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1 . Question

What percentage does 90 represent in relation to 360?

2 . Question

7 added to 4 times a quantity y is equal to 62. Which equation represents this condition?

• a. 7(4y) = 62
• b. 7 – 4y = 62
• c. 7 + 4y = 62
• d. 4y – 7 = 62

3 . Question

For a cost of $57, how many pounds of avocados were bought at a rate of $19 per pound?

4 . Question

The table displays three sets of values for x and their corresponding f(x) values for a linear function f. What equation accurately represents the definition of f(x)?

• a. f(x) = 6x + 65
• b. f(x) = 8x + 65
• c. f(x) = 65x + 73
• d. f(x) = 73x + 81

5 . Question

If \frac{x}{15}=20 , what is the value of \frac{15}{x} ?

6 . Question

What is the equation that defines line p in the xy-plane, given that it passes through the point (-4, 6) and has a slope of 6?

• a. y = 6x + 30
• b. y = 6x – 30
• c. y = 6 + 30x
• d. y = 6x – 30x

7 . Question

2.5b + 5r = 80

The provided equation expresses the connection between the quantity of biscuits (b) and raisins (r) that a reviewer business can handle in a single day. If the business is tending to 16 raisins on a specific day, what is the capacity for biscuits that it can manage on the same day?

8 . Question

In a specific rectangular area, the length-to-width ratio is 45 : 15. If the width of the region grows by 8 units, how should the length be adjusted to uphold this ratio?

• a. It must decrease by 24.5 units.
• b. It must increase by 24.5 units.
• c. It must decrease by 24 units.
• d. It must increase by 24 units.

9 . Question

In a circle with center O, the arc XY measures 105°. What is the degree measure of the angle XOY that corresponds to this arc?

10 . Question

In a right triangle, the side lengths are 3\sqrt3 , 2\sqrt3 ,and \sqrt{70} units. What is the area of the triangle in square units?

*Enter in just the number for your answer.

All SAT Practice Tests

If you want some more in-depth prep, use a free SAT practice test listed below.

• Practice Exams = Timed and Full-Length
• Practice Sets = Not Timed and Smaller Sets of Questions

SAT Practice Exam #1

SAT Practice Exam #2

SAT Practice Exam #3

SAT Practice Exam #4

SAT Math Practice Sets

SAT Reading & Writing Practice Sets

If you want some additional help with prepping for the SAT, consider using  SAT prep courses .

Official SAT PDF Practice Exams

If you want to study using PDFs, use the links below. These are full-length practice exams provided by the CollegeBoard.

Overview of the SAT

The SAT is an entrance exam used by colleges and universities to help make decisions about admissions.

The SAT is administered by the CollegeBoard and is given 7 times per year. The exam is a timed, mainly multiple-choice exam, taken by students in high school.

Beginning in the spring of 2024, the SAT will be going fully digital. The digital SAT (DSAT) will have some formatting and content changes to it, along with some other changes. You can review those changes below.

New SAT (Digital SAT)

This exam will be given to students starting in spring of 2024.

Old SAT (Written Exam)

This exam will be given to students up until spring of 2024.

The biggest difference between the old SAT and the digital SAT is that the digital SAT is taken completely online and has combined some sections to streamline the exam.

Scoring of the SAT

You will receive a score for math and a score for reading/writing. Each of those scores will be between 200 and 800 .

Your total score will be the sum of those two scores. You can receive a total score between 400 and 1600 on the SAT.

The average SAT score is 1060. Learn more about good SAT scores .

Registering for the SAT and Test Dates

You can register for the SAT online via the CollegeBoard site .

You will need to do the following when registering for the SAT:

• Have a Valid Photo ID
• Upload a Photo of Yourself When Registering Online
• Pay Registration Fees
• Print Your Admission Ticket

It will cost your $60 to take the SAT. There may be some additional fees like canceling, changing test center, etc..

The SAT is typically given 7 times per year. The exam is given on Saturdays. You can expect the exam to be given in these months:

• Early March
• Late August
• Early October
• Early November
• Early December

You can find exact dates on the official website .

Steps for Using SAT Practice

When using our free SAT practice tests, we recommend the following steps to get the most out of your time:

• Take 1 practice exam from each subject.
• Determine which subject you struggled the most with.
• Focus on that 1 subject moving forward. Take additional practice exams in that subject, study important concepts, and invest in a SAT prep course if need be.
• Take a practice exam on that subject again and see where you stand. Continue to focus on that subject if you need more help or move on to another subject if you did well on this practice exam.
• Repeat steps 3 and 4 for other subjects.

Benefits of Using SAT Practice Questions

There are many benefits to using SAT questions during your prep process. Some of those benefits include:

Help With Timing

The SAT exam is a timed test. Keeping a steady pace is critical to achieving a high score.

You can improve your decision making and your time by taking practice exams.

Test Familiarity

All standardized tests, including the SAT, have their own unique way of presenting questions and answer choices.

You will gain more familiarity and comfort with the SAT question style as you take more practice quizzes. On the real exam day, there will be no surprises.

Efficient Studying

When you take many practice exams, you will get a sense of your test strengths and weaknesses.

Many students mistakenly spend time working on their strengths while ignoring their weaknesses.

Knowing which subjects you struggle with will help you focus your study time.

Work On Problem Solving

Tests like the SAT measure your ability to solve problems, not just memorize information. It is critical to have strong problem-solving abilities.

The answer explanations provided in our score reports can help you understand how to solve problems that you may be struggling with.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the sat going to the digital format.

The SAT will be switching to the digital format in the spring of 2024.

How many questions are on the SAT?

There are 154 questions on the old SAT (written version).

There are 98 questions on the new SAT (digital version).

How much time do you have to take the SAT?

You will have 3 hours and 15 minutes to take the old SAT (written version).

You will have 2 hours and 14 minutes to take the new SAT (digital version).

Can I use a calculator on the math section of the SAT?

There will be 1 math section in which you can use a calculator and 1 math section in which you cannot use a calculator on the old SAT (written version).

You will be permitted to use a calculator on all math modules on the new SAT (digital version).

What is a good way to practice for the SAT?

We recommend taking 1 practice exam for each subject. You can then determine which subject gave you the most trouble and focus your studies on that subject.

• Authored By: Adam Groden
• Last Updated: January 19, 2024

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Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

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Links To Every SAT Practice Test + Other Free Resources

Is your SAT score enough to get you into your dream school?

Our free chancing engine takes into consideration your SAT score, in addition to other profile factors, such as GPA and extracurriculars. Create a free account to discover your chances at hundreds of different schools.

In order to prepare for the SAT, you not only need to review key concepts, formulas, and test-taking strategies, but you also need to practice putting these skills to use in a real SAT test setting. The best way to do that is to take an SAT full practice test to go through practice questions and tests designed to mimic the actual SAT test.

It’s no simple task creating SAT practice questions. After all, there are few different types of SAT questions, and they’re usually very carefully worded in order to trick you. Therefore, when you’re practicing for the SAT, you need to make sure that the questions are constructed exactly as the actual exam questions will be.

There are some free online SAT full practice tests and resources that are guaranteed to give you the best and most accurate practice questions. This is our one-stop shop for all of your free SAT practice resources.

CollegeVine’s SAT Practice Tests

Here are 3 full-length, printable practice tests from our SAT curriculum, developed by test experts and top SAT scorers.

Test 1: Questions | Solutions Manual

Test 2: Questions | Solutions Manual

Test 3: Questions | Solutions Manual

Answer Sheet (where you can bubble in/fill in your answers)

10 Other Free SAT Resources

1. collegeboard’s online practice exams.

CollegeBoard has partnered with Khan Academy to provide paperless, online SAT full practice tests that are automatically scored at the end of the exam and keep you on track with section time limits.

These exams are perfect for anyone who is looking to practice time management and get real-time feedback on their exam. This the easiest way to simulate a real SAT testing situation without having to go through the hassle of timing yourself and grading your own exam at the end. You don’t have to make an account or pay any subscription for this service. It is completely free.

2. Paper Practice Exams

If taking an online SAT full practice test isn’t your thing, or if you really want to take a paper exam since that’s how it’ll be on the actual test day, CollegeBoard also has some great SAT Practice Exams that can be downloaded and printed out for your convenience. There are 8 exams you can go through, all in the new SAT format (on a 1600 scale).  

It’ll be up to you to print out the exams, time yourself on each section, and score the exam afterward. However, CollegeBoard has provided all of the rubrics, instructions, and feedback so that you can use these exams to adequately study for the SAT.

Want to give these paper exams a try? You can print them out here .

3. The Princeton Review’s Paper-and-Pencil Practice Exams

The Princeton Review is best known for their standardized test prep books, but they also offer SAT classes and resources. A pretty awesome free resource are their paper-and-pencil SAT full practice tests , held in their testing centers and proctored by their SAT teachers. You’ll also get a free score report following the exam, so that you know which concepts need improvement. This is a great option if you really want to simulate test-day conditions.

4. CollegeBoard’s Sample Questions

CollegeBoard also releases some sample SAT questions from every SAT section on their own website, not in the form of a practice exam. These stand-alone questions are presented in a quiz-format. You will be presented with the question online and will have to choose an answer. There is no time limit imposed. Only after you have answered that question will you be told whether you were right or wrong and why. Then, after releasing the feedback on that question, they will move on to the next question.

The SAT sample questions cover Math, Reading, Writing and Language, and Essay sections. If you just want to get used to the kinds of questions that are asked on the SAT without stressing about taking an entire practice exam, this is perfect for you.

Ready to try this? Find SAT sample questions here .

Discover how your SAT score affects your chances

As part of our free guidance platform, our Admissions Assessment tells you what schools you need to improve your SAT score for and by how much. Sign up to get started today.

5. Daily Practice App

This helpful app, created by CollegeBoard, gives you one SAT question a day to work through and answer, along with hints and in-depth answer explanations to help you improve. It also gives you instant scoring and answer explanations by scanning your completed answer sheet with your phone.

The Daily Practice app is free and is a great resource to have when you have a few spare minutes and want to get some light SAT prep done.

CollegeVine’s Free SAT Resources and Tips

In addition to the resources that CollegeBoard offers, we at CollegeVine also have some excellent free resources for students looking to have an edge in their SAT prep.

Here are some of the resources and tips that you might be interested in:

1.  Free SAT Prep Checklist

Our convenient and comprehensive SAT Prep Checklist walks you through the best way to go about prepping for the SAT. It’s perfect to keep in your study binder or to use on your computer. In this checklist, you’ll find helpful information on how to interpret your PSAT scores, ways to create a useful study outline, advice from our expert SAT Tutors, and more!

2.  SAT Prep Blog Posts

On the CollegeVine Blog, you can find multiple helpful posts on anything and everything you need to know for the SAT. From basic study strategies to detailed practice questions with answer explanations, the CollegeVine blog is likely to have all the answers you need.

3. CollegeVine YouTube Channel

We offer many free standardized testing videos . You’ll find support and tips on everything from mastering the reading section to boosting your math score. We’re adding new videos weekly, so be sure to subscribe to get updated on our latest content.

For More Information

How to Get the Most Out of Your SAT Practice Tests

Taking SAT full practice tests is one of the best ways to prepare for the real thing. However, if you want to maximize your scores, it’s crucial to take these practice exams seriously. Here are some tips for getting the most out of a practice test:

1. Watch the Clock

It might be a practice exam, but that doesn’t mean you can afford to linger over questions or take breaks to text your pals and play video games. On the contrary, students who want to get the most out of these practice sessions pay attention to timing. By adhering to the real SAT testing times, you get a better sense of your true scoring ability. Additionally, following the SAT timetable ensures there will be no surprises on the big day. 

Here is a chart showing official SAT time limits, including breaks between testing sections:

2. Simulate the Testing Environment

Students sometimes feel intimidated when they sit down to take the SAT for real. After all, they’re accustomed to taking SAT full practice tests in their own homes with music blaring in the background and plenty of breaks for snacks. A big, silent classroom full of students can be intimidating by comparison. If you want to feel more comfortable on testing day, aim to mimic testing conditions by studying in a classroom or library rather than your bedroom. Additionally, you should turn off your phone and try to avoid taking unscheduled breaks.

3. Review Your Mistakes

It’s not enough to take practice SAT tests. If you want to improve your performance, you should spend time reviewing both the questions you got wrong and the ones you answered correctly. Not only can you determine what areas require improvement, but you can also figure out where your strengths lie. That way, you won’t waste time studying subjects in which you’re already adept.

Need some help with your SAT Prep? Check out these CollegeVine blog posts:

15 Hardest SAT Math Questions

How to Get a Perfect 1600 Score on the SAT

Your Ultimate Guide To Mastering SAT Vocabulary

What to Do if You’re Not Improving on the SAT

Preparing for the SAT? Download our free guide with our top 8 tips for mastering the SAT.

Want to know how your SAT score/ACT score impacts your chances of acceptance to your dream schools? Our free Chancing Engine will not only help you predict your odds, but also let you know how you stack up against other applicants, and which aspects of your profile to improve. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to gain access to our Chancing Engine and get a jumpstart on your college strategy!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

The Optional SAT Essay: What to Know

Tackling this section of the SAT requires preparation and can boost some students' college applications.

Getty Images

Even though an increasing number of colleges are dropping standardized test requirements, students who must write the SAT essay can still stand to gain from doing so.

Although the essay portion of the SAT became optional in 2016, many students still chose to write it to demonstrate strong or improved writing skills to prospective colleges.

In June 2021, the College Board opted to discontinue the SAT essay. Now, only students in a few states and school districts still have access to — and must complete — the SAT essay. This requirement applies to some students in the SAT School Day program, for instance, among other groups.

How Colleges Use SAT, ACT Results

Tiffany Sorensen Sept. 14, 2020

Whether or not to write the SAT essay is not the biggest decision you will have to make in high school, but it is certainly one that requires thought on your part. Here are three things you should know about the 50-minute SAT essay as you decide whether to complete it:

• To excel on the SAT essay, you must be a trained reader.
• The SAT essay begs background knowledge of rhetoric and persuasive writing.
• A growing number of colleges are dropping standardized test requirements.

To Excel on the SAT Essay, You Must Be a Trained Reader

The SAT essay prompt never comes unaccompanied. On the contrary, it follows a text that is about 700 words long or approximately one page. Before test-takers can even plan their response, they must carefully read and – ideally – annotate the passage.

The multifaceted nature of the SAT essay prompt can be distressing to students who struggle with reading comprehension. But the good news is that this prompt is highly predictable: It always asks students to explain how the author builds his or her argument. In this case, "how” means which rhetorical devices are used, such as deductive reasoning, metaphors, etc.

Luckily, the author’s argument is usually spelled out in the prompt itself. For instance, consider this past SAT prompt : “Write an essay in which you explain how Paul Bogard builds an argument to persuade his audience that natural darkness should be preserved.”

Due to the essay prompt’s straightforward nature, students should read the passage with an eye toward specific devices used by the author rather than poring over “big ideas.” In tour SAT essay, aim to analyze at least two devices, with three being even better.

The SAT Essay Begs Background Knowledge of Rhetoric and Persuasive Writing

Since your SAT essay response must point to specific rhetorical devices that the author employs to convince the reader, you should make it a point to intimately know 10-15 common ones. The more familiar you are with rhetorical devices, the faster you will become at picking them out as you read texts.

Once you have read the passage and identified a handful of noteworthy rhetorical devices, you should apply many of the same essay-writing techniques you already use in your high school English classes.

For instance, you should start by brainstorming to see which devices you have the most to say about. After that, develop a concise thesis statement, incorporate quotes from the text, avoid wordiness and other infelicities of writing, close with an intriguing conclusion, and do everything else you could imagine your English teacher advising you to do.

Remember to always provide evidence from the text to support your claims. Finally, leave a few minutes at the end to review your essay for mistakes.

A Growing Number of Colleges Are Dropping Standardized Test Requirements

In recent years, some of America’s most prominent colleges and universities – including Ivy League institutions like Harvard University in Massachusetts, Princeton University in New Jersey and Yale University in Connecticut – have made submission of ACT and SAT scores optional.

While this trend began as early as 2018, the upheaval caused by COVID-19 has prompted many other schools to adopt a more lenient testing policy, as well.

Advocates for educational fairness have long expressed concerns that standardized admissions tests put underprivileged students at a disadvantage. In light of the coronavirus pandemic , which restricted exam access for almost all high school students, colleges have gotten on board with this idea by placing more emphasis on other factors in a student’s application.

To assess writing ability in alternative ways, colleges now place more emphasis on students’ grades in language-oriented subjects, as well as college application documents like the personal statement .

The fact that more colleges are lifting their ACT/SAT requirement does not imply that either test or any component of it is now obsolete. Students who must write the SAT essay can still stand to gain from doing so, especially those who wish to major in a writing-intensive field. The essay can also demonstrate a progression or upward trajectory in writing skills.

The SAT essay can give a boost to the college applications of the few students to whom it is still available. If the requirement applies to you, be sure to learn more about the SAT essay and practice it often as you prepare for your upcoming SAT.

13 Test Prep Tips for SAT and ACT Takers

Tags: SAT , standardized tests , students , education

About College Admissions Playbook

Stressed about getting into college? College Admissions Playbook, authored by Varsity Tutors , offers prospective college students advice on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses, SAT and ACT exams and the college application process. Varsity Tutors, an advertiser with U.S. News & World Report, is a live learning platform that connects students with personalized instruction to accelerate academic achievement. The company's end-to-end offerings also include mobile learning apps, online learning environments and other tutoring and test prep-focused technologies. Got a question? Email [email protected] .

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Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, extra sat practice resources.

I'm a bit stressed about my upcoming SAT test, and I'm looking for additional resources for extra practice. Could you guys recommend any websites, apps, or books that have helped you with your SAT preparation? Thanks!

It's completely understandable that you want to be well-prepared for your SAT! Here's a list of resources to help you improve your skills:

1. College Board (Official SAT Practice Test and Questions): The College Board provides official SAT practice tests, sample questions, and resources for each section. Practicing with official materials will give you the most accurate experience since the same organization creates the actual SAT.

2. Khan Academy (Online Practice): Khan Academy has a partnership with the College Board and provides free, personalized SAT practice online. It covers all sections of the test and offers video explanations as well as practice questions.

3. UWorld (Online Question Bank and Timer): UWorld is a paid resource that offers a large question bank with thorough explanations. They also provide a question timer, which can help you with time management while taking the test.

4. The College Panda series (Books): College Panda offers comprehensive books for each section of the SAT, including Math, Writing, and the Essay. These books provide clear explanations, strategies, and practice questions.

5. Erica L. Meltzer/The Critical Reader (Books): Erica Meltzer offers well-regarded books, specifically focused on the evidence-based reading and writing sections of the SAT. Her books include "The Critical Reader" and "The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar."

6. Magoosh SAT Prep (App/Online): Magoosh is another popular resource that offers extensive study materials, video lessons, and practice questions for all sections of the test. They provide both a mobile app and a website version.

7. r/SAT (Reddit community): This subreddit offers a supportive community for students preparing for the SAT. You can find tips, strategies, study schedules, and answer explanations from peers who are going through the same process.

Remember to practice consistently, and don't forget to simulate real testing conditions by taking full-length practice tests under timed conditions. Good luck with your preparation!

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CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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The Ultimate SAT Test Prep Resources Guide

Ultimate Guide to Finding The Best SAT Help

Register to Take the Test

• What to Study
• Accommodations For Disabilities

Study Resources

Practice tests.

• SAT Prep Courses

Tips for Studying

• Day of the Test

Get Matched With Bachelors Programs

In 1926 the first SAT was taken, and in 2016 it was redesigned. Originally created by the College Board to assess one’s aptitude for learning, over the years the SAT has been used to test and rate one’s knowledge.

There are four sections on the SAT:

• Writing and Language
• Math, which consists of two subsections (with a calculator and without)
• Essay, which is optional

According to the College Board, these sections work together to determine what you learned in high school. The goal is to ensure you have the required reading, writing, and math skills necessary to be successful in college and help you to get into the best college that fits your needs .

On the exam, each test section will appear only once. The questions are all multiple choices and the number of questions, and how much time you have to complete each section, varies. See the following table for more on the SAT test sections:

Compare Popular Online Bachelors Programs

Both the SAT and ACT are accepted by most colleges in the U.S. and they also both include the same core sections of Reading, Writing, and Math along with an optional essay. However, there are many differences between the two.

It takes three hours to complete the SAT without the essay and three hours and fifty minutes with it. Without the essay, it takes two hours and fifty-five minutes to complete the ACT and three hours and thirty-five minutes without it.

You will have less time per question on the ACT than the SAT as you are given fifty seconds per question for the ACT and one minute and 10 seconds on the SAT.

The SAT questions appear in the following order:

• Math (no calculator)
• Math (calculator)
• Essay (optional)

Plan on spending at least four to five hours at the testing center for paperwork, instructions, testing, and breaks.

Testing for the SAT is offered seven Saturdays of each year; however if your religion prevents you from testing on a Saturday than Sundays are also available. You should register three to four weeks before the test date. The latest you can register is two to three weeks before the test date. You can check the current test schedules on the SAT website.

Find Your Online Bachelors Program

https://www.studypoint.com/ed/sat-test-dates/

You can register for SAT testing online on the College Board website or by mail. To register online you will need to create a profile, select a testing center location, choose a test date, pay the registration fee, and enroll. To register by mail you will need an SAT Paper Registration Guide that you can obtain from your school. Complete and mail in the guide before the deadline for the testing date you select.

The SAT registration fee is $43 without essay and $54.50 with it. Late registrations will cost an additional $28. You can pay online by credit card or send a check if you are registering by mail. Financial assistance is available for those who can’t afford to pay registration fees. For more information on obtaining a registration fee waiver visit the College Board website.

What Score Do You Want?

All students are encouraged to set score goals that will help ensure you score enough to get accepted in the college of your choosing.

Scoring in reading, writing, and language are combined for an evidence-based reading and writing (EBRW) score of 200 to 800, for math, all subsections combined is 200 to 800 as well, and the essay will have three separate scores that include reading, analysis, and writing - each on a scale from 2 to 8. The SAT overall scores range from 400 to 1600 based on the sum of your reading/writing and math scores combined. Remember, reading and writing scores together should be between 200 and 800 and math should also be between 200 and 800.

Accepted SAT scores vary between colleges and universities . Some schools may consider a score of 1400 fairly high, whereas others (usually top-ranked schools) may see it as low.

Below is a list of some of the top schools in the U.S. and their SAT score ranges for students. These are the scores required in order to get into a good college. Each school will contain the average SAT score along with 25th and 75th percentile scores for students interested in enrolling. These percentiles are the percent of students who scored at or below these thresholds. Hence, both the 25th percentile and the 75th represent the top and bottom SAT scores of the middle 50% of applicants, which is the average score. Most universities accept students in the 75th percentile or above (scores higher than the middle 50%).

Knowing What to Study

Studying for the SAT should begin at least four to six months before testing, considering that your score has a huge impact on which colleges will accept you. Start by testing your skills to find out where your weak points are so you can develop a study plan. You will find some free practice tests on the College Board’s website.

Once you know what you need to work on to improve your chances of a higher score, develop a study plan spending the most time on what you scored low on in the diagnostic tests and set goals for yourself on how much you want to improve. After studying for at least 30 days, you should retake the diagnostic test to see where you have improved and redo your study plans again to work on the things you still scored low on. You should continue this path until you feel you are prepared to do well on the SAT. Before taking your SAT, take another practice test to see how far you have gotten in your studies.

Retaking the Test

You can take the SAT test as many times as you want; however, taking it too many times may make schools think you failed to improve your skills and are not able to study productively. Besides that, you will have to pay the required registration fee each time you register. It is recommended that you take the test no more than 5 times.

Most students take the SAT twice to improve their overall score. You should consider taking the first SAT around March of your junior year and the final SAT at the beginning of your senior year. This should give you plenty of time to study in between and improve your score greatly the final time you test. Even if you score very high the first time you take the SAT, you should still check your answers to see which ones you got wrong, then study on those subjects for a few months and retake the SAT again. Regardless of how many times you take the SAT, you can use your highest scores.

Accommodations for Those with Disabilities

If you are a student with disabilities who needs certain accommodations to take the SAT, you can apply for assistance yourself or your school can apply for you. Your school may request assistance on your behalf by submitting an accommodation request through the SSD College Board’s online system. Contact your school for specific instructions on applying for special accommodations. To apply for accommodations yourself, without the assistance of your school, you must obtain a Student Eligibility Form from your school, then complete and submit it. You can find specific instructions on the College Board website.

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If your application is approved, you will receive an eligibility letter with an SSD code that you must enter during the registration process. You should also remember to bring the letter of eligibility with you to the testing facility for the test day. If your request for accommodations is denied, you will receive a letter explaining why. The steps you can take next depend on the reason for denial. To find out what steps you can take next go to the College Board Denial Page.

Khan Academy In partnership with the College Board, the Khan Academy app is the same prep program available on the Khan academy website, only you can use this one on the go. The app is free to download, and you can use it without even creating an account. It provides equitable, SAT prep to help open the doors to college as well as other links to more online websites and resources.

College Board’s New SAT Daily Practice This app allows you to connect to your Khan Academy course to personalize your practice while scoring your exams with the “scan and score” feature. Another great feature available with this app is the SAT question of the day, which has optional explanations and hints to help you gain a better understanding of the focus.

Magoosh Test Prep Focus: Study Timer App As you continue to study for SAT time management is very important. You don’t want to take too much time on one subject and neglect another. The Magoosh study timer app is like a test prep stopwatch that helps you to time your studies and focus on the most important areas.

The Princeton Review Essential SAT Vocabulary Flashcards With these SAT Vocabulary flashcards, you can learn familiar words, formulas, terms, and prompts that may also be on the SAT. Included in the deck are 500 flashcards and 50 bonus cards that cover need-to-know and frequently-used terms in the exam, as well as practice questions from all its sections.

There are many practice tests, both online and off, that you can take to test your skills and knowledge. Khan Academy can assist you in creating your study plan. Creating a study plan will help make a path that you can follow. The following are 5 practice tests designed by the makers of the real SAT where you not only get the questions and answers but also explanations of the answers, so that you will be able to fully understand each concept.

• SAT Practice

Study Books

It's very important to reach your full potential when taking the SAT, as scoring high can also help get you a nice scholarship to help pay your way through college. So, you’ll want to use all the resources you can to help get you the best score.

Resources to help you study for the SAT can be found all over the web. There are apps, documents, tutorials, videos, programs, diagnostic tests, books, and more. Books are extremely helpful for the SAT since you can use them to study privately, anytime you like and, if need be, you can go over the same content again and again until the light bulb finally clicks on.

However, you can take all the time you want to study and never learn anything if you don’t know what to study and how to do it correctly. The following are just some of the many books out there to help you study for the SAT

• Ebook studying productively
• BARRON'S NEW SAT – 2017 to 28TH EDITION
• The SAT Black Prep Book
• Cracking the SAT Premium Edition

SAT Prep Courses & Study Groups

Joining a study group like SAT Prep group is another great way to prepare for the SAT where you can study with a group of students who are also working to get the highest SAT score. Working with a group allows you to share viewpoints on a variety of subjects pertaining to the test, as well as to discuss strategies. Exposure to different perspectives can help trigger the comprehension of hard to understand concepts. Everyone has their own way of explaining things, therefore listening to others views may make things clearer and easier to understand.

Your high school may also offer SAT prep courses that you can take where you will be taught everything you need to know to pass with flying colors.

When all else fails and you still are unable to improve your knowledge of certain subjects, you can always turn to a tutor. A private SAT tutor focuses on your weak points and helps you to gain the skills and knowledge you need to better your SAT score. These professionals use specific strategies and work with you one on one to help you gain a better understanding of subjects that are otherwise hard for you to follow.

You will learn at a pace that is convenient and appropriate for you in a safe environment where you can ask questions and can admit which areas are more confusing for you. Tutors are specifically trained to identify your problem areas and address them. Study point is a good place to start as they have SAT tutors available to help.

Here are 10 of the best websites with SAT prep resources.

• College Board - SATs and PSATs resources
• Khan Academy - In partnership with the College Board, online learning program with study resources
• SuperTutor TV videos - video learning tutorials
• College Panda - series of math books
• SAT Quantum videos - math books
• 1600.io videos - explain all 8 tests in the Official Guide
• Ultimate Guide to the Math SAT - math books
• Erica Meltzer Series of verbal books
• Ivy Global All-in-one guide for learning strategies - Some strategies to help you learn
• UWorld Online adaptive learning program
• USA Test Prep SAT's

The SAT is probably the most important test you will ever take in your life. In fact, your academic life depends on it since you have to have a good score to get accepted into a good college. Its importance means that you are likely to study like you never studied before, while utilizing the many resources available to assist you. Here are 7 of the best study tips to help you out:

If You Already Understand It, Skip It If you begin studying for the SAT three months before the test, keep in mind that three months can go by very fast and you have a lot of ground to cover in that time. It is important that you use your time wisely and only work on what you need to learn rather than review what you already know. You can take a diagnostic test early to get into the right headspace.

Know Your Mistakes - You can’t fix it if you don’t know It’s broken After taking a demo test, go over your answers carefully while paying special attention to the mistakes you made. It’s important to figure out where you went wrong so that you can steer clear of the same mistakes while taking the real SAT.

Memorize Math Formulas Even though the math section of the SAT provides a list of formulas for you to reference, you don’t want to waste time checking back often to use them; therefore, you should memorize as many of the formulas you will need as possible.

Know the SAT Rules of Grammar You probably know a lot about grammar, but what you may not know is that the SAT uses specific grammar rules that may be different than what you were taught; therefore, make sure you memorize the SAT grammar rules. This article can help you learn the SAT rules of grammar.

Use Diagnostics to Test your Improvements Frequently Studies show that taking sample tests to prepare for the SAT, is one of the most highly effective methods of study. Test your skills regularly by taking practice tests. This not only helps to point out your weaknesses but will also help you find out if you are studying effectively and actually improving or if you need to change your study plans.

Don’t let all the Resources Overwhelm you Yes, there are plenty of resources, tools, programs, apps, books, information, and more out there to help you prepare for the SAT, but you only need a few that you are comfortable with. Don’t try to use programs that are hard to understand, stick with what works for you and you will do fine.

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Juggle your Time Accordingly Study every chance you get, even if it means just listening to some tutorial videos on your way home from school, using earbuds while shopping, cleaning, or other. In addition, say goodbye to the Facebook games or play store apps that you usually play in your spare time, since you no longer have time to spare, at least not until after you are satisfied with a good SAT score.

Day of the Test: What to Bring

Let’s start with the day before the test. Make sure you:

• Eat a well-balanced meal
• Take a hot bath (this can help to relax you)
• Have your clothes ready
• Set your alarm
• Have a checklist ready for things to remember
• Get a good night’s sleep

When the big day comes, try to stay calm, the more relaxed you are the easier it will be to think clearly. Whatever happens, don’t make it so that, when the day of testing comes, you regret not studying more.

Dress comfortably and eat a good nutritious breakfast. Get your checklist out of things to take with you and check it before leaving. Here are some things to take with you:

• Your admission ticket
• Number two pencil with good erasers
• Some scrap paper
• Snacks to munch on during breaks
• Bottled water
• Any prescribed medication you may need
• Your identification
• Accommodation approval (if you have)
• Waiver (if you have)
• A watch for your breaks and to monitor your pace
• Your glasses (make sure you clean them well)
• A calculator

Finally, here are some test tips to follow:

Use the process of elimination to get the answer right

The SAT questions are all multiple choice with 4 possible answers to choose from. Before even thinking about the correct answer, eliminate the ones you know are wrong to narrow your choices down.

If you get stuck on a question take a guess then go back to it later

The old test would penalize you for getting an answer wrong, but the new SAT only gives you points for correct answers and does nothing if you get any wrong. This is why you should try to guess, and odds are you will get at least some of these answers correct. Try to limit each question to 30 seconds for the writing section and be sure and mark the questions you need to go back to.

If you have answered all the questions with time left to spare recheck your answers.

When you finish the test, you will feel calmer and relaxed, which will allow you to think better making it easier for you to spot errors you may have made.

Monitor your pace to stay on track

One of the most important things about the SAT is that you set an appropriate pace to follow where you have so much time to spend on each question. For example; if you have 50 minutes to complete 25 questions, you can take two minutes to answer each.

Make sure you read the whole question completely before selecting the best answer

Questions are usually more straightforward rather than tricky, so don’t try to read between the lines to find the correct answers. Also, every word in the question may be there for a reason, so nothing should be overlooked. Use common sense and remember that most times, if you’ve studied the subject, your first impression is usually the right answer.

Have a Good Attitude and Be Confident

Keeping your spirits up can help you stay focused and not get trapped in negativity, which will make it hard to think. If you studied like you were supposed to, you should have no doubts or reason to worry. You got this!

You will receive your test scores in 23 to 29 days of school day testing and within two weeks for colleges, unless you take your test in June, which can then take five weeks.

• Study Point SAT Test Dates
• PrepScholar SAT Guide
• Khan Academy Preparing to Take the SAT
• College Readiness Collegeboard SAT for Special Needs

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SAT Prep Courses & Tutoring

Free SAT Practice Questions

Doesn't everyone love the word "free"? This could not be truer—especially in the world of test prep. Practice makes perfect—or at least that's how the old saying goes—and free SAT practice means the world to ambitious students with high-scoring goals. If you're looking for a thorough breakdown of how to solve particular SAT question types, then we've got the free practice that could be a real game-changer in your course of study. Our step-by-step explanations illustrate for you what to expect from what each SAT question, revealing question-specific hurdles and common test-related traps.

Each of our free 60 practice questions is accompanied with a detailed explanation to clarify why a particular answer is correct, but even taking it one step further and entailing why the others are incorrect. We believe a well-rounded approach to understanding the SAT is crucial for success, which is why our breakdowns of important sample questions facilitate more than one way to arrive at the right choice. In the end, the only way to find out your trouble spots and successes is to practice, practice, practice—so why not get cracking on what we have to offer so you can ensure your destiny with a high score.

You have not answered any question so far. You can answer all questions in a row (click on "All Questions") or only all questions of a particular section (click on that Section) or a single selected question (click on that Question).

SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board, which is unaffiliated with and does not endorse this website.

Your Guide: How Long is the SAT Without Essay?

Are you wondering about the duration of the SAT without the essay section? In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the length of the SAT, its sections, and effective preparation strategies. Taking the SAT is an important step in your academic journey, and understanding the timing and structure of the test can help you maximize your performance. Let’s dive in!

• The SAT without the essay section is approximately 3 hours long, excluding breaks.
• The test consists of three main sections: reading, writing and language, and math.
• The reading section is 65 minutes, the writing and language section is 35 minutes, and the math section varies depending on whether a calculator is allowed.
• The essay section is optional and adds an additional 50 minutes to the test duration.
• Time management is crucial; prioritize easier questions first and utilize guessing strategies as there is no longer a penalty for guessing.

Now that you have a general understanding of the SAT duration without the essay section, let’s delve deeper into each section and explore effective strategies for success. By familiarizing yourself with the format and optimizing your time management skills, you can approach the SAT with confidence and achieve your desired results. Let’s get started!

Understanding the SAT Format

The SAT without the essay section lasts approximately 3 hours, excluding breaks, and features different sections with specific time allocations for reading, writing and language, and math. Let’s take a closer look at each section of the exam to understand the duration and format.

Reading Section:

The reading section of the SAT without the essay is 65 minutes long and consists of 52 questions. It assesses your reading comprehension skills through a variety of passages, such as literary fiction, social sciences, and natural sciences. The questions test your ability to analyze, interpret, and draw inferences from the given information.

Writing and Language Section:

The writing and language section allows 35 minutes for you to answer 44 questions. This section evaluates your ability to identify grammatical errors, improve sentence structure, and revise passages for clarity and coherence. It covers topics like grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, and rhetorical skills necessary for effective writing.

Math Sections:

The math portion of the SAT is divided into two sections: one without a calculator and the other with a calculator. The section without a calculator gives you 25 minutes to solve 20 questions, testing your ability to apply mathematical concepts and solve problems without the aid of a calculator. The section with a calculator provides 55 minutes to answer 38 questions, allowing you to use a calculator for more complex calculations.

These sections provide a breakdown of the SAT without the essay, highlighting the time limits and question counts. It is essential to manage your time effectively during the test to ensure you complete each section within the allocated duration.

To optimize your performance, prioritize answering easier questions first and allocate sufficient time for more challenging ones. Remember, there is no longer a penalty for guessing, so make sure to answer as many questions as possible. Preparing for the SAT with practice tests, understanding the test format, and getting enough rest are all key factors in performing well.

In the next section, we will delve into the reading section of the SAT without the essay, providing tips and strategies to tackle this part of the exam effectively.

Breakdown of the Reading Section

The reading section of the SAT without the essay consists of 65 minutes and includes 52 questions, testing your comprehension and critical analysis skills. This section evaluates your ability to understand and interpret various types of texts, such as passages from literature, social sciences, and natural sciences. It also assesses your ability to draw inferences, analyze arguments, and identify main ideas and supporting evidence.

During this section, you will encounter different question formats, including multiple-choice questions and passage-based questions. The passage-based questions require you to refer back to specific parts of the text to answer questions accurately. It is crucial to read the passages carefully and actively engage with the content to grasp the author’s main points and arguments.

To excel in the reading section, it is advisable to practice reading and analyzing complex texts regularly. Developing strong reading comprehension skills and effective strategies, such as skimming and scanning, can significantly improve your performance. Remember to manage your time wisely, as pacing yourself is essential to complete all the questions within the given time frame.

Key Takeaways:

• The reading section of the SAT without the essay lasts for 65 minutes and contains 52 questions.
• You need to demonstrate your comprehension and critical analysis skills.
• Practice actively engaging with various types of texts to improve your performance.
• Develop effective reading strategies and manage your time wisely during this section.

Strategies for the Writing and Language Section

With 35 minutes and 44 questions, the writing and language section of the SAT without the essay demands strong grammar and editing skills. Here are some strategies to help you excel in this section:

• Read the Passage Carefully: Before diving into the questions, take the time to read the passage thoroughly. Pay attention to the main idea, tone, and structure of the writing. This will help you better understand the context and make informed decisions.
• Focus on Grammar: This section tests your command of grammar rules. Pay attention to subjects, verb agreement, tenses, pronouns, and modifiers. Brushing up on grammar rules beforehand can greatly improve your performance.
• Manage Your Time: Time management is crucial in this section. Aim to spend no more than a minute on each question. If you’re stuck on a particular question, don’t dwell on it. Make an educated guess and move on to maximize your chances of answering all the questions.

Additionally, here’s a breakdown of the question types you might encounter in the writing and language section:

By implementing these strategies and familiarizing yourself with the question types, you can approach the writing and language section of the SAT without the essay with confidence. Remember to practice regularly, review grammar rules, and manage your time effectively to optimize your performance.

Navigating the Math Sections

The SAT without the essay includes two math sections, one without a calculator lasting 25 minutes with 20 questions, and another with a calculator lasting 55 minutes with 38 questions. Let’s explore how you can tackle these sections successfully.

When approaching the math sections, it’s important to manage your time effectively. Start by scanning through the questions and identifying those that you feel confident answering. Prioritize these easier questions to ensure you score valuable points early on. Remember, there is no penalty for guessing, so if you’re unsure about a particular question, make an educated guess and move on.

For the math section without a calculator, you’ll need to rely on mental math skills and problem-solving techniques. Utilize the scratch paper provided to perform calculations and work through complex problems. It’s crucial to double-check your work and ensure accuracy, as even a small error can lead to an incorrect answer.

When you reach the math section with a calculator, use it strategically. While a calculator can be a useful tool, avoid over-reliance on it. It’s still important to possess strong mathematical skills and understanding. Use the calculator for complex calculations, but be cautious not to waste time inputting simple calculations that you can solve mentally. Additionally, be sure to familiarize yourself with the calculator’s functions before the exam to maximize efficiency.

Math Sections Overview

By managing your time, leveraging problem-solving strategies, and practicing with sample questions, you can approach the math sections of the SAT without the essay section confidently. Remember, preparation and practice are key to achieving success on the test. Good luck!

The Optional Essay Section

While the essay section is optional on the SAT, it adds an additional 50 minutes to the test duration, but only in certain states where it is required. Let’s examine the importance of this section and whether it is necessary for your college admissions.

For students considering taking the optional essay section, it’s crucial to understand the requirements and expectations. The essay portion of the SAT allows you to showcase your analytical and writing skills, providing colleges and universities with an additional piece of information about your abilities. It tests your ability to critically analyze a given passage and construct a well-organized, coherent response within a limited timeframe.

While some colleges may require the essay portion, many have made it an optional component of their admissions process. It’s important to research the specific requirements of the institutions you’re interested in to determine if the essay section is necessary for your application. If you’re unsure, it’s recommended to take the optional essay section, as it provides an opportunity to demonstrate your writing proficiency and showcase additional skills that may enhance your application.

Remember, even if the essay section is not required for your top-choice colleges, it’s always beneficial to have strong writing skills. The ability to construct a well-argued, coherent essay is a valuable asset in college and beyond. Taking the optional essay section can help prepare you for the writing demands you may encounter in higher education and other aspects of your academic journey.

As you prepare for the SAT, consider your strengths in writing and time management. Reflect on the requirements of your target colleges and decide whether taking the optional essay section aligns with your goals. Remember to practice under timed conditions and review sample essay prompts to familiarize yourself with the expectations of this section. Taking the time to prepare will ensure that you can make an informed decision and perform your best on test day.

Time Management and Test Strategies

Proper time management is crucial for success on the SAT, and understanding how to utilize the allocated time efficiently can significantly impact your overall score. Let’s explore some key strategies for managing time effectively during the test.

1. Prioritize Easier Questions: When you first encounter a section, quickly scan through the questions and identify those that you find easier or more familiar. Answering these questions first will help you build confidence and save time for more challenging ones later.

2. Pace Yourself: The SAT is a timed test, so it’s essential to keep track of the time and allocate it wisely. Divide the time available for each section, and aim to complete the questions within the designated time frame. Remember, spending too much time on a single question can cost you valuable time on others.

3. Utilize Guessing: Since there is no longer a penalty for guessing, it’s in your best interest to answer every question, even if you’re unsure of the correct answer. Use strategic guessing techniques, such as eliminating obviously wrong options or making an educated guess based on partial knowledge.

4. Take Advantage of Breaks: The SAT includes breaks between sections, so make use of this time to recharge and refocus. Stretch your legs, have a snack, or take a few deep breaths to relax. These short breaks can help alleviate test anxiety and enhance your concentration for the next section.

By implementing these time management strategies and practicing them during your SAT preparation, you can optimize your performance and maximize your chances of achieving your desired score. Remember, preparation, practice tests, and getting enough sleep are also key factors in performing well on the SAT.

Important Considerations and Changes

When planning for the SAT without the essay, it’s important to factor in breaks, travel time, and any special accommodations that you may require. Additionally, recent changes to the test structure, including the optional essay and subject tests, are important to keep in mind.

The SAT without the essay section is approximately 3 hours long, excluding breaks. The reading section consists of 52 questions and lasts for 65 minutes. Following this, the writing and language section, with 44 questions, is allocated 35 minutes of test time. The math section without a calculator requires 25 minutes to answer 20 questions, while the math section with a calculator grants 55 minutes for 38 questions.

It’s worth noting that the essay section is only available in certain states where it is required, adding an additional 50 minutes to the test duration. To ensure an accurate schedule, there are breaks included in the test: a 10-minute break between the reading and writing sections, and a 5-minute break between the two math sections. Furthermore, test time may be extended by an additional 20 minutes for a pre-tested section.

Students should aim to complete the SAT between 12:15 and 12:45 p.m., considering travel time and potential special accommodations for those with medical conditions or exceptional circumstances. With recent changes to the test, the SAT no longer includes subject tests and the optional essay section will no longer be required after June. Time management is crucial for success on the SAT, so students should prioritize easier questions first and avoid spending too much time on any one section. Additionally, there is no longer a penalty for guessing, encouraging students to answer as many questions as possible within the given time limit. Adequate preparation, practice tests, and sufficient rest are pivotal factors in performing well on the SAT without the essay.

Updated SAT Test Structure

“The path to success on the SAT without the essay lies in careful planning. Consider your need for breaks, travel time, and any special accommodations you may require. Stay informed about the recent changes, such as the optional essay no longer being required after June. Prepare well, manage your time effectively, and remember to rest. Success awaits!”

To excel on the SAT without the essay, it is crucial to understand its duration, sections, and test-taking strategies, while also prioritizing preparation, practice tests, and getting sufficient rest. By implementing these strategies, you can maximize your performance on this important college admissions exam.

The SAT without the essay section is approximately 3 hours long, excluding breaks. It consists of several sections, each with its own time limit and number of questions. The reading section lasts for 65 minutes and includes 52 questions, while the writing and language section is 35 minutes long with 44 questions. The math section without a calculator is 25 minutes with 20 questions, and the math section with a calculator is 55 minutes with 38 questions.

It’s important to note that the optional essay section is available in certain states and adds an additional 50 minutes to the test. However, after June, the SAT essay section will no longer be required. Additionally, breaks are provided during the test, including a 10-minute break between the reading and writing sections, as well as a 5-minute break between the two math sections. The test time may also be extended by an additional 20 minutes for a pre-tested section.

In order to make the most of your SAT experience, consider travel time and any special accommodations required due to medical conditions or other circumstances. Remember, the new SAT has a total duration of 3 hours, or 3 hours and 50 minutes with the optional essay section. Time management is key to success on the SAT, so prioritize easier questions first and don’t spend too much time on any one section. With the removal of the guessing penalty, feel free to answer as many questions as possible within the given time limits.

Ultimately, preparation, practice tests, and ensuring you get enough sleep are crucial factors in performing well on the SAT. By understanding the test structure, managing your time effectively, and implementing smart test-taking strategies, you can increase your chances of achieving a high score and opening doors to future educational opportunities.

Q: How long is the SAT without the essay section?

A: The SAT without the essay section is about 3 hours long, not including breaks.

Q: What is the breakdown of the SAT without essay sections?

A: The reading section is 65 minutes with 52 questions, the writing and language section is 35 minutes with 44 questions, the math section without a calculator is 25 minutes with 20 questions, and the math section with a calculator is 55 minutes with 38 questions.

Q: Is the essay section mandatory?

A: The essay section is only available in certain states where it is required and adds an additional 50 minutes to the test.

Q: Are there breaks during the SAT without the essay?

A: Yes, there is a 10-minute break between the reading and writing sections, and a 5-minute break between the two math sections.

Q: Can the test time be extended?

A: Test time may be extended by an additional 20 minutes for a pre-tested section.

Q: What time should students aim to finish the SAT without the essay?

A: Students should aim to finish between 12:15 and 12:45 p.m., but travel time and special accommodations should also be taken into account.

Q: How long is the new SAT without the essay section?

A: The new SAT without the essay has a total duration of 3 hours, or 3 hours and 50 minutes with the optional essay section. The reading section is 65 minutes, the writing and language section is 35 minutes, and the math section is 80 minutes.

Q: Are there any penalties for guessing on the SAT without the essay?

A: There is no longer a penalty for guessing, so students can answer as many questions as possible within the time limit.

Q: What are some tips for success on the SAT without the essay?

A: Preparation, practice tests, and getting enough sleep are important factors in performing well on the SAT. Students should prioritize easier questions first and not spend too much time on any one section.

Q: Are there any recent changes to the SAT without the essay?

A: The SAT essay section will no longer be required after June, and optional subject tests have also been discontinued.

Source Links

• https://blog.collegeboard.org/how-long-does-the-sat-take
• https://www.collegeraptor.com/getting-in/articles/act-sat/your-guide-to-the-new-sat-timing-content-scoring-and-tips/
• https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/how-long-the-sat-is-and-how-to-manage-that-time

Baron Cooke has been writing and editing for 7 years. He grew up with an aptitude for geometry, statistics, and dimensions. He has a BA in construction management and also has studied civil infrastructure, engineering, and measurements. He is the head writer of measuringknowhow.com

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, sat essay prompts: the complete list.

SAT Writing , SAT Essay

On every SAT Essay, you'll have to read an argument meant to persuade a broad audience and discuss how well the author argues his or her point. The passage you'll have to read will change from test to test, but you'll always need to analyze the author's argument and write a coherent and organized essay explaining this analysis.

In this article, we've compiled a list of the 14 real SAT essay prompts that the College Board has released (either in The Official SAT Study Guide or separately online) for the new SAT. This is the most comprehensive set of new SAT essay prompts online today.

At the end of this article, we'll also guide you through how to get the most out of these prompts and link to our expert resources on acing the SAT essay. I'll discuss how the SAT essay prompts are valuable not just because they give you a chance to write a practice essay, but because of what they reveal about the essay task itself.

UPDATE: SAT Essay No Longer Offered

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In January 2021, the College Board announced that after June 2021, it would no longer offer the Essay portion of the SAT (except at schools who opt in during School Day Testing). It is now no longer possible to take the SAT Essay, unless your school is one of the small number who choose to offer it during SAT School Day Testing.

While most colleges had already made SAT Essay scores optional, this move by the College Board means no colleges now require the SAT Essay. It will also likely lead to additional college application changes such not looking at essay scores at all for the SAT or ACT, as well as potentially requiring additional writing samples for placement.

What does the end of the SAT Essay mean for your college applications? Check out our article on the College Board's SAT Essay decision for everything you need to know.

SAT essay prompts always keep to the same basic format. Not only is the prompt format consistent from test to test, but what you're actually asked to do (discuss how an author builds an argument) also remains the same across different test administrations.

The College Board's predictability with SAT essay helps students focus on preparing for the actual analytical task, rather than having to think up stuff on their feet. Every time, before the passage, you'll see the following:

• evidence, such as facts or examples, to support claims.
• reasoning to develop ideas and to connect claims and evidence.
• stylistic or persuasive elements, such as word choice or appeals to emotion, to add power to the ideas expressed.

And after the passage, you'll see this:

"Write an essay in which you explain how [the author] builds an argument to persuade [her/his] audience that [whatever the author is trying to argue for]. In your essay, analyze how [the author] uses one or more of the features listed in the box above (or features of your own choice) to strengthen the logic and persuasiveness of his argument. Be sure that your analysis focuses on the most relevant features of the passage.

Your essay should not explain whether you agree with [the author]'s claims, but rather explain how [the author] builds an argument to persuade [her/his/their] audience."

Now that you know the format, let's look at the SAT essay prompts list.

14 Official SAT Essay Prompts

The College Board has released a limited number of prompts to help students prep for the essay. We've gathered them for you here, all in one place. We'll be sure to update this article as more prompts are released for practice and/or as more tests are released.

SPOILER ALERT : Since these are the only essay prompts that have been released so far, you may want to be cautious about spoiling them for yourself, particularly if you are planning on taking practice tests under real conditions . This is why I've organized the prompts by the 10 that are in the practice tests (so you can avoid them if need be), the ones that are available online as sample prompts, and the ones that are in the text of the Official SAT Study Guide (Redesigned SAT), all online for free.

Practice Test Prompts

These 10 prompts are taken from the practice tests that the College Board has released.

Practice Test 1 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Jimmy Carter builds an argument to persuade his audience that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge should not be developed for industry."

Practice Test 2 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Martin Luther King Jr. builds an argument to persuade his audience that American involvement in the Vietnam War is unjust."

Practice Test 3 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Eliana Dockterman builds an argument to persuade her audience that there are benefits to early exposure to technology."

Practice Test 4 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Paul Bogard builds an argument to persuade his audience that natural darkness should be preserved."

Practice Test 5 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Eric Klinenberg builds an argument to persuade his audience that Americans need to greatly reduce their reliance on air-conditioning."

Practice Test 6 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Christopher Hitchens builds an argument to persuade his audience that the original Parthenon sculptures should be returned to Greece."

Practice Test 7 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Zadie Smith builds an argument to persuade her audience that public libraries are important and should remain open"

Practice Test 8 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Bobby Braun builds an argument to persuade his audience that the US government must continue to invest in NASA."

Practice Test 9 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Todd Davidson builds an argument to persuade his audience that the US government must continue to fund national parks."

Practice Test 10 :

"Write an essay in which you explain how Richard Schiffman builds an argument to persuade his audience that Americans need to work fewer hours."

Special note: The prompt for Practice Test 4 also appears on the College Board's site with real sample essays written in response. If you've written a practice essay for practice test 4 and want to see what essays of different score levels look like for that particular prompt, you can go there and look at eight real student essays.

Free Online Practice

This prompt comes from the College Board website .

"Write an essay in which you explain how Dana Gioia builds an argument to persuade his audience that the decline of reading in America will have a negative effect on society."

This prompt comes from Khan Academy , where it is listed as an alternate essay prompt to go along with Practice Test 2:

"Write an essay in which you explain how Leo W. Gerard builds an argument to persuade his audience that American colleges and universities should be affordable for all students."

The Official SAT Study Guide 2020

The Official SAT Study Guide (editions published in 2015 and later available online for free) contains all 10 of the previously mentioned practice tests at the end of the book. In the section about the new SAT essay , however, there are two additional sample essay prompts (accompanied by articles to analyze).

Sample Prompt 1:

"Write an essay in which you explain how Peter S. Goodman builds an argument to persuade his audience that news organizations should increase the amount of professional foreign news coverage provided to people in the United States."

Sample Prompt 2:

"Write an essay in which you explain how Adam B. Summers builds an argument to persuade his audience that plastic shopping bags should not be banned."

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How Do You Get the Most Out of These Prompts?

Now that you have all the prompts released by the College Board, it's important to know the best way to use them. Make sure you have a good balance between quality and quantity, and don't burn through all 14 of the real prompts in a row— take the time to learn from your experiences writing the practice essays.

Step By Step Guide on How to Practice Using the Article

#1: Understand how the SAT essay is graded .

#2: Follow along as we write a high-scoring SAT essay, step by step .

#3: Plan a set of features you'll look for in the SAT essay readings and practice writing about them fluidly. This doesn't just mean identifying a technique, like asking a rhetorical question, but explaining why it is persuasive and what effect it has on the reader in the context of a particular topic. We have more information on this step in our article about 6 SAT persuasive devices you can use .

#4: Choose a prompt at random from above, or choose a topic that you think is going to be hard for you to detach from (because you'll want to write about the topic, rather than the argument) set timer to 50 minutes and write the essay. No extra time allowed!

#5: Grade the essay, using the official essay rubric to give yourself a score out of 8 in the reading, analysis, and writing sections.

#6: Repeat steps 4 and 5. Choose the prompts you think will be the hardest for you so that you can so that you're prepared for the worst when the test day comes

#7: If you run out of official prompts to practice with, use the official prompts as models to find examples of other articles you could write about . Start by looking for op-ed articles in online news publications like The New York Times, The Atlantic, LA Times , and so on. For instance, the passage about the plastic bag ban in California (Official SAT Study Guide sample essay prompt 2, above) has a counterpoint here —you could try analyzing and writing about that article as well.

Any additional articles you use for practice on the SAT essay must match the following criteria:

• ideally 650-750 words , although it'll be difficult to find an op-ed piece that's naturally that short. Try to aim for nothing longer than 2000 words, though, or the scope of the article is likely to be wider than anything you'll encounter on the SAT.
• always argumentative/persuasive . The author (or authors) is trying to get readers to agree with a claim or idea being put forward.
• always intended for a wide audience . All the information you need to deconstruct the persuasiveness of the argument is in the passage. This means that articles with a lot of technical jargon that's not explained in the article are not realistic passage to practice with.

What's Next?

We've written a ton of helpful resources on the SAT essay. I f you're just getting started, we recommend beginning with our top SAT essay tips for a quick overview of the essay task and what you need to know.

A little more familiar with the SAT essay but still not quite sure how to write one? Follow along with our step-by-step guide to writing the SAT essay .

Looking to earn a high score? Learn what it takes to get the highest score possible on the SAT essay here .

Plus, if you want a reference linking you to all of our great articles on the SAT essay, be sure to check out our ultimate SAT essay guide .

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Laura graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College with a BA in Music and Psychology, and earned a Master's degree in Composition from the Longy School of Music of Bard College. She scored 99 percentile scores on the SAT and GRE and loves advising students on how to excel in high school.

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