Day of the Exam
Study Tips and Tricks
Reading Strategies
Math Strategies
General
100

What should you do on the morning of the SAT?

Eat a good breakfast!

It's easier to think and concentrate when you're not hungry

100

Should you write on your test booklet?

Yes, write all over it! Cross out answers, write in the margins, and make notes. 

Nothing written in the booklet will be graded (graders won't even see it), but writing your thought process down can save time and improve your score!

100

What is the main grammar issue during the reading portion of the SAT?

The wording of a sentence!

100

In math, what should you learn to work without?

A calculator

100

How many sections are in the SAT?

3: Reading, Writing, Math

200

What should you do the night before the SAT?

Go to sleep early!
Do NOT stay up late studying.

200

What is the two-pass approach?

1st Pass: answer all the questions you can, skip the ones you can't

2nd Pass: revisit skipped questions, focus on the ones you think you have the best chance of getting right.

200

Should you answer the questions while you're reading the passage or after?

Answer the questions as you read the passage to save time!

200

Do not put mixed numbers (e.g. 1 and 3/4)! Instead use _______

Decimals (1.123) or Improper Fractions (7/4)

200

How long does the SAT take?

3 hours

300

What should you NOT do the day before the test?

Cram.
Some lightweight studying is okay, but don't stay up late -- you'll just get stressed out.

300

How often should you be studying for the SAT?

Try to aim for ~2-3 hours per week!

300

What part of the reading should you NEVER skip?

The passage introduction!

This introductory blurb contains valuable information, and if you skip it, you could miss out on easy points.

300

What do you do with repeated decimals (e.g. 0.4444) using a grid answer?

In the grid, you would put as many decimal values that are allowed.

300

Where will the SAT be taken?

The Auxiliary Gym

400

What should you do if you come across a question you don't know how to answer?

Skip it and move on to the next problem, you can always revisit it later.

400

NOT a trick question: how many right answers are there for a multiple-choice question?

Just one!

400

Which types of reading questions should you save for last?

General questions! 

For many of the passages, the very first question will ask a general question about the main idea or purpose of the passage, the narrative point of view, or a shift that occurs through the passage. 

Those general questions are not good to do first because you haven’t read the entire passage yet. Save this for after you’ve done most of the other questions when you'll have a better idea of the overall themes of the text.

400

There are no _____ numbers in the student-produced response math section.

Negative

400

What time is the SAT?

8 am

500

What should you do if you finish your test early?

Double-check your answers!

500

How do you build test-taking confidence?

Practice as much as you can, practice consistently, and develop a plan/strategy for taking the test.

500

What types of questions can you use to your advantage?

Evidence questions! These questions ask you to choose an excerpt from the passage that serves as the best evidence for your answer to the previous question.

In almost every case, it will be very easy to see which choice is correct because only that one will have direct evidence hidden in one of the answer choices.

500

The first part of the SAT math section consists of non-calculator questions, so what should you do to save time?

Try to save most of your time for the calculator questions and word problems that show up later in the test!

500

What day is the SAT?

Wednesday, March 23rd