Introduction to the SAT

SAT Score- just one factor colleges look at • Also look at – Academic record (grades) – Involvement in school activities – Application essay – Letters of recommendation

When do I take the SAT?

• • • Students usually take the SAT once in the spring of their junior year Again in the fall of their senior year Sat.collegeboard.org/register

How is the Test Organized?

• • • 3 sections – Critical Reading – Writing – Math Eight Types of Questions in Each Section 3hrs and 45 minutes total

How is the SAT Scored?

• Multiple choice questions: – One point for each question answered correctly – For each question answered incorrectly, ¼ point is subtracted from the total number of correct answers – No points added or subtracted for unanswered questions

Ready4College Website Content • • How much time does the whole SAT take?

How much are you penalized if you get a multiple-choice question wrong?

How is the SAT Scored?

• • • Student-produced response questions in the mathematics section: – Nothing is subtracted for wrong answers The Essay: receives a score of 2 to 12. Must be

legible (or you could get a 0!)

Score Range for each section: 200-800

Pop Quiz • • What is the score range for each section of the SAT?

The SAT has 3 sections, so what is the highest score you can earn for the whole test?

Critical Reading Section • • • • 19 sentence completion questions 48 Passage-based reading questions 67 questions total 70 minutes total (two 25-minutes sections and one 20-minute section

The Writing Section • • • • • • 18 Identifying Sentence errors questions 25 improving sentences questions 6 improving paragraphs questions 1 Essay Total Questions: 49 + Essay 60 minutes total (one 25-minute essay, one 25-minute multiple-choice section, and one 10-minute multiple-choice section)

The Mathematics Section • • • • 44 Multiple Choice Questions 10 Student-produced response (grid-ins) 54 total questions 70 minutes total (two 25-minute sections and one 20-minute section) • Table 1.1 – Page 5

Ready4College Website Content • • • How many sections does the SAT have?

What are those sections?

What do we know about each section?

How do I study for the SAT?

• • • • • • • Come to this class, Saturday practice sessions, and… The Official SAT Study Guide – Take home and practice on your own!

The College Board Official SAT Question of the Day Book Owners’ Area: www.collegeboard.org/SATstudyguide Enter your answers online PSAT – Oakland Tech in October – Take Junior year Ask Counselor

Strategies during the test • • -Read and think carefully Use your test booklet – Mark each question that you don’t answer so you can easily find it again – Draw a line through each choice as you eliminate it (POE) – Mark sections, sentences, or words in reading passages – Check your answer sheet regularly to make sure you are in the right place!

More Strategies • • • • Skip questions that are hard and return to them later Answer the easy ones first If you are not 100% sure, but you can eliminate one answer choice, then make an educated guess Example 1, 2 and 3: Page 16-17

Other Strategies • • • • Think Positively Stay Focused Concentrate on your own progress Keep the Test in Perspective!

Ready4College Website Content • • What are some helpful strategies to use during the SAT? Page 14-19