1. Introducing the SAT

2. What is the SAT?
The SAT is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States.
Developed in 1901
First stood for Scholastic Achievement Test
Changed in 1941 to Scholastic Aptitude Test
Changed in 1994 to just SAT – Doesn’t stand for anything

3. Myths about the SAT Take SAT on (so-and-so) date Re-testing looks bad
Studies prove this is not true
Re-testing looks bad
Colleges do not consider re-testers any worse than non-re-testers
SAT doesn’t matter anyway
Required for most college admissions

4. Facts about SAT Administered seven times per year
Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, March, May, June
Perfect score on SAT is 1600
Consist of 2 scored sections:
Evidence-Based Reading and Writing – 800
65-minute Reading section
35-minute Writing section
Math – 800
55-minute section with calculator
25-minute section without calculator
Essay is optional and scored separately

5. Why take the SAT?
Some students are required by their high school and state
Most colleges require the SAT for admission
Many employers are requiring SAT scores for employment since the SAT measures your ability to reason
Allows college students to skip intro classes
It’s much easier and less knowledge-based than the ACT

6. Improving your SAT score
Enroll in SAT course, buy prep material, spend time taking practice test
Bag the easy points – Easy questions are worth the same amount as hard questions
Answer the questions you know first then work the harder ones

7. What to expect on test day
Get a good nights sleep before and eat breakfast
Bring two forms of ID, pencils, calculators, a watch for timing that does not beep
Things NOT to bring:
Scratch paper
Things that make noise
Headphones
MP3 players
Remember that cell phones will not be allowed during testing time