1. SAT Exam April 5, 2017 Ottawa Township High School
**Students should report to their assigned rooms by 7:55 am. Student assignments will be posted outside room 203.
8:00 – 8:10 Attendance & distribution of materials
8:10 – 8:40 Test pre-administration
8:40 – 9:45 Reading Test (Test 1)
9:45 – 9:55 Required 10 minute break
9:55 – 10:30 Writing & Language Test (Test 2)
10:30 – 10:55 Math Test- NO CALCULATOR (Test 3)
10:55 –11:00 Required 5 minute break
11:00 – 11:55 Math Test- CALCULATOR (Test 4)
11:55 –11:57 Required 2 minute break
11:57 –12:47 Essay (Test 5)
12:47 – 12:57 Collection and verification of test materials
1:00 Dismissal
1:15 Buses Depart .

2. SAT Administration Timing
The SAT consists of 4 sections plus the essay (Reading, Writing & Language, Math and Essay) .
Schools should plan for approximately 5 hours of testing including pre- administration, testing and break times. Total actual testing time of the SAT with essay is 3 hours and 50 minutes.
Exam Sections and Breaks
SAT with Essay (in minutes)
Pre-admin Time 30
Reading 65
Break 10
Writing and Language 35
Math (no calculator) 25 5
Math (with calculator) 55 2
Book collection/ Essay distribution 15
Essay 50
Total (hours, minutes)
4h, 52m
Read the bullets from the slide.
As you can see from the chart we have identified the actual test components of the SAT in White with Breaks/Administration Activities/Book Collection in Blue. 2

4. SAT TEST PREP
SAT ONLINE Any information regarding SAT registration and testing can be found on SAT’s student website at The following are different SAT test prep options offered through their website:
More Practice Tests: SAT offers a link to 6 more free practice tests through Khan Academy and College Bound students receive a personalized practice program tailored to individual needs, thousands of videos, and constant feedback at
Daily Practice for the New SAT App: SAT offers a free practice app where students can receive an SAT question of the day sent to them that are real SAT questions and get instant scores on practice tests taken to learn of areas they need to improve. app?&affiliateId=aru%7Csat-practice-%28landing-page%29&bannerId=
 Khan Academy – Official SAT Practice
Free resources: Diagnostic quizzes, review, tips and strategies, timed mini-sections, how-to example videos, and full tests.
 PrepScholar NEW SAT
Free Online EBooks for SAT prep: SAT prep blog, 200 free vocab words, access to practice tests at
 Majortests.com
Practice Tests: Majortests.com offer free practice tests in four subject areas of the SAT. Students receive score reports and explanations for the questions they get wrong.

5. New SAT-ACT Concordance Table
1600 36
1250 26
900 17
1590 35
1240
890 16
1580
1230 25
880
1570
1220
870
1560
1210
860
1550 34
1200
850 15
1540
1190 24
840
1530
1180
830
1520
1170
820
1510 33
1160
810
1500
1150 23
800 14
1490
1140
790
1480 32
1130
780
1470
1120 22
770
1460
1110
760
1450
1100
750 13
1440 31
1090 21
740
1430
1080
730
1420
1070
720
1410 30
1060
710 12
1400
1050 20
700
1390
1040
690
1380 29
1030
680
1370
1020
670
1360
1010 19
660
1350
1000
650
1340 28
990
640
1330
980
630
1320
970 18
620 11
1310
960
610
1300 27
950
600
1290
940
590
1280
930
580
1270
920
570
1260
910
560

6. Test Taking Strategies
Preparing For Test Day
Get a Good Nights Sleep and Eat Breakfast! (long day)
Be On Time!!
Dress Comfortably
Know what to expect – Know/Read the directions before test!
Bring With You Your Photo ID
Bring With You a #2 Pencil and Calculator
NO CELL PHONES
NO MECHANICAL PENCILS

7. Know the directions and answer sheet ahead of time
On the day that you take the SAT test, the directions for each test will not be read to you. It is important to know them in advance – it will save you time and worry. The directions DO NOT change!
For example, the Reading, Math with out Calculator and Math with Calculator Tests of the SAT Assessment ask for the “best” answer while the Writing and Language test asks that you “choose the answer that most effectively improves the quality”. It is important to understand what you are looking for! You will find directions for each test on-line at the websites provided in your packet.
Before you take the SAT test, become familiar with the answer sheet as well. Knowing in advance how to use the answer sheet will save you time and worry when you take the actual test.

9. Read Carefully and Thoroughly.
Take the time to read each question carefully and thoroughly before deciding on your answer. Make sure you understand exactly what the question asks and what you are to do to answer it. You may want to underline or circle key words in the test booklet. Re-read the item if you are confused.
Read all the answer choices before selecting one. Questions on the SAT test often include answer choices that seem plausible but are not correct. Even though the first answer choice may appeal to you, the correct or best answer may be farther down the list.
Don’t make careless mistakes. Whenever possible, use common sense to check your answers. Also be mindful that you do not leave questions unanswered. If you skip a question, circle so that you can go back and answer later. You may even want to guess, circle the question, go back should you have time.

10. Pace Yourself
Set your speed limit and keep moving. Don’t spend too much time puzzling out hard questions that you lose the time to find and answer the easier ones. Work on less time-consuming questions before moving on the more time-consuming ones. Be sure to mark the unanswered questions and come back later.
You do not have to read the directions as long as you know them in advance. Get to the first question right away. You should save every valuable minute for the questions.
Keep track of time during testing. You should develop the habit of occasionally checking your progress through the test, so that you know when you are one-fourth or half of the way through the time allotted for a section, and when you have 5 minutes left.
Don’t forget to bring a watch to test day!

11. Answer Easier Questions First, and Harder Questions Later
Work quickly through an entire individual test answering only those questions you are confident you have the right answer for the first time and skipping the harder questions. Then go back and work more slowly through the questions you found difficult at first. This way, you have the satisfaction of moving along quickly, accomplishing a lot in a short period of time. When you return to a tough question, you may have remembered something important in the meantime. You can be sure you’ll get to all the questions you can answer easily before you run out of time.
Remember, if you’re marking your answer sheet at the same time that you’re answering the questions, you have to be very careful about where you’re marking your answers on your answer sheet. If you skip a question on your test, be sure to skip the question on your answer sheet too. You’ll probably want to put a check or a star by each of these questions in your test booklet – not on your answer sheet – so that you can find them easily later on, when you’re ready to return to them.

12. Check Your Answer Sheet Regularly
Losing your place on the answer sheet can be a major problem that will severely affect your scores. This happens too many times to students. To prevent this, check the number of the question and the number on the answer sheet every few questions. Check them carefully every time you skip a question. It would be sad if you could answer the questions correctly but didn’t’ fill in your answers in the right places.

13. Develop a Strategy for Guessing
On the SAT test, your raw score is based on the number of questions you get right – there is NO deduction for wrong answers. Because you’re not penalized for guessing on the SAT it is to your advantage to answer all the questions.
When you come to a question that stumps you, see if you can eliminate at least a couple of the choices. If you still aren’t sure about the answer, take your best guess.
Guessing is not guesswork. (Guess if you are running out of time)!
There is no penalty for guessing on the SAT. Even if you have no idea about a question, you still have a 20-25% chance of getting it right. Your score will not be worse if you guess, it will be better if you guess correctly!
(The process of elimination IS valuable)
The following shows your chance of guessing a question right: If you eliminate this many choices: 0 = 25%, 1 = 33%, 2 – 50%, 3 – 100% chance of getting it correct. However, if you accidentally eliminate the right answer or go on a hunch for an incorrect answer, your chances drop dramatically: to 0%. By guessing among all the answer choices, you are GUARANTEED to have a shot at the right answer.

14. The 5-minute Warning
Use this time to check your work if you have finished
the exam. Do not go back or look ahead on any other test.
If you have not finished the exam, fill in the remaining
ovals!
Example: if you have 5 questions left, pick one
column and fill in all the ovals for that column.
Then go back to where you left off and try to
answer the questions one by one.
This way you have made sure that you have left
no question unanswered which can only help your overall score.

15. Benefits of Taking the SAT
FREE – The SAT costs $45, so that is a huge savings to you. Take advantage of that opportunity!
Opens doors to College! It is accepted by colleges and universities in Illinois and nationwide.
Results can be used at IVCC to replace their placement exams required for taking dual credit courses and for admission in the fall, 2018.
Prepares Students with Free Practice on Khan Academy for students who will want to re-test senior year.
To understand your strengths and weaknesses as well as taking advantage of SAT’s career exploration, BIGFuture.collegeboard.com