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Sylvan has the answers to your SAT* questions.

Save $100 now on Sylvan's SAT or ACT prep courses.

With college right around the corner, we know you have a lot on your mind. Turn to Sylvan's college test prep experts for the answers, advice, techniques, and strategies you need to improve your SAT score. Have a question that's not answered here? Contact us today! 

What is the SAT Reasoning Test?
What is a good score on the SAT Reasoning Test?
What score do I need to get into my first choice college?
How many times can/should I take the SAT Reasoning Test?
When is the best time to take the SAT Reasoning Test?
Is the SAT Reasoning Test easier on some dates?
How do I sign up for extended time on the SAT Reasoning Test?
Should I cancel my scores if I think I bombed?
How do I register for the SAT Reasoning test?
When will I get my scores?
Do I get a copy of my test with my scores?
What are the SAT Subject Tests? Do I need to take them?
How does the PSAT differ from the SAT Reasoning Test?

 

What is the SAT Reasoning Test?

The SAT Reasoning Test is a three hour and 45 minute (not including breaks) standardized test that is broken into 10 sections: seven 25-minute sections, two 20-minute sections and one 10-minute section.

What is a good score on the SAT Reasoning Test?

There is no such thing as a good score or a bad score on the SAT (or a passing or failing score). Every score needs to be judged versus how it compares to your GPA and to the median scores of students accepted by the colleges that you want to attend.

What score do I need to get into my first choice college?

To get an idea of how your score stacks up, take a look at the median scores of some popular colleges. Remember, however, that these aren't cut-offs or guarantees. Just because your score is higher than a school's median does not guarantee that you will get in, and it doesn't mean that you won't have a chance if your score is lower than the median.

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How many times can/should I take the SAT Reasoning Test?

You can take the SAT as many times as you like, but you probably should plan on taking it no more than two or three times. (Let's face it, you have better things to do with your life than SAT test preparation forever.) Many students and parents fear that colleges will frown on multiple scores, but almost all schools now consider students' highest scores when evaluating them for admission. Some schools take the highest combined score (the sum of the math and verbal sections) from a single sitting, while other schools take students' highest math score from any test date and combine it with their highest verbal score from any test date. In neither case is repeating the SAT detrimental.

When is the best time to take the SAT Reasoning Test?

Thinking of an overall test preparation schedule is more effective than thinking about a single "best" test date. Most students applying to competitive colleges now take the SAT Reasoning Test more than once. A typical schedule involves taking the PSAT in October of the junior year (some schools also have their students take it as sophomores), and then taking the SAT Reasoning Test in March or May of the junior year. This allows a student to take the SAT Subject Tests in June of the junior year (perfect timing for subjects that you will not be studying over the summer), and still keeps the fall test dates open to repeat the SAT Reasoning Test. Take a look at the schedule of upcoming test dates.

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Is the SAT Reasoning Test easier on some dates?

No. This is a popular misconception probably arising from the fact that the SAT is a scaled test. Some students believe that it's better to take the SAT when lower scoring students take the exam so that the scaling is more favorable. This is completely false. The SAT is scaled so that scores from any test date are comparable. Although there is inevitably some minor variation in the difficulty of questions from test to test, this is adjusted in the scaling. It is true, however, that an individual student may find one test significantly harder than another. The words used or the math involved may simply have been harder for that particular student. This is one of the reasons why Sylvan's test preparation experts recommend taking the SAT more than once.

How do I sign up for extended time on the SAT Reasoning Test?

If you have a documented physical or learning disability and normally receive extra time on your tests in school, then you are eligible to get extra time on the SAT as well. If you have a physical or learning disability and feel that you need extra time on the SAT but you do NOT normally receive extra time in school, then you must request an exception. In either case, there are a number of steps that you and/or your parents must take. It is a good idea to get started early by finding out who your school's Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities is and consulting with him.

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Should I cancel my scores if I think I bombed?

Probably not. If you got sick halfway through the exam and couldn't finish, then canceling your scores might make sense. Otherwise, Sylvan finds that students are notoriously bad at judging their performance on the exam. Students who are convinced they got everything right, for example, may have missed all of the traps on the hard problems and thought that things were easier than they really were. On the other hand, students that come away feeling like they missed "everything" may be focusing too much on a few problems that tripped them up. Since almost all colleges will evaluate your application based upon your highest SAT scores, it almost never makes sense to void your scores.

How do I register for the SAT Reasoning Test?

You can complete the registration application by mail, or you can do it online at collegeboard.com. Your school guidance counselor or college counseling department should have current copies of the SAT Registration Bulletin. The bulletin has detailed information on registration fees and procedures as well as the current testing dates and deadlines. If you have taken the SAT before, you can re-register by phone at 1-800-SAT-SCORE (1-800-728-7267).

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When will I get my scores?

About two weeks after you take the test, your scores will be available online for free or by phone for an additional fee (1-800-SAT-SCORE). About three weeks after your test, score reports will be mailed to you and the colleges that you have designated.

Do I get a copy of my test with my scores?

You can get a copy only if you request one and pay for it. Then you can get it only for certain test dates. The Question-and-Answer Service for the SAT Reasoning Test is available only on certain test dates. If you sign up for any of these test dates, Sylvan strongly recommends getting the Question-and-Answer Service. You'll receive a copy of your exam about six weeks after your test date, and it can be useful in helping you assess what you did right and wrong. For any other test date, or for the SAT Subject Tests, there is no way to obtain a copy of your exam.

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What are the SAT Subject Tests? Do I need to take them?

The SAT Subject Tests are an additional group of standardized tests that some of the most competitive colleges require of their students for admission. Unlike the more general SAT Reasoning Test, the SAT Subject Tests evaluate your knowledge in a variety of subject areas.

How does the PSAT differ from the SAT Reasoning Test?

The PSAT was designed to be a warm-up for the SAT, but it has taken on an importance of its own because of its use by the National Merit program. Both the PSAT and SAT have a writing section; however, despite the name of the section, there is no writing involved on the PSAT — it is actually a multiple-choice grammar test, including word choice and usage, sentence errors and paragraph improvements. Eligibility for the National Merit program is determined by the Selection Index, which is the sum of a student's score on the math, critical reading and writing skills sections.

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