SAT 2020 Exam Pattern, Insight & Details

SAT 2020: Exam Pattern

SAT is a Paper-based standardized test. It includes two stages: SAT Reasoning Test and SAT Subject Test.

SAT Reasoning Test:

• The exam has three sections; Mathematics, Reading, and Writing. There is an optional section which is called the Essay.

• The duration for the SAT Reasoning Test is 3 hours 50 minutes where 50 minutes is provided for the optional essay section that makes the duration 3 hours.

• Style of questions: multiple-choice questions, essay, descriptive.

• Math Subject: 57 questions, Calculator allowed for 37 questions, duration 80 mins, with 200-800 score range.

• Reading: 52 questions, duration 65 mins, with 200-800 score range.

• Writing and Language: 44 questions, 35 minutes, with a 200-800 score range.

• Essay (optional): 1 descriptive question, 50 minutes long.

• Total questions:  155 questions

• Total score: 1600

• Penalty for wrong answers: none

​SAT Subject Test:

• Total Duration: 60 minutes

• Total score: 800 

• Candidates can choose from 20 subjects provided by the collegeboard for SAT Subject Test.

SAT: Syllabus
 

• Writing: This section involves an essay and multiple-choice questions to test a candidate’s hold over grammar and usage. The candidate needs to focus on improving sentences: structure and approach, have a sound knowledge of subject and verb agreement, noun agreement, and parallelism. The grammar section also involves usage of pronouns, incorrect comparisons, conjunctions, misplaced modifiers, and punctuation. This section is allotted 35 minutes and will have 44 questions.

• Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: The questions asked in this section are based on either short passage reading or long passage reading. It essentially tests a candidate’s vocabulary. According to the SAT syllabus, the time allotted to this section is 65 minutes for attempting 52 questions.

• Mathematics: This section includes questions on arithmetic operations, algebra, geometry, statistics, and probability. Besides, the syllabus includes mean, median and mode, ratios, direct and indirect variation. The candidate can also expect to be asked questions on probability, combination, and permutation and patterns and sequences. As per the SAT test pattern, test takers will be given 80 minutes to solve 57 questions.

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Scoring in SAT

The SAT is divided into two sections - 1. Reading, Writing, and 2. Mathematics. These two sections are scored on a 200-800-point scale, for a maximum total score of 1600.

• SAT subject test scores are measured on a scale of 200 to 800. There are additional sub scores reported on a 20-80 scale. The scores of a student reflect on how he/she compared with other students who took the test. An average SAT score is around 1000. Anything above 1200 is considered a good SAT score. The maximum anyone can score on SAT is the perfect score of 1600. Since you receive scaled scores, you should have some understanding of SAT scaled scores and percentiles.

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SAT Results

SAT test results are typically released within 4-5 weeks of the test administration and can be viewed online. Students can choose to send their test scores to colleges of their choice. They also have the option to cancel their test score or withhold them from being sent to certain colleges.

SAT Preparation Tips

Students who do well on the SAT tend to be good readers who possess a good vocabulary and who can sustain the pressure of answering questions in a short time as the test requires you to deal with nine sections. For the overall preparation, SAT prep is similar to other exams in the sense that you can either take the route of self-studying or attend coaching classes. For self-study you need motivation and self-discipline, to continue with the routine. This method will definitely help you save lots of time and money. However, if you feel you learn best in a classroom environment, then attending coaching classes is not a bad deal. Remember that you can choose to study on your own or through professional help, there is no right or wrong way.

• You need speed to finish the SAT within the prescribed time limit. Go through the topics in the SAT Syllabus and start with the ones that you are good at. Practice Writing/Language and mathematics problems by memorizing formulas.

•  After each study session keeps 1 hour for revision of topics learned/practiced.

•  Make mathematics your strong suit, practice questions to solve them within time to increase efficiency. The trick here is to mug up math formulas by heart, so they come in handy while solving a problem.

• Become smart by attempting questions that you are sure of first, then come to the questions you’re in doubt. But attempt them anyway, remember negative marking is not a factor here. Therefore, attempt all questions.

• Manage your time properly; give an appropriate amount of time to each section. Try to improve your time by practicing as many online tests as possible. Youth4work provides online mock tests will time limit attached to each question; this way one can learn to finish the entire exam within the time limit.

• Studying in a stretch for hours can be tedious and hard and also not so good. Therefore, try to study several times in regular sessions during a day. This will make learning easy and fun, also you will have enough time to brush up the already studied topics in between intervals.

• It is very important to maintain proper health, so you don’t fall sick on the big day. Give your brain an appropriate time to refresh itself. Don’t rush too much information into your head than its limit allows. Take it slow and steady. And get at least eight hours of sleep each night.

Youth4work Prep Tests

Online practice tests for competitive exams – are very unique and popular among aspirants. Aspirants can take self-designed mock-tests as well as practice for sections and topics separately. Youth4work’s unique and proprietary technology is helping lakhs of aspirants to reveal personal details on what are the strength areas of aspirants for any exam and also suggest how they can improve the performance.