Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)
Overview High-schools all through the country have varying grading and instructional standards, high-school G.P.A. by itself is not an accurate predictor of college performance. The SAT serves as a standard by which colleges and universities can measure a student's logical abilities to predict how well he or she might do at their college.
The SAT does not test how much you know. Rather, it tests your math and verbal reasoning abilities, and compares it to the abilities of students from other high-schools. Each of the two sections on the SAT is scored from 200(lowest) to 800(highest), for a maximum of 1600.
Eligibility
SAT (SAT Reasoning Test or SAT subjects Test or both) is usually taken by high school juniors and seniors. There is no criterion of minimum marks, for appearing in the SAT Reasoning Test or SAT Subject Tests, but quite a few colleges need a decent SAT score along with a first-class academic record. Some colleges state the Subject Tests they required for admission or placement; others give the liberty to the applicants to choose which tests to take.
Registration
There are three ways to register for the SAT:
1. Online: Visit College Board to register online. Select your test date, test center, and get immediate registration confirmation.
2. Mail: Fill out the paper registration form in The Board’s Registration Bulletin. You can get a free copy of the publication through your school counselor's office.
3. Phone: You can register by phone, if you previously registered for SAT test.
- Call 800-SAT-SCORE (800-728-7267) 7 a.m. to midnight, ET
- 609-771-7600 8 a.m. to 8:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, ET.
- Test Structure
| Critical Reading |
| Question Type |
Number of Questions |
| Sentence completions |
19 |
| Passage-based Reading |
48 |
Time: Two 25-minutes sections; one 20-minute section.
Total: 70 minutes |
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| Writing |
| Question Type |
Number of Questions |
| Identifying sentence errors |
18 |
| Improving sentences |
25 |
| Improving paragraphs |
6 |
| Essay writing |
One essay |
Time: Two 25-minute sections; one 10-minute section.
Total: 60 minutes |
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| Math |
| Question Type |
Number of Questions |
| Multiple-choice |
44 |
| Grid-ins |
10 |
Time: Two 25-minute sections; one 20-minute section.
Total: 70 minutes |
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SAT Subject Test or SAT II
SAT Subject Tests (formerly SAT II: Subject Tests) are designed to measure the applicants knowledge and skills in specific subject areas like English, History, Mathematics, Science and language. The subject tests are designed to check the ability of an applicant to apply the knowledge that he / she has acquired during school education (high school or equivalent of US education. The tests do not match any particular textbook or method of instruction. The tests' content reflects up to date trends in high school curriculum or 10 + 2 school curriculum, but the types of questions differ a bit from year to year.
Numerous colleges use the Subject Tests like English, history, mathematics, science and language for admission, for course placement and to advise students about course selection. SAT subject tests are used in incorporation with other background information (e.g. high school i.e. 10+2 record, scores from other tests like the SAT Reasoning Test, teacher recommendations, etc.). These tests provide a dependable measure of candidate’s academic triumph and are a good forward planner of the future performance. Some colleges specify the Subject Tests they need for admission or placement; others give the free hand to the applicants to decide which tests to take. |
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Subject Test Area
SAT subject tests conducted by College Board tests the applicants in the following major areas, tabulated below:
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| English |
• Literature |
| History and Social Studies |
• US History(formerly American History and Social Studies)
• World History |
| Mathematics |
• Mathematics Level 1 (formerly Mathematics IC)
• Mathematics Level 2 (formerly Mathematics IIC) |
| Science |
• Biology E/M
• Chemistry
• Physics |
| Languages |
• Chinese with Listening French
• French with Listening German
• German with Listening Spanish
• Spanish with Listening Modern Hebrew
• Spanish with Listening
• Italian
• Latin
• Japanese with Listening
• Korean with Listening |
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Information about Subject Tests in Languages with Listening functionality
- The listening tests include: Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Spanish.
- Applicant must carry a portable CD player with earphones to the test center.
- All listening tests are offered during the November month of SAT admission at designated test centers.
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