NAILING THE SAT/ACT
- Anjali Viramgama
- Apr 25, 2020
- 3 min read
Everything you need to know about the SAT/ACT, including the exam pattern, free resources and tips to get an amazing score.
If you are applying to be an undergraduate student, here’s a list of exams you need to take:
SAT or ACT
TOEFL or IELTS (required if English is not your first language)
We will be posting another blog on the TOEFL/IELTS preparation.
SAT
FORMAT:
The SAT tests your Reading, Writing, and Math. It is scored out of 1600 and has 4 sections. All 4 sections are timed separately as shown:
Reading — 65 minutes, 52 questions
Writing — 35 minutes, 44 questions
Math (without a calculator) — 25 minutes, 20 questions
Math (with a calculator) — 38 questions, 55 minutes
Essay (optional) — 1 essay prompt, 50 minutes
Some colleges require the SAT essay. Here is a list of those colleges.
ACT
FORMAT:
The ACT tests your English, Science, and Math. It is scored out of 32 and has 4 sections. All 4 sections are times separately as shown:
English — 45 minutes, 75 questions
Math — 60 minutes, 60 questions
Reading — 35 minutes, 40 questions
Science — 35 minutes, 40 questions
How hard is it?
An Indian perspective — Math is 10th-grade math, generally not an issue. English can be tricky, especially if it isn’t your first language. I would suggest reading a lot of books in your free time, and working on improving your vocabulary. A great resource for that is Vocabulary.com. Another really good book that I referred to was “Word Power Made Easy”. You can find it on Amazon.
A Nigerian perspective — Upon completing high school the math should be fairly easier, however, to ensure you do your best, my advice, approach it like you know nothing! English can be tricky, especially if it isn’t your first language. I would suggest reading a lot of books in your free time, and working on improving your vocabulary. A great resource for that is Vocabulary.com.
When should I take the exam?
Both SAT and ACT allow multiple attempts, so you should aim at giving your first attempt in your junior year (11th grade) of high school. However, don’t take way too many attempts (max 3), because some colleges are for ALL your scores, and it doesn’t look good if you have way too many attempts with negligible progress.
Should I take the SAT or the ACT?
I personally gave both, and then submitted the better score. You can try different sample papers for both and then decide.
What should my score be?
This depends on your dream college. This tool is super useful:
Type your predicted/actual ACT/SAT score after scrolling down, and it’ll give you a list of colleges that are easy to get into for you, the ones with a moderate probability, and the ones really hard for you, considering your score.
FREE RESOURCES:
Official SAT prep — Khan Academy
Kaplan -
Prep Scholar-
4Tests -
Test-Guide -
Power Score-
Youtube — Khan Academy
SCORING YOUR BEST:
Many students coming to school in the US, do so to get access to better schools or give themselves and their families a better chance. However, one of the biggest challenges sometimes could be funding! The SATs and The GRE can help with that! Because many schools offer significant scholarships with high scores in these exams.
How then can you ace these tests and get the best possible score you can?
1. Remember your why! — An approach I will always advise because when it gets tough and you feel like you want to quit — It can make all the difference you need to get inspired again.
2. Goal setting — Do you have personal scores you want to achieve? Do your dream schools have a required score? Write it down! Sorting this goal out can clarify your future steps tremendously!
3. Study habits — Study well and don’t cram (understanding concepts and common logic, especially in the math section, can be a huge game-changer). Remember, the SAT is not like your school exam, so your approach must be different.
4. Time management — Creating a study plan according to your schedule (i.e., 90 minutes every day? or 5 hours per week ? ) can be super helpful in covering the required study material.
5. Asking for help when needed/study buddy — Having an accountability partner is super helpful in achieving mini landmarks and your overall goal. This could be a family member willing to ensure you are on track and can give feedback or a friend who could be or not be taking the exam but is equally invested in your success.
Hope this helps! I’d like to mention that in order to include different perspectives, I co-wrote this blog with Olaseni Adeniji. You can contact either one of us if you have any specific questions :)
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