SAT Exam 2025: Registration, Test Dates & Centres, Fees, Eligibility, Results & Score

SAT exam is given by high school students who are applying for admission to universities abroad. Most of the US, Canada, UK, Italy and a few Australian universities accept SAT scores for undergraduate admissions from international students. In some cases, students may have a choice to either submit a SAT score or ACT score or even exempt them from submitting any of these standardised tests for admission. SAT exam pattern is very different from ACT, with new changes in SAT, the duration has reduced for SAT exam as well. Most preferred among international students is the SAT exam and a large number of students sit for this exam. 

For Indian students SAT may or may not be difficult, totally depends on the applicant and his or her preparation. Since SAT exam is designed for high school students based on their previous knowledge it shouldn't be difficult for Indian students on the whole. There may be a difference in subject combinations in senior secondary school level which may directly affect the student's performance in SAT, for example those who opted for non-Maths subjects may be disadvantaged for the Maths section. Thus, the base is the same for SAT exam sections for Indian students based on their high school. So, they would not have a lot have major difficulties in preparing for the exam.

As such there are no limits to take the SAT exam, or prescribed by College Board as such. The applicants can take SAT exam as many times as they wish to. Usually, as per College Board, the applicants take SAT exam once or twice before app;ying for admissions, the reason being that colleges pick the highest score from either of the two attempts. Since SAT is conducted seven times a year, applicants can choose their preferred dates for taking the SAT once or for the second time as well. 

While both SAT and ACT solve a similar purpose of understanding an undergraduate's readiness for college admissions, both are designed differently and tested differently. Understand the key difference to know which one is easier - SAT or ACT from the section below:

• SAT is a digital exam, whereas ACT is tested on paper plus availability of digital format is meagre.
• SAT is 2 hours 14 minutes, ACT is 2 hours 55 minutes long.
• There are just two sections on SAT - Reading + Writing & Maths, ACT on the other hand has four sections - English, Reading, Science and Maths.
• There is an optional writing paper on ACT, while SAT has scrapped the essay paper.
• There is an inbuilt calculator for Digital SAT, however, there is no such provision on ACT.
• Free prep is available for SAT applicants, but not for ACT applicants.

Thus, it is up to the applicants to choose which one is a more suitable option for them - SAT or ACT and apply and prepare accordingly. For more details check - Which one is easier - SAT or ACT?  

SAT exam is basically for undergraduate courses offered in USA, Canada, UK and various European countries. The SAT exam is accepted for almost all undergraduate courses, only if the university in question is not test-optional and mandatorily requires SAT scores. The SAT exam is for various types of undergraduate courses, to name a few for reference:

• BBA
• BA in Physics
• BS in Computer Science
• BE in Chemical Engineering
• BA in Psychology

For courses like LLB or MBBS, SAT scores are not required because they are not a part of the admission process. But for all other types of bachelor's courses, SAT score is required. It is always beneficial to check admission requirements before applying for a course. 

While US universities have started accepting SAT scores for undergraduate admissions, after a long pause since COVID-19, there are still a few who choose to be test optional. Majority of the Ivy League schools and public universities are accepting SAT scores mandatorily. Some of the universities which are still test optional are as follows:

• Boston University
• Amherst College
• Brandeis University
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Case Western Reserve University
• Columbia University

Applicants must check the official website and check if the university is test-optional. Despite being test-optional, universities still recommend and encourage applicants to submit their standardised test scores. Thus, until and unless it is mentioned test-optional or not mandatory for admission, applicants need not submit their SAT or ACT scores. 

With the introduction of SAT Digital, the SAT exam has also become an adaptive test. This means that when the applicant attempts the very first module (irrespective of the section - RW or Math) the test functionality determines the difficulty level of the second module. Thus, the questions that will be tested on the second module will be based on how the applicants answered the questions on the first module. This, in turn, factors in an accurate assessment of the applicant's performance. Since the difficulty of questions on SAT change based on the first module, however, the overall SAT exam syllabus for testing the applicants remains the same. 

SAT exam is conducted eight times in a year, in India and globally. The SAT exam is conducted in the following months annually:

1. March
2. May
3. June
4. August
5. September
6. October
7. November
8. December

SAT exam is conducted on Saturdays of the above-given months. Sunday testings are unavailable in India. Applicants can check out the latest dates on - SAT Exam Dates. 

College Board has added one more SAT testing date in the month of September from 2025. Thus, applicants can choose to apply for one more SAT exam date if they wish to in September.

The purpose of SAT exam to check the student's readiness for college level education by testing them on theirhigh school knowledge. Based on the student's performance in SAT exam, the colleges are able to compare the performance and admit students based on their scores on SAT exam. Thus, this is the sole purpose of SAT exam to test the students. 

SAT is an important deciding factor in considering admissions to universities abroad at large. Importance of SAT can be understood this way:

• It helps admission committee understand an applicant's potential academically, and offer or not offer him admission.
• Higher the SAT score, higher is the possibility of admissions (keeping other things in check like documentation, good moral character, etc.).
• Better scope for getting a scholarship to support education abroad if scored well on SAT.
• Based on SAT scores, admission committees can also assess an applicant's level of critical thinking, time management skills including problem solving skills. 

Thus, these reasons are essential to determine what is the importance of SAT exam scores for admissions.

No, SAT exam is not only for Australia universities, in fact universities in Canada, Italy, UK, India and Singapore a few top locations where SAT scores are acceptable for UG admissions. Some universities in Australia and New Zealand also accept SAT scores from international students for admissions. Applicants applying for admissions abroad must check the requirements for SAT, aim for the SAT score accordingly and apply for admisisons. 

Yes, you can sit for the SAT after 12th. Don’t worry about a year getting wasted or so, you can shortlist the universities beforehand and save time of additional research. There are no specific age criteria laid down by The College Board for appearing for your SAT exam. However, since SAT is for admission to undergraduate programs candidates are advised to appear for their SAT while in they are either in the last months of their study in class XI and XII or after they pass out from the school. Usually students appear for SAT when they have made a decision to apply for foreign universities for undegrad course. Thus, yes, a student can sit for the SAT exam after class XII.

The difficulty level of SAT depends on the student's preparation and background of academia. Though SAT exam is designed based on student's high school knowledge hence, those who have prepared well keeping the syllabus in mind and with ample practice may find the SAT exam easy. The level of SAT difficulty may vary person to person and ofcourse based on the level of understanding and preparation also. While a million students appear for SAT exam, only 25,000 get through it.

SAT exam history dates back to 1926, where the exam contents evolved from an Army IQ test. It was conducted by the non-profit organisation - College Board, which is still the official adminstrator of the SAT exam. The exam was designed to test the meritocracy of the applicants applying for colleges in the US from high school irrespective of their previous academic backgrounds. The SAT exam in 1926 tested applicants on Arithmetic, Logic, Reading, and certain Definitions of terms which was taken by 8,000 students. Seeing the importance of SAT in 1926 and its rising use, in 1935 Harvard University made it mandatory for all its applicants to submit SAT scores for admission. 

Since SAT was required at almost all major US universities, more than 80,000 students took SAT by 1951, increasing to 1.7 million by 1971. Sentence completion (which is currently obsolete) was introduced in 1994. In 2005, SATs again saw a radical change, aligning it more with the curriculum of high school after University of California system critocised it. Over time, the SAT has witnessed multiple changes till date, mostly from 2005 onwards. In 2021, SAT subject tests were discontinued and in March 2023, the Digital SAT came into picture. 

SAT includes a various set of questions from very easy to very difficult. Easy questions are usually answered correctly by 90% of the students while hard questions are answered correctly by less than 30 % of students. To know whether SAT is difficult or not one must learn the SAT exam pattern. So, if you like reading and more into words then the Reading section will be smooth for you. Similarly, you need to understand the complete pattern and see whether it is difficult for you or not. Whichever section of SAT is difficult for the applicants, they can go ahead and prepare for it first. 

Check about: New SAT Format: Difference Between Old and New SAT Format 

The top 10 SAT accepting colleges in USA are as follows:

1. Yale University
2. Harvard University
3. Dartmouth College
4. Cornell University
5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
6. CalTech
7. University of Chicago
8. New York University
9. University of Pittsburgh
10. Brown University

There are many other SAT accepting universities in USA, while some are test-optional. Get more details at

As in the case of the SAT, there are no restrictions set by the College Board, students can take the SAT exam as many times as they want. SAT is administered now eight times a year in India from 2025. The test is usually conducted in March, May, June, August, September, October, November and December.

However, it is recommended that applicants appear for SAT twice - in Spring and one before Fall. This is because the highest SAT scores among the two will be considered by universities for admission. Since in a lot of cases, SAT scores improve in the second time, it is recommended to take the SAT exam twice. 

Indian students can appear for SAT in US states as well, they will be eligible if they or their parents hold citizenship of the US. In case of citizenship, Indian students will be eligible to give SAT as domestic students as well. The students must ensure where and when are they appearing for the SAT exam irrespective of their recent high school qualifications.  

While in India, being an Indian citizen but also holding a US citizenship, applicants will be permitted to appear for SAT exam in either India or in the USA irrespective of where they are residing at the moment. But if the applicants holding a US citizenship will be eligible for a SAT exam fee waiver plus they will also get the benefit of being a domestic student. 

It completely depends on the applicant where and how they wish to take the exam depending upon their circumstances and citizenship as well. Otherwise they are eligible to appear for SAT exam within their own country of residence. 

Yes, applicants who have graduated from India and are looking for another bachelor's degree to study abroad, and require to fulfil the admission requirement of submitting a SAT score, are absolutely eligible to sit for the SAT exam. There is no descriptive age bar or definition of age in SAT eligibility. Hence, Indian graduates are eligible to appear for SAT exam. Thus, there is no barrier of country of origin for the applicants, anyone who wishes to apply are eligible to register for the SAT exam.

There are no specific eligibility criteria set by the College Board, the body that conducts and manages the SAT exam. However, it can be taken by students who are in high school. Students who want to apply for undergraduate studies abroad are required to have completed their high school education to move to the next level of their learning and have to in some cases submit SAT exam scores if the university requires them.

Usually, students take the SAT once they have decided to apply for undergrad abroad. Candidates should plan the test in such a way that they have the SAT scores with them at the time of applying to the colleges. The ideal time to apply for SAT should be after passing out from school after taking a month or two for preparation. The SAT results are released in a matter of few days, this has been possible with Digital SAT in India. Thus, after having your SAT scores you can begin applying to universities abroad. 

Thus, applicants must decide on the SAT dates prior so that they do not have to rush at the last hour for preparation and registration. The SAT dates must also be dediced beforehand so that the applicants don't miss out on university deadlines for SAT score submissions. In case of delays applicants may be penalised and may not be considered for admission also where SAT scores are an important part of the admission process. 

Usually students prefer to give the SAT exam while in class XII or after passing out from high school. Plan to take the SAT test in such a way that at the time of the application process you have SAT scores with you. Appropriate SAT exam dates should be chosen in such a manner that students have good preparation and ample practice on mock tests. Also students must ensure to have their SAT scores in hand right before applying to foreign universities. 

Appropriate exam date selection for SAT is also based on the applicant's university deadlines or the kind of time they would need to prepare for the exam. SAT exam dates are predefined and hardly change hence, the dates for SAT dates that are upcoming are also posted on the official website. Thus, applicants will have enough time to decide which SAT date they can choose to appear for the exam because the ultimate goal is to send the SAT scores to universities the applicants have to apply to so that the process of admission is not delayed. 

No, applicants are permitted to make only one account and thus, only one SAT exam date can be chosen. There is no sense in creating two accounts for the same SAT exam date on College Board. Applicant will get only one chance to appear for any one chosen SAT exam date and cannot appear twice on the same exam date. Thus, ensure to be practical and make the correct choice while selecting an exam date and creating a single account. Multiple accounts of the same person for SAT registrations can lead to permanent ban on the applicant for appearing for any SAT exam date.

The timing for your SAT is extremely important to reap its benefits in full. The timing for your SAT exam date should be ideally governed by the following factors.

• When Are Your College Application Deadlines?  This should be your primary deciding factor. Candidates are advised to appear for their SAT exams in advance to avoid any last-minute hassle. Ideally, candidates should apply 3-4 months in advance to experience a smooth college application procedure.
• Are You Applying for SAT Scholarships?  This is another important factor. Candidates who are looking to apply for scholarships that require you to provide SAT Scores should apply in advance as scholarships usually take a longer time to process and include a lot of paperwork.
• How Many Times Will You Take the SAT?  The validity for your SAT Score is a period of 5 years and there is no limit on the number of times a candidate can appear for his SAT Exam. Hence, a candidate can start early and appear as many times as he/she likes.
• How Much Study Time Will You Need?  Candidates who take a longer time to study should schedule their exams as per their requirements. The SAT is an expensive exam and candidates are always recommended to prepare entirely and be sure of their performance before booking an exam slot.

The ideal way to register for SAT exam as an Indian student is through the online mode. Since the process of online SAT registration is easier, more flexible and accessiblilty is any day better, it is only feasible to apply for the SAT exam online. The process of offline registration for SAT can be tedious and may not allow students to make changes in the already submitted application. 

Also those who wish to re-register for SAT if they miss on the already registered SAT date is possible through the online application mode and not applicable for offline registration modes. In case the applicants wish to register for the SAT exam on a late registration deadline, then this is also possible through the online mode in place of the time taking offline mode of application. 

Thus, if applying as an Indian national, the applicants can register for the SAT exam online and submit their photographs also at a later date, make possible changes at a given point of time, easily switch SAT exam dates and register for another SAT exam easily or even apply for the SAT exam on a late registration date, plus making payments for the SAT exam is for sure better and safer online rather the time taking demand draft payment for the offline mode of registration. Hence, Indian applicants should choose to go with the SAT online registration rather than the offline registration. 

Applicants who register for SAT exam for a weekend date will get their admission ticket from the Bluebook App. The applicants can download the Bluebook App after they register for SAT and begin exploring it. Applicants who wish to take an SAT mock can log in on the Bluebook App through the College Board account credentials and take a full-length SAT practice test. Applicants can also explore the testing tools available on Bluebook like:

• Testing Timer
• Calculator
• Reference Sheet
• Annotate Tool
• Mark for Review
• Option Eliminator
• Question Menu
• Zoom Option
• Line Reader

It is a must to download the Bluebook App for practising and also for taking the SAT exam on a personal device. In case, applicants have requested a device from their school for testing, can request the technical team to help the applicant set the app for testing.

There is no option to reschedule a SAT exam date. In case applicants want to reschedule or postpone or even prepone, they will have to cancel the exam date and register again. The applicants after cancelling the original SAT appointment can then reschedule for the new SAT exam date based on preference. Applicants will have to pay the full fee upon new SAT registration.

Applicants should avoid rescheduling to avoid loss of money and must choose their dates in the first go itself. 

Want to cancel your SAT exam and don't plan to take it? Candidates should note that no matter how early you cancel your SATs, you will not be entitled to a full refund. Candidates who have registered for the SAT exam and are required to cancel the same would be eligible for a $10 refund if the candidate cancels the test 5 days in advance. So plan accordingly to avoid any additional charges. 

The cost of taking SAT exam in India is calculated as - registration fee which is USD 68 plus an international registration fee (digital) of USD 43 + sales tax fee which is USD 19.98. The total fee is USD 130.98 which in Indian currency is around INR 11,011 approximately (as on October 16, 2024). Thus, Indian students will have to pay this amount online only through either PayPal or through Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover or JCB credit cards. The SAT exam fee amount may reduce by 5-10% only in case the students have a waiver code for SAT exam. 

Please note, costs are dynamic and can change without prior notice, hence, applicants should check fee related details carefully before proceeding with the SAT exam registrations. 

Indian students applying for universities abroad are not eligible for SAT fee waiver. However, US citizen students studying in 11th and 12th grades, in or out of US territories are eligible for a SAT Fee Waiver. 

SAT Subject Test fee waivers are available only for US citizen students studying in grades 9-12. SAT Subject Tests are not conducted for in India anymore, hence they are not applicable for Indian applicants. 

Note: Indian students who are applying for Indian universities are eligible to apply for SAT exam fee waiver based on their family incomes.

Probably the money paid for SAT registration was processed and is no longer available for recovery. However, it is possible that the registration process is still ongoing and the applicant's payment has not been fully processed. It is recommended that the applicants go and check the status of their registration and contact College Board that administers the SAT for further assistance. College Board may be able to the student with information about the status of their payment and registration. Also if the SAT fee is deducted from the bank, it is likely that the bank credits the amount back in 2-3 working days also. Thus, applicants just need to check. 

No, College Board does not accept any part payments for SAT exam fee registrations. Rather the applicant will have to pay the entire amount together that too online via a credit card or through PayPal. There is no provision of accepting part payments for either SAT registration or SAT registration cancellation or for SAT exam date postponement. Applicants should ensure they have enough funds to be able to submit for SAT exam fees and that the transaction doesn't abort in between. Thus, applicants should keep the minimum amount in the bank account and pay accordingly for the SAT exam fee.

Check when you are going to take the SAT test. The SAT syllabus is vast hence it cannot be covered in a couple of hours. If you have a good amount of time say six months then you need to give fewer hours daily, on the other hand, if you have less amount of time for SAT test then you need to study more hours. Go through the SAT syllabus and understand how much it will take you to cover each and every topic and prepare a study plan accordingly. Thus, this completely depends on the applicant and how he/she wishes to cover the SAT exam syllabus.

Both the SAT and the ACT evaluate high school-level abilities in subjects including writing, math, and reading. The substance and organisation, however, differ noticeably. The ACT incorporates a Science portion that evaluates data analysis and critical thinking in scientific situations, but the SAT has more of an emphasis on evidence-based reading and writing with a focus on data interpretation and reasoning. While the ACT covers a wider range of topics, including more geometry and trigonometry, the SAT places more emphasis on algebra and data analysis with some advanced math. Furthermore, compared to the ACT, the SAT often has less time pressure because it allots more time for each question. Students can select the test that best suits their strengths by being aware of these differences.

There are two sections on the SAT exam and they include:

• SAT Section 1: Reading & Writing
• SAT Section 2: Maths

Each section has a dedicated set of topics that are tested. The SAT's Section 1 includes 54 questions and Section 2 includes 44 questions. Each section is further divided into two modules and are timed differently. Applicants can check out the SAT syllabus to understand in detail about what is on the SAT. 

No, the SAT syllabus does not change overnight. Before changes in SAT's syllabus are announced, there is a proper detailed information available at the College Board website. Usually, the website would also share mock test sources and update of the changes made. Before SAT Digital came into play, the syllabus was changed and was announced two months prior to the first exam date for international students. Hence, students should not worry about the syllabus getting changed at last minute. In case the changes are expected, then they are proposed 2-3 months before so that the preparation of the applicant is not affected by the changes. 

There is no comparison between the difficulty level of SAT syllabus and ACT syllabus. Both are standardised tests which test undergraduate students on their previous knowledge of high school across various subjects. There are a lot of differences between ACT and SAT but they both solve the same purpose for abroad university admissions at the undergraduate level. SAT syllabus is majorly focussed on testing the applicants based on their logical skills while ACT syllabus tests the applicants' verbal ability and logical reasoning. SAT syllabus includes reading plus writing and Maths whereas, ACT syllabus includes English, Maths and Science also which can be slighly more challenging than SAT syllabus. 

In the earlier version candidates lose marks for every wrong answer, whereas, as per the latest SAT digital exam pattern, there is no negative marking. So, you should try to answer as many questions as you can. There will be no penalty for marking wrong answers or for guessing answers. Thus, the new SAT exam pattern has this benefit of no negative marking or penalising students for not attempting a question. This policy was not there before also and hence, College Board continues to take its policies further by not making any major changes in the already existing rules. 

There is a big difference between new and old SAT exam pattern. First of all the new SAT exam is called as SAT Digital because it has digitalised and is no more tested offline. Secondly, the SAT Digital exam pattern has changed and it has become even easier for students to attempt the exam. The other rules for registration have remained the same. Check out the difference below between SAT exam and SAT Digital exam.

SAT Exam (Old)

The old SAT pattern consisted of three sections and an optional writing section as well. The exam duration on the old SAT pattern was longer, around 3+ hours and the additional time for the writing section. The old SAT was paper-pencil based and included different reading and writing sections. The math section on old SAT included a calculator section and a non-calculator section.

SAT Digital Exam (New)

While in the new SAT pattern the exam has gone digital and the duration has decreased by an hour plus no optional writing section is available. There are just two sections, reading and writing are now one section, math is the second section. The math section allows students to use calculator for both modules. The questions have become shorter and the students can answer 30% faster than other exams tested on a similar pattern. 

The SAT Digital exam is designed in a very planned manner, and it consists of the following features or international students:

• The SAT Digital exam is one hour less in duration than the older one, and students are allowed to carry their laptops or iPads to take the SAT Digital exam at the test centre.
• International students, taking the test from outside the US appeared for the first Digital SAT Exam in March 2023. The US-based students would be able to take the SAT Digital Exam from 2024 onwards.
• There are two sections on the SAT - reading + writing and mathematics, each section is for 400-800 marks.
• Overall, the SAT exam is scored on a total of 1600 marks. SAT scores are consolidated, that is, they are based on marks per section and once the section-wise marks are calculated the total scores are released.
• SAT exam cutoffs vary per university of application. While some universities publish SAT cutoffs for admission course-wise, there are others that do not.
• There is no average cutoff that can assess if an applicant can get through college admissions abroad or not.
• Results of SATs are released in a span of 10-14 days from the date of the SAT exam taken. 
• Applicants willing to appear for the SAT can register for the SAT on the College Board website choose their test date and centre and submit applications.

An average SAT exam score is around 1000 for 2023 as per College Board. Thus, anything above 1000 and touching 1200 is considered a good SAT score. The maximum anyone can score on the SAT is the perfect score of 1600. Since applicants receive scaled scores, they should have some understanding of SAT scaled scores and percentiles.

For a detailed understanding, check out What is a good SAT Score?  

The SAT score is valid for a period of 5 years, from the day of the declaration of your SAT Result. That means, if for example, you received your SAT score on May 11, 2021 then your SAT exam scores will be valid till May 11, 2026. Thus, if you apply to universities abroad between May 11, 2021 to May 11, 2026 your SAT scores would deem valid. You may have to pay extra if you want College Board to share your SAT scores officially to the respective universities you are applying to within that time span only. 

Here are the steps to sed SAT scores to colleges:

1. First of all, sign in to your College Board account
2. You will see an option for 'Send Scores'. Click on 'Send Scores'.
3. The next step is to choose 'Send Available Scores Now' (for sending scores immediately) or click on 'Send Scores When Available' (if scores are yet to be declared or you are yet to sit for the exam)
4. Add recipients by choosing your shortlisted colleges. You can search them by name and by state.
5. Double-check all the recipients and personal details, and then only pay the final amount.

Its essential to understand that what is the meaning of 'good SAT score' if it is based on the minimum requirements set by the university then a certain aim has to be set, but if it is more towards a personal goal then the targetting strategy would be different. In order to score good, the students shall prepare themselves of how they wish to plan their studies and assess their previous knowledge first and then working on the SAT syllabus. There is no one way of scoring good on SAT, but definitely the effort and practice of the applicant would pay off.

For any reason you need to cancel your SAT Score, here are two methods through which one can cancel their SAT score:

1. At the test centre: If you are unsure about how the test went or feel you skipped some questions, you can cancel your test immediately. Right at that moment, at the test centre, you can ask the supervisor for a ‘Request to Cancel Test Scores’ form. Fill in all details along with your signature. Submit the form to the supervisor. Make sure you submit this before leaving the test centre.

2. At home: If your poor performance hits you after you leave the test centre, you can also cancel your test at home. However, there is a time limit to it. You must submit your cancellation request by writing to the College Board as quickly as possible because the deadline for receiving such requests will be 11:59 PM (IST) on a Wednesday after the test date. You need to download ‘Request to Cancel Test Scores’ online from the College Board website, fill in your details, sign it, and fax it or speed-post/courier it overnight.

Applicants while registering for SAT exam have the option of indicating which colleges or universities their SAT scores are to be forwarded once they are released. The SAT scores are released to those recipients (colleges and/or universities) and once they are delivered the status against each recipient changes to delivered. Thus, this way applicants can check whether or not their SAT scores have been delivered to their college or university of application post SAT results are declared. Applicants can mention upto four recipients to whom score reports can go to once the results are declared of the SAT exam.

Since SAT Digital is the new way of taking test that is, online and the duration of the test has reduced, the time of SAT result declaration has also reduced. When SAT was tested on paper the results were released in 3 weeks but SAT Digital results are released in a span of 12-13 days from the date of examination. Students can sit for SAT exam accordingly and send across their SAT scores to the respective universities they are applying to. Applicants must ensure that they sit for that SAT exam date, where they can get their SAT score results within the application submission timeline 

An average SAT score is around 1000. Check what is your target score and try to achieve that. Although anything above 1200 is considered a good SAT score. The maximum anyone can score on the SAT is the perfect score of 1600. Learn more about what a good SAT Score here. Preparation should be based on a specific strategy and focusing on the weak points and strengthening them first and then moving on to the strong points. 

SAT score results are declared within two weeks of exam conduction. It usually takes 13-14 days for College Board to release the scores of SAT exam for the applicant, but the score reports take some more time to be relased. Within a week or two the score reports with SAT exam scores are sent to the colleges the applicant had selected during SAT exam registrations. Thus, applicants should ensure that the SAT exam date they choose, the results of the exam align with their admission applications. Also the time for sending the SAT score reports should also be taken into account. 

It depends on the college where you are sending scores. Every institution has its policy for accepting SAT scores. If they accept only the highest score then you need to send only the highest scores. If they want you to send all scores then you need to send all score reports. Completely depends upon the university you are applying to and how they wish to receive your scores. The candidates can check for the process and request for their SAT score reports accordingly.

At a Glance – Here are the components of an SAT Score Report and what they mean:

Note: The SAT Optional Essay is no longer a part of the test. 

SAT exam preparation is based on first understanding the SAT exam syllabus and then preparing for the exam. The SAT exam consists of two braod sections - Reading + Writing and Mathematics. Each section has a set of dedicated topics and a consolidated number of questions are there for each section. Applicants have to prepare based on the give syllabus for SAT exam. The duration of SAT exam preparation depends on the applicant's previous knowledge first and then the time he/she would take to prepare for those topics which he or she has not taken up in the past before. 

The preparation of SAT exam in 15 days can be easy for those who are well versed with Mathematics topics and have a good command over the English language. Applicants can prepare in 15 days, but it is essential that they understand the SAT exam syllabus first and then check out their weak and strong points. In case the applicant can prepare in 15 days they can, else they should take more time and take a thorough understanding and then proceed with the preparation. 

Here are some free resources to help you prepare for the SAT:

Khan Academy

A free resource from College Board that offers a study plan based on your past scores, the upcoming test date, and the latest Digital SAT exam pattern 

Magoosh

A website with a large library of free SAT prep resources 

The Critical Reader

A website that offers free SAT prep resources, including online quizzes and a breakdown of SAT grammar rules 

Practice tests

Many SAT practice tests are available online for free. Taking practice tests can help you identify areas where you need to improve and get a sense of what the actual exam will be like

SAT coaching requirement depends on how the applicant has prepared for the SAT exam. WHile some applicants begin preparing for SAT exam at an early stage while the others begin at a later stage. It completely depends on the applicants how they want to prepare for SAT exam. SAT coaching is required for applicants who are underconfident about certain areas and need expert help. While some may not require SAT coaching because they do not require that kind of help. Thus, it is completely up to the applicants, if they wish to prepare through SAT coaching or on their own. 

The preparation of SAT exam solely depends on the applicants and how they have the SAT syllabus covered while they were in high school. The ease of SAT exam preparation depends on the applicants solely. For those who have even one SAT exam section covered, they can still take some more time to take up the next section of SAT and prepare. The preparation of SAT exam is easy for those applicants also who are good at Mathematics and English language. 

SAT exam preparation will also be based on the applicant's previous knowledge. The applicants who are preparing for SAT exam will have to take into consideration that they also have to take up mock tests, which will further prove beneficial in cracking the exam. The SAT exam preparation can be eased off by following these five tips:

1. Make a schedule and make a plan. Weak topics must be picked up first followed by the those topics which the applicant is confident about.
2. Decide how much time needs to be given to each topic and how much time will it take to complete the entire syllabus.
3. After the prep time is allocated, make some room for practicing on the SAT mocks.
4. Also some time must be dedicated to revision, and coming back to those topics where the applicant lost marks in the mock test. 

Upon following these steps, the applicants will be able to ease their SAT exam preparation. 

Some of the suggested reading list for SAT reading section is mentioned below:

• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
• Treasure Island by R.L. Stevenson
• The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
• The Awakening by Kate Chopin
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin
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The internet is filled with SAT sample papers and study materials. Prospective applicants can go for these resources based on their requirements. SAT sample papers can be downloaded or they can be attempted online on the Bluebook App. The applicants have a plethora of options to choose from and they can go for these resources also if they have prepared from these resources in the past. SAT sample papers are basically an assessment for the applicant's performance based on their preparation. Hence, solving sample papers can help students in understanding their standing based on their preparation of the exam.

SAT practice tests are not harder than the real test as the environment and the anxiety at that time is completely different while one is performing the real test. Although the practice tests are designed as per the level of difficulty of the real test.

Although the difficulty level of the practice tests is almost the same as the real SAT test, however, it depends on how seriously you are attempting it. If you take it in the real settings with the same serious level as the real test then you will get almost accurate results.

Yes, the SAT sample papers are avaiable in all formats - PDF, books, hard copy, soft copy, etc. Applicants who are to appear for SAT exam can look for the sample papers and attempt them to score higher in their main exam format. The availability of sample papers for SAT may vary with the area of residence of the applicant. 

Applicants will have to check the location they are in and the location where they want to sit for their SAT exam. In case they do not find SAT centre nearby, they can choose to appear for the exam at any other nearby SAT centre. It may not always be possible to find a SAT centre in the same location of residence of the applicant. Hence, its best to look for the next best option and prepare accordingly as to how to travel and how much buffer time you'd need to reach the centre and other miscellaneous factors before coming down to one option.

There is a list of things that are not allowed at SAT test centres and they are as follows:

*Can be used to present admission ticket but must be collected or stored away after check-in.

*Including those with computer-style QWERTY keyboards, use paper tape, make noise, or require a power cord

Applicants going for the SAT exam must avoid the above mentioned prohibited list of items at all costs. In case of non-adherence, the applicant's devices can be confiscated and checked or the scores can be cancelled also, the applicants can be dismissed.

Located across 33 cities, there are around 129 designated SAT exam centres in India. Indian students registering for SAT exam can choose for any one of these test centres out of 120 based on their city and area of accommodation. The SAT centres in India are located at all possible cities and in possible areas of these cities too. Each SAT centre has a unique centre code which differentiates one test centre from the other. Students must exercise caution while choosing a SAT exam centre.

No, only one SAT exam centre can be chosen from the already given list of SAT exam centres in India. Applicants can register only once, for one SAT exam centre and one exam date only. Multiple selections from different ID's can lead to blacklisting of the candidate by College Board.

Indian students applying for universities abroad are not eligible for SAT fee waiver. However, US citizen students studying in 11th and 12th grades, in or out of US territories are eligible for a SAT Fee Waiver. 

SAT Subject Test fee waivers are available only for US citizen students studying in grades 9-12. SAT Subject Tests are not conducted for in India anymore, hence they are not applicable for Indian applicants. 

Note: Indian students who are applying for Indian universities are eligible to apply for SAT exam fee waiver based on their family incomes.

Getting a 100% scholarship based on SAT cannot be possible at all times. However, applicants who have shown exemplary academic performance and have scored anywhere between 1200-1600 on Digital SAT can be eligible for a scholarship. The percentage of scholarship based on SAT scores will vary country to country and university to university as well. 

SAT and JEE are two different exams which solve different purposes.

• While SAT tests applicant's aptitude for English, Maths and Social Science, JEE tests applicants skills for Physics, Chemistry and Maths.
• Both JEE and SAT are conducted online, but only SAT is computer adaptive. 
• SAT is accepted for admissions abroad for all types of UG courses irrespective of the fields of study. Whereas, JEE is designed especially for undergrad engineering students
• JEE is conducted in two phases - JEE Mains and JEE Advanced. Whereas there is just one SAT exam and not divided into phases.
• While JEE results release in a month's time, SAT exam results release with 2 weeks time.

SAT is still easier than JEE because, it is computer adaptive, secondly, it tests applicants irrespective of the number of candidates appearing for the exam. The stress level of SAT applicants lower than JEE applicants any day. 

PSAT or Preliminary SAT is more like a practice test that candidates give to check their readiness for the SAT exam. The PSAT exam takes place once a year in October. Candidates can check the nearby school where they can register for the PSAT. The cost for taking PSAT is $17 (INR 1233) approximately. Also, it is scored out of 1520, unlike the SAT test that is scored out of 1600. Usually, students in class 9th or class 10th give the PSAT. Students in class 11th also give PSAT if they are not planning to attempt the SAT exam in 11th standard. It tests the problem-solving skills in three areas: Math, Writing, and Critical Reading.

The College Board allows candidates to use calculators for Maths section. As per the latest version of SAT exam which is now Digital, the students are allowed to use calculators for all their Maths section questions. Earlier there were two Maths sections one which permitted the students the use of calculators and other which did not. But now, students are free to use their calculators for all the Maths questions.

Despite universities becoming test-optional, SAT test takers have gone up to 1.7 million in 2022 in comparison to 1.5 million in the year 2021. Thus, there are students who still wish to submit their SAT scores in order to prove their skills through this standardised test in their admission application to guarantee a better picture of themselves. Usually, high school students take the SAT exam based on the intake they wish to apply to