In India, many students aspire to pursue graduate or postgraduate courses abroad. Almost all the universities and colleges in foreign countries require the candidate to clear a certain entrance test for admission. SAT is one such popular exam mainly taken by students seeking enrollment in undergraduate courses across the US and Canada. Before knowing all about the SAT exam, let’s start with the basics of SAT.
What is the SAT Exam?
SAT is an international-level entrance test conducted by the College Board. While previously it was known as ‘Scholastic Aptitude Test’, the latest SAT full form is ‘Scholastic Assessment Test’. SAT is held at least five times a year. The purpose of the test is to evaluate the candidate’s proficiency in mathematics and English language. It is of two types, SAT general/reasoning test and SAT subject test. The general SAT is usually referred to as the SAT only. The subject test is meant for aspirants who want to get admission in a specific course only. More than 2 million candidates appear for the SAT exam annually.
Eligibility Criteria for SAT Exam 2022
There are no particular eligibility conditions for the SAT test. Listed below are the standard criteria for the exam:
- The candidate should have completed high school education (class 12th or equivalent) to sit for the exam.
- There is no minimum or maximum age limit for appearing in SAT. It is observed that most candidates of age group 17-19 apply for the exam.
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Further, there is also no restriction on the number of attempts. So, you can take the SAT exam as many times as you wish. However, you must have a valid Indian passport for giving the exam.
SAT Exam Dates 2022-23
SAT is conducted in the following five months: March, May, August, October, and December. The registration deadline is about a month before the exam date. Given the table displays the list of SAT dates for the session 2022-23:
| SAT Registration Last Dates | SAT Exam Dates | Available Test/s | Result Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26th April 2022 | 7th May 2022 | SAT | 20th May 2022 |
| 25th May 2022 | 4th June 2022 | SAT | 17th June 2022 |
| 16th August 2022 | 27th August 2022 | SAT & SAT Subject Test | 9th September 2022 |
| 20th September 2022 | 1st October 2022 | SAT & SAT Subject Test | 14th October 2022 |
| 25th October 2022 | 5th November 2022 | SAT & SAT Subject Test | 18th November 2022 |
| 22nd November 2022 | 3rd December 2022 | SAT & SAT Subject Test | 16th December 2022 |
| 28th February 2023 | 11th March 2023 | SAT & SAT Subject Test | 24th March 2023 |
| 25th April 2023 | 6th May 2023 | SAT & SAT Subject Test | 19th May 2023 |
| 24th May 2023 | 3rd June 2023 | SAT & SAT Subject Test | 16th June 2023 |
SAT Registration 2022
The registration for the SAT exam remains open all throughout the year. Over 80 test centres are organized for the SAT exam in India. Students can either register online at collegeboard.org or mail their form to the corresponding regional office. Illustrated below are the detailed steps of the SAT registration process:
Registration at the Official Website
- In order to apply online, you have to sign up at the College Board’s website to create your account.
- Complete your student profile by filling in the required personal and educational information (name, high school details, etc.)
- Select your desired test (SAT/SAT Subject Tests), test date, and the suitable test centre from the given options.
- Finally, upload your photo (if required) and submit the fee through any of the given online payment methods.
Registration by Mail
If you opt to register through mail, you will need to request your counsellor for the ‘Student Registration Booklet for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests’. This booklet contains an application form and a return envelope. You are required to fill this form and send it along with a demand draft for fee payment. In India, the emails are sent to the regional office of USIEF.
SAT Exam Fees 2022
The following table shows the registration fee for SAT 2021:
| SAT Registration Fee | $52 |
| SAT with Essay Registration Fee | $68 |
| SAT Subject Test Basic Fee | $26 |
| Each SAT Subject Test Additional Fee
(Except Language Tests with Listening) | $22 |
| Language Tests with Listening Registration Fee | $26 |
| Late Registration Additional Fee | $30 |
| Change in SAT date or center | $30 |
In addition to the above-listed fees, the students in India have to pay $49 as an international fee.
SAT Exam Pattern 2022
SAT is a pen-paper-based test held in offline mode. The exam pattern of General SAT is different from the SAT Subject tests. Below is the description of both:
SAT General/Reasoning Test
The general SAT test comprises objective-type questions and an optional essay. There are three main sections in the SAT, namely reading-writing, mathematics, and the optional essay. The first two sections have a score range of 200-800 each, while the essay score is calculated on a scale of 2-8. The overall SAT scores lie in the range of 400-1600. There is no negative marking in SAT and each multiple-choice question carries equal marks. Given table illustrates the detailed exam pattern of SAT 2021:
| Section | No. of Questions | Time Limit (minutes) |
| Reading | 52 | 65 |
| Writing & Language | 44 | 35 |
| Mathematics
(without calculator) | 20 | 25 |
| Mathematics
(with calculator) | 38 | 55 |
| Essay (optional) | 1 | 50 |
| Total | 155 | 230 |
SAT Subject Test
SAT Subject test consists of 50-85 multiple-choice questions aimed at assessing the candidate’s knowledge of a particular subject. The duration of each subject test is 1 hour and its score scale is 200-800.
There are 20 subjects available for SAT Subject Tests. These subjects belong to the following five fields of study: English, Science, Mathematics, History, and Languages. In the case of Language tests with Listening, 20 minutes are given for listening to the questions and 40 minutes for answering them.
SAT Exam Syllabus 2022
Each section in SAT features questions from a variety of topics. Glimpse through the detailed syllabus for each of sections:
SAT General Test Syllabus
- Reading Section
This section includes five passages accompanied by 10-12 questions each. The passages are of variable length and mostly fetched from topics of sociology, history, literature, psychology, science, or economics. The associated questions enquire about the central theme, tone, writing style, and the meaning of certain words and ideas stated in the passage.
In one or two passages, the information is presented in the form of charts, graphs or tables. For these passages, the candidate is asked to identify some relationships and draw conclusions. In addition, a few questions on sentence completion. Reading section is basically focused on gauging the critical thinking and comprehension abilities of candidates. This part is also called Evidence-based Reading.
- Writing Section
Similar to the Reading section, the Writing portion involves passages with around 10 questions each. In the writing section, there are four passages themed on the topics of science, history, sociology, humanities, and career. The passages are usually narrative, informative, or argumentative in nature. Students are required to pay attention to the grammatical structure of the passages. The related questions probe on the relevance of language, organization of ideas, punctuation usage, etc. In other words, you will have to spot the errors, rephrase and improve the sentences. Also known as Evidence-based Writing, this section mainly checks the student’s understanding of grammar and its rules.
- Mathematics
This section is divided into two parts, math with calculator and math without a calculator. Simply stated, students are provided a calculator for some questions only. However, the good thing is that calculators are allowed for more than 65% of the total questions. The questions are of two types: multiple-choice and grid-in questions. In grid-ins, students are asked to enter their answers in the given grids of the answer sheet. Below is the detailed breakup of questions in two subsections:
| Subsection | No. of Grid-in Questions | No. of MCQs |
| Math with Calculator | 8 | 30 |
| Math without Calculator | 5 | 15 |
Most of the questions are derived from three key areas: algebra, data analysis, and advanced mathematics. These questions are formulated around real-life scenarios of science, technology, and social studies. To ace this section, students must gain conceptual clarity of the following topics:
| Algebra | Data Analysis | Advanced Mathematics |
| · Linear Equations
· Functions · Linear Function Graphs · Linear Inequalities
| · Ratio & Proportion
· Percentages · Unit Conversion · Scatterplots · Tabular Data · Data Inferences · Data Collection Methods · Mean, Median, & Mode · Probability Distributions | · Quadratic Equations
· Rational Exponents · Nonlinear Expressions · Nonlinear Equation Graphs · Polynomial Graphs |
Apart from the above-listed topics, a few questions may also be asked from coordinate geometry and basic trigonometry. At the start of this test, a set of references and formulae are given.
- Essay
This is an optional section of the SAT test. Since only some colleges and universities consider the scores in the SAT Essay, the section is made non-compulsory. In this part, the candidates are asked to give their analysis of a given passage in 650-700 words. Their essay is judged on the basis of the quality of language, structure, and grammar. The major goal is to look for the reasoning and styling elements adopted by the author of the passage.
SAT Subject Test Syllabus
The syllabus for SAT Subject tests varies as per the chosen subject/s. As mentioned before, candidates can select from a list of 20 subjects. The subject test questions pertain to the fundamental knowledge of the given subject. While there is one subject for English as a field of study, the other subjects come under the four broad domains as demonstrated:
| Mathematics | Science | History | Languages |
| · Math Level 1
· Math Level 2 | · Physics
· Chemistry · Biology Ecological/ Molecular | · U.S. History
· World History | · French
· French with Listening · German · German with Listening · Spanish · Spanish with Listening · Chinese with Listening · Japanese with Listening · Korean with Listening · Italian · Modern Hebrew · Latin |
The topics for the above-listed subjects are usually of high-school level only.
Preparation Tips for SAT 2022
Considering the vastness of the syllabus, students often feel anxious about how to crack SAT exam well. For effective preparation, it is important to have a proper strategy in place. To begin with, you can refer to the official study guides provided by the College Board. Thereafter, incorporate the following section-wise tips in your SAT preparation plan:
Tricks for SAT General Test
- Reading Section
A simple way to enhance your comprehension skills is to develop a habit of regular reading. Also, make sure that you read about diverse topics from newspapers, books, and magazines. This will strengthen your vocabulary and improve your accuracy in the reading section.
- Writing Section
This section entails smart work on the part of the candidate. You can achieve reasonable accuracy in the writing test if you are well-versed with the rules of grammar. Further, it is recommended to use elimination technique while tackling the writing section.
- Mathematics
The only route to getting a hold over the concepts of mathematics is to practice them frequently. Once you have gone through the required basics and formulas, spend sufficient time in practising the related questions. Besides, try learning a few mental math methods for faster calculations.
- Essay
If you have decided to give the SAT Essay test, remember to avoid presenting your personal opinion while analysing the given passage. You must express your views with a logical and consistent approach supported by facts and convincing arguments.
Tricks for SAT Subject Tests
You must choose your subject/s wisely keeping in mind the course you are aiming for. The subject test questions mostly emphasize on testing your knowledge of high-school level. Therefore, you can use your class notes and books to prepare for the test. Also, the College Board offers official study books for some of the subjects. After an adequate review of the essential topics, attempt a few practice tests to track your progress.
Lastly, it is crucial to take the full-length SAT practice tests to get a good score in the actual exam.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good SAT score?
Whether your score is good enough or not depends upon the institute and course you wish to apply for. Before setting your target, you must check the score range preferred by those particular universities. While the average SAT score is 1000, anything above 1200 is regarded as a good score.
What is the difficulty level of the SAT?
The difficulty level of SAT lies on a higher side, which means you require rigorously focused preparation to crack the exam.
Which countries accept the SAT scores?
SAT scores are accepted by universities and colleges of countries like the US, Canada, UK, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and many others.
What is the validity period of SAT scores?
SAT scores are valid for over five years. However, some institutes may have their own criteria for the same.
So, this was all about the SAT exam. If you want to know anything more about it, let us know in the comments section below 🙂
