SAT

SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) is a standardized exam used for admission to colleges and universities in the United States. It is developed and administered by the College Board.
The purpose of the exam is to assess applicants’ readiness for higher education and their ability to handle academic work.

Exam structure
The test is divided into two main sections:
Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW). This section evaluates the ability to understand and interpret written texts, grammar and style skills, and the ability to identify errors and logical inconsistencies in passages.
Math. The Math section assesses knowledge in the following areas: algebra and equations, working with functions, data analysis and probability, and basic geometry and trigonometry concepts.
Each section (Math and Reading/Writing) is scored on a scale from 200 to 800, and the total score ranges from 400 to 1600.

The SAT is taken for admission to upper secondary school grades and to undergraduate (bachelor’s) programs.
The exam lasts three hours and consists of four parts: Reading, Writing and Language, Math (No Calculator), and Math (Calculator). As of June 2021, the optional essay portion was discontinued. As a result, students receive two scores: Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math.

Test format

Note

Test format

Reading (65 minutes). The test includes five passages and 10–11 questions for each. The passages typically come from American and world literature, academic articles, and textbooks in economics, psychology, sociology, and other fields.
Writing and Language (35 minutes). Students read passages that may be accompanied by tables, graphs, and charts, and propose corrections to the underlined parts of sentences.
Math (80 minutes). This section consists of two parts: with a calculator (55 minutes) and without a calculator (25 minutes). Students solve problems from a core math curriculum, including linear equations, functions, statistics, and more.

The maximum SAT score is 1600. Unlike the “competitive” ACT test, the SAT does not subtract points for incorrect answers. However, the overall difficulty level is somewhat higher, especially in the Reading section—students note that the SAT often uses relatively uncommon vocabulary.

Note

Note: The SAT can be taken an unlimited number of times. Each year, certified test centers typically offer 6–7 available test dates for registration. SAT scores are valid for five years.