAT.
Q Can I get a 1500 score on the SAT?
A. Achieving a 1500+ score on the SAT is not an impossible task, but it will require a better study plan and a complete understanding of the exam SAT Exam Pattern and its scores are broken down.
Q. How many hours should I study for the SAT a day?
A. It is recommended you spend around 6–20 hours preparing for your first SAT. Give yourself enough time to take at least one full-length practice test and give yourself time to review the concepts you're struggling with.
Q. What happens if I retake the SAT and get a lower score?
A. After retaking the exam it is your choice, which scores, you want to send and even if you sent all of your scores, many colleges will only consider your highest one. So even if you were to get a lower score the second time, it would not matter.
Q. How long do I need to study to crack the SAT?
A. You must study consistently at least for 3 months. It totally depends on your strengths and weaknesses. You can also check the SAT preparation to understand more about the examination.
Q: Is SAT easy for Indian students?
Q: Can Indian students prepare SAT exam syllabus at home without tuitions?
Yes, it is possible to prepare for SAT syllabus at home nd without any tuitions. Since SAT syllabus is huge, there's a lot of SAT prep material available online through which you can study and prepare on your own. However, this is not everyone's cup of tea, so, it is better to understand the SAT format and then decide whether you need coaching to clear SAT or not. Tips to prepare for SAT syllabus at home are as follows:
- Be thorough with the SAT syllabus
- Work on your grammar
- Start reading non-fiction apart from the school text
- Work on your vocabulary
- Work on mental math
- Practice and practice
- Understand your weak points and work on them
- Attempt mocks
Q: How many times can you take the SAT exam?
As in the case of the SAT, there are no restrictions set by the College Board, students can take the SAT exam as many times as they want. SAT is administered seven times a year in India. The test is usually conducted in March, May, June, August, October, November and December.
However, it is recommended that applicants appear for SAT twice - in Spring and one before Fall. This is because the highest SAT scores among the two will be considered by universities for admission. Since in a lot of cases, SAT scores improve in the second time, it is recommended to take the SAT exam twice.
Q: How to prepare for UK 10th board exam 2025?
Those who are preparing for the UK Class 10 exam 2025 are recommended to follow the tips below.
- Know the exam pattern
- Make a proper time table as per the syllabus
- Solve previous year question papers
- Make short notes of important formulas and theorems
- Revise regularly
- Figure out weaker areas and learn them well
With proper planning and hard work, students can easily clear the UK 10th board exam.
Q: How many times can I take SAT exam?
As such there are no limits to take the SAT exam, or prescribed by College Board as such. The applicants can take SAT exam as many times as they wish to. Usually, as per College Board, the applicants take SAT exam once or twice before app;ying for admissions, the reason being that colleges pick the highest score from either of the two attempts. Since SAT is conducted seven times a year, applicants can choose their preferred dates for taking the SAT once or for the second time as well.
Q: What is the best SAT prep app?
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 can I get admission in the University of Manchester?
The application process at the University of Manchester may vary depending on the course and level of study. However, here is the application process for UG and PG courses:
The Undergraduate Application Process:
Step 1: You can apply through the UCAS common application portal.
Step 2: Go to the website and select the course you are interested in.
Step 3: Ensure you meet the Entry requirements (Academic qualifications, English proficiency, etc.
Step 4: Once you decide on the course, submit documents such as SOP, Transcripts and personal statements.
Check out: tips to improve your SOP.
Step 5: You can track the application's progress through your given credentials by UCAS.
Step 6: Once the applicant submits the application to UCAS, it forwards to the University, and the admission teams carefully analyse the application document.
Step 7: The university will send you an offer letter once selected. Hence keep checking your UCAS portal for your application status.
The Postgraduate application process:
Step 1: Select the postgraduate course you are interested in from the University of Manchester.\
Step 2: Ensure you meet the entry requirements for the chosen program, as they vary depending on the course.
Step 3: Complete the online application by providing your personal information.
Step 4: Upload the required documents, such as Academic transcripts and proof of English language proficiency ( TOEFL/ IELTS). experience in your fields and references (depending on the course). You also may require Two LORs depending on the course.
To make your admission better, check out the following: How Admission Officers Evaluate your application.
Step 5: If your application is successful, you will receive an offer from the University of Manchester.
Q: What rank is Wolverhampton University in UK?
The University of Wolverhampton is one of the best universities in the United Kingdom. The university is consistently ranked among the best universities nationally and globally. For nearly 200 years, the University of Wolverhampton has been consistently providing a quality of education to students and producing highly skilled graduates. The national rankings of the University of Wolverhampton are given below:
| Ranking Body | Ranking |
|---|---|
| The Guardian University Guide 2024 | #101 |
| The Complete University Guide 2024 | #117 |
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Comments
(28)
P
3 years ago
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3 years ago
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3 years ago
Hi Heena, please refer to the below URL and check out the eligibility criteria of the list of universities offering Bachelor in Psychology abroad: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/bsc-in-abroad-dc111843
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3 years ago
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3 years ago
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3 years ago
Hi Suman, please go through the below link and learn how to prepare for the SAT test: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/exams/sat/sat-preparation-tips
For Indian students SAT may or may not be difficult, totally depends on the applicant and his or her preparation. Since SAT exam is designed for high school students based on their previous knowledge it shouldn't be difficult for Indian students on the whole. There may be a difference in subject combinations in senior secondary school level which may directly affect the student's performance in SAT, for example those who opted for non-Maths subjects may be disadvantaged for the Maths section. Thus, the base is the same for SAT exam sections for Indian students based on their high school. So, they would not have a lot have major difficulties in preparing for the exam.