What is the SAT?

The SAT-I is one of the primary factors in admission to colleges and universities in the United States (and even to some in Canada). The SAT isa requirement for admissions consideration for the vast majority of American four-year colleges.

Why is the SAT important?

Colleges use a combination of high school grades, SAT scores, and extra-circular activities to make admission decisions. A good SAT score can distinguish and otherwise mediocre application, or a poor SAT score can raise questions about an otherwise strong application. The SAT therefore carries huge weight in determining where you will be accepted to college.

Gaining admission to US colleges and universities is becoming more and more difficult each year. A growing number of applicants has allowed schools to be more selective, thus forcing students to work harder to distinguish themselves from other students. Dedicated intensive SAT preparation courses have become the norm, although the quality and cost of these courses can vary greatly. Strong SAT scores and the quality preparation that leads to these scores are becoming increasingly important.

How is the test structured?

MATHEMATICS

5-answer Multiple Choice

1. How many prime numbers are positive integers less than 26?

(A)  23
(B)  11
(C)  10
(D)  9
(E)  1

2. 18 friends plan to rent a summer beach home at a cost of a dollars, towards which each friend will contribute equally.  If 3 of the friends decide not to participate in the rental, how much more will the remaining friends pay per person, in terms of a?

(A)

(B)
(C) 
(D)
(E)

3. Which of the following is the 21^st digit to the right of the decimal place in the decimal expression of ?

(A)  1

(B)  2

(C)  5

(D)  7

(E)  11

Student-Produced Responses

4. What is the value of ?

CRITICAL READING

Sentence Completion

1.  While Ms. Cho agreed that the politician’s act was unwise, she saw no reason to publicly ------- it.

(A) decry

(B) extol

(B) blaspheme

(D) emulate

(E) analyze

Critical Reading

Popular culture has traditionally obscured historical fact in its pursuit of entertainment that is acceptable to the masses.  Take for example the term “dinosaur”, which has been one of the most misinterpreted and obfuscated labels for a genre of creature.

2.   The author uses the example “dinosaur” in order to

(A) show how the media have intentionally altered the meaning of certain terms.

(B) demonstrate how the alteration and misuse of a term can have detrimental effects.

(C) illustrate a genre that is historically mis-defined.

(D) contend that even the most common terms have been misunderstood.

(E) suggest the source of the confusing and wrong terms used by the media.

WRITING

Error Identification

1. It is extremely possible that the transition

              (A)

of power to the new government, previously

                                                              (B)

planned for July 23^rd, would be postponed

                                          (C)

because of continued civil unrest. No error

     (D)                                                     (E)

2. The assistant principal investigating the

                                (A)

fight was less interested in who started the

fight than in why no facility member

           (B)

stepped in to stop them promptly.  No error

                                 (C)     (D)                  (E)

Improving Sentences

1.  Rushing to get to work on time, John’s dog was left in the car.

(A) John’s dog was left

(B) John’s dog was forgotten

(C) John’s dog being left

(D) the dog belonging to John was left

(E) John left his dog

Essay

Essay Prompt: Think critically about the topic presented in the quotation and the assignment below. 

 “I kept six honest serving men. They taught me all I knew. Their names are What and Why and When and How and Where and Who.”

~ Rudyard Kipling

Assignment: Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on the quotation given. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations

How is the SAT scored?

You will receive 3 scores after your SAT-I is graded: Math, Verbal, and Writing Skills, all on a scale of 200–800. The best possible score a student can recieve is 2400: a perfect score of 800 on each of the 3 sections of the test.

How Can You Best Prepare for the SAT and the College Application Process?

The SAT requires serious, dedicated preparation. In order to achieve your best score and receive your scores in time to meet application deadlines, you should leave yourself plenty of time to prepare for the test, find the right schools to apply to, and complete your applications.

Consider the following preparation schedule for a rising junior:

Preparing for the SAT may take a significant amount of time and energy (especially if you are scoring below the mean SAT score of 500 in each section).  You must prepare yourself mentally for the work this will involve and the time it will take.

• Consider prep courses, tutors, and self-study.
• Use 10 Real SAT’s

• Do as many high quality, simulated practice tests as possible.

Registration and Administration

Registration

When: The SAT is offered up to seven times per year: January, March, May, June, October, November, and December. The deadline to register is about 6 weeks before the test date.

How often:  The SAT can be taken as many times as desired but should only be taken 2 or 3 times, unless there is a good reason to take it more.

Score reporting:  All scores will be kept on record for five years.  When you request your scores be sent to an institution, the College Board will send all scores that are on record.

Contact Info:  Visit http://www.collegeboard.com/ or call 800 (609) 771-7600.

Administration

What’s needed

• Knowledge and confidence
• Identification

What’s allowed

• Calculators
• Pencils

What’s not allowed

• Scrap paper
• Dictionaries