SAT Preparation Tips: How to Study for SAT Exam?

Follow the below mentioned SAT preparation tips after understanding the SAT exam 2026 pattern thoroughly. With the following tips, applicants should be able to crack the SAT by following these strategies properly for their exam study plans.

1. Start early to Prepare for the SAT

It's the early bird that catches the worm. Thus, planning always helps! So, when in high school, it is better to start preparing for the SAT. Begin with understanding the SAT syllabus and while managing your studies, you need to take the SAT preparation. Select the SAT date by giving yourself an abundance of time to prepare for the test. Take at least 2 to 3 months to prepare for the test. As you start early, you will have the time to learn the concepts practice them and make a strategy. After learning the concepts you'll gain confidence while going into the test.

2. Make a schedule for the SAT Exam

Decide when you are going to take the SAT. Build a study plan and follow it rigorously. It will help you manage your time well before the test. Watch instructional videos and allocate specific time for practice. Work more on your weak areas set targets and try to achieve them. Make sure your target is aligned with the colleges that you want to apply to.

3. Prepare with Official SAT Practice from Khan Academy

It is always best to prepare for the SAT by using the official resources crafted by the makers of the SAT. College Board has partnered with Khan Academy for SAT preparation which is available for students for free. The Official SAT Practice includes the official SAT study resources. Khan Academy has created a plan based on the latest Digital SAT exam pattern, your past scores, and the upcoming test date. You should prepare for at least 6 - 20 hours for your first SAT. After this take at least one full-length practice test on Bluebook. After completing this, you'll know about your weak areas and can focus on them more.

4. Take SAT Practice Tests 

If students preparing for the SAT exam can get a lot of practice before taking the main exam day. SAT practice tests are essential for SAT preparation. Through SAT practice tests, one can understand their strengths and areas of weakness. If there is sufficient time in hand, the weaknesses can also be conquered. Thus, for individuals, it is highly important to get ahold of sample SAT papers and make the best use of them.

5. Read Everyday

This is an important aspect of SAT exam preparation, where students must regularly read to improve their reading speed and expand their vocabulary, enabling them to answer questions in the Reading and Writing section of the SAT more easily. The students will also build confidence because conversational skills will also improve when they read regularly. Their communication while studying abroad will be a cakewalk. 

There is a timeline that all test takers must follow when planning to take SAT. The following is the SAT Digital preparation timeline for prospective students, who are still wondering how and when to do what before appearing for the newest SAT Digital exam in 2026:

• The spring of junior year is the ideal time for a first official SAT attempt. You will have covered most of the relevant course material in school and have ample time for a retake if needed.
• Summer before senior year is the time to take a SAT diagnostic practice test. Based on its results, analyse your weaknesses, and focus on targeted study. This low-stress period is perfect for significant score improvement without juggling a heavy course load.
• Download Bluebook App and take practice tests once you register in advance for August or October SAT dates.
• Early Fall of Senior Year is when you take your final SAT attempt (August or October). This allows for score processing (typically 2-4 weeks) and sending to colleges before the November and December deadlines.
• Weeks before application submission focus on finalising your college essays, gathering recommendation letters, and completing other application components. Avoid scheduling an SAT during this intense period. 
• Take your SAT exam in advance before the score submission timeline. Keep buffer if you may have to retake the exam.

Since the SAT exam is divided into two broad areas of testing - Reading + Writing & Math sections, students registering for SAT in 2026 will have to devise their SAT preparation strategy in such a manner that they cover both areas with concept clarity and are able to get enough practice before finally attempting the SAT exam. The SAT preparation strategy can be tailored to each section of the test. There are just a couple of important preparation tips which can help students ace their SAT exam in just one go. Check out the following SAT section-wise preparation strategies and tips to be able to crack the exam. 

SAT Preparation Tips for Reading and Writing Section 2026

This section includes reading and writing areas together and tests around 54 questions in the MCQ format. This section covers areas of Craft & Structure, Information & Ideas, Standard English Conventions and Expression of Ideas. Check out the following SAT RW Section preparation tips to ace the SAT exam:

• Master Greek & Latin roots (e.g., “bio” = life, “phil” = love) to decode unfamiliar Tier 2 vocabulary.

• Create flashcards that include roots, meanings, and example usage.

• Focus on academic words often seen in arguments and rhetorical questions.

• Use chunk reading (groups of 3–5 words) to increase words per minute.

• Practice with complex texts from science, history, and social studies.

• Train yourself to quickly extract the main idea, tone, and author’s intent.

• Skim the questions to identify line numbers or specific details that will guide your reading.

• Avoid reading “blindly”; instead, know what to find using the right strategy.

• Helps reduce rereading and improves passage efficiency.

• Avoid answers with extreme qualifiers (always, never).

• Be cautious of keyword echoes that mislead—focus on meaning, not just matching words.

• Avoid options that fall outside the scope or introduce new information not supported by the passage.

• Passages can be of two types: one where there will be errors that you need to identify after reading, and one where you need to understand the idea or theme of the passage.
• Every question is designed in such a way that it tests your grammar, word choice, and sentence structure.

SAT Preparation 2026 Tips for Maths Section 

While the Math section of the SAT is the second area, which includes a total of 44 questions, where 33 are MCQ-based and the other 11 require students to produce an answer themselves without choosing from options. SAT Math comprises three sections: Algebra and Functions, Geometry, Statistics, Probability, and Data Analysis. In Maths, there will be two parts; test takers are allowed to use a calculator in both modules. Check out the SAT Math section preparation tips: 

• Use diagnostic mini-quizzes to target specific skills in algebra, problem-solving, geometry, or data analysis.

• Apply the 80/20 Rule: Fix the 20% of math topics that cause 80% of your errors.

• Practice medium- and hard-level questions, as the digital SAT adapts based on performance.

• Simulate a digital setting by noting elimination and work neatly on paper for math problems.

• Practice flagging hard questions and pacing your problem-solving, just as you would on the test screen.

• Time yourself in chunks to improve focus and endurance.

• Don't rush into the first step; instead, understand what the question is asking.

• Watch out for distractor values (especially after solving only part of the problem).

• Double-check for unit mismatches, incorrect sign operations, or off-by-one errors.

Finally, after learning something new or fixing an error, review it on Days 1, 3, 7, and 14. This builds long-term retention and reduces panic during the real test. Check out 10 Hardest SAT Math Questions along with their solutions, tips and strategies for prep. 

Applicants who prefer studying on their own would require some important SAT books to prepare for the exam. Some of these SAT books are recommended by College Board while others are top rated ones online for prep. Check out the list below:

Applicants can also look beyond this list of prep material for SAT. They can also get hold of books from SAT coaching centres for self preparation.

To know more about SAT exam preparaion, check out the FAQs for reference.