The College Board is the governing body that conducts the exam each year. It is an American organization that works in the nonprofit sector. It was established in 1899 by the name of the College Entrance Examination Board to expand the options of universities and colleges for undergraduate students. Over 6000 educational institutions are full-time members of the Board. The headquarters of the College Board is located in New York City and is chaired by David Coleman. Other than just conducting the paid exam, the organization also engages in providing a pool of resources and services to applicants, non-applicant students, parents, and educational institutions.
SAT is a much-contested exam. Nearly 3 million students take the paper each year. The percentage of those who qualify for the exam and get into their dream college is significantly low, however. If you are also thinking about preparing for the exam? If yes, then keep reading as we bring to you the guide for SAT prep.
- The Three Sections
To qualify for the SAT exam you need to have a good understanding of three areas: writing and language, reading, and mathematics. It is a multiple-choice-based question paper with a total of 154 questions. The reading portion includes 52 MCQs, the writing and language section includes 44 MCQs and the mathematics portion has 58 MCQs. For the evidence-based reading test applicants are tested based on their understanding of the words that appear in high-school and college-level texts. For the same, a series of passages will be curated from the areas such as literature, science, history, etc. similarly, writing and language will focus on command of evidence such as the flow of sentences of rewriting. Maths area is focussed on problem-solving and data analysis, algebra, and advanced maths.
- Start Early
The first step towards taking the exam is to make yourself sure of the same. Start right after that and do not delay your SAT prep. All three sections in the exam check your comprehension and problem-solving abilities. These areas of human abilities cannot be mastered in days or weeks. These abilities take months and years to develop. Hence, doing a crash course might not be the most helpful practice if you are not in constant touch with the subjects.
- How to Ace the Three Areas
To better your comprehension, reading, and writing skills, the best advice would be to start reading newspapers. If newspapers seem too much to begin with, you can start by reading a novel or book in the area that interests you. Then hop on to a newspaper. Editorials of most English news daily are extensive and well articulated. You are also advised to make a separate notebook to write expressions and words that are new to you. Examine the flow and tonality of the paragraphs of the articles.
To improve the portion on writing, you will have to practice writing on your own. Two kinds of questions are asked in the writing section. The first is about advancing the idea given. Here, attributes such as arranging sentences, constructing introductions and conclusions, and focusing on details and accuracy are the primary concerns of the examiner. The second portion focuses on standard English resolutions. Here, you shall have to identify and modify grammar, usage, and procedure problems. Punctuation shall be your area of focus too. You will have to undertake SAT prep courses to understand these areas best and then undertake sample practice questions.
Algebra and its application form the major component of the maths section followed by geometry and measurement, number and operation, data analysis, statistics, and probability. Maths shall come through practice. These topics are covered in almost all school curriculums. Hence, the best practice will be to take these classes in school with utmost sincerity and practice all the possible exercises on these topics that are available to you. Remember, this is a constant practice. It is best to have a strong foundational base.
- SAT Prep Courses
The exam seems to have a rudimentary syllabus and pretty basic areas of examination. However, remember that competition is high because of the number of students who take this exam each year. While it is not impossible to prepare for the SAT on your own, it is not advisable, to say the least. Enrolling in an SAT prep course is the best you can do. Coaching will guide you in the best possible way about the nuances of the exam. Tutors will help you have a better understanding of the topics and how to do them in minimum time with maximum accuracy.
- Sample Papers and Mocks
The most effective method to ace any exam is to do as many sample papers, tests, and mock papers as allowed by time and resources. But first, your base about various concepts examined in the exam should be clear. You can take sectional tests after you have finished a topic and once all the topics are covered, go for mock tests and past year papers. The College Board also releases mock papers for the SAT exam. Make sure to do them at any cost.
Conclusion
SAT prep will not be an easy journey but if you can secure admission to an Ivy League college, all the hard work will seem to be worth it. Start at the right time. Be sure about appearing in the exam and never doubt yourself. Enroll in a good coaching institute or take crash courses. Practice multiple mocks. One last piece of advice from us to you will be to be mindful of the expenses. If you are from a third-world country, the cost of living alone in the USA and Canada will be too high. Either you should be rich enough to give the fees or look out for student loan options and scholarships in advance.
