SAT Test Dates

In the United States, the college admission standard examination is called the SAT Reasoning Test. It was once known as the Scholastic Assessment Test and the Scholastic Aptitude Test. According to The College Board, a non-profit organization responsible for publishing the SAT and who actually owns it, claim that this test can measure a student’s college readiness. This test was first introduced in the year 2005.

Structure of the SAT Reasoning Test

There three major sections that make up this assessment test. The said sections are writing, mathematics, and critical reading. Students who take the test can get scores on each of these sections on a scale of 200 to 800. A student’s total score can be ascertained by adding each score on all the three major sections.

Each of these major sections is divided into three other subparts. Other than that, the SAT also has ten subsections. There is also a 25 minute experimental section, which doesn’t really add towards the student’s final score. Students will be given three hours and 45 minutes to work on the said sections.

Additional Details about Each Section

Mathematics: The mathematics section will include questions in the subjects of algebra, geometry, number operations, statistics, data analysis, and probability. It will have a 25 minute section that has multiple choice questions. This section contains a total of 20 questions.

Next will be another 25 minute section that has ten grid-in questions and eight multiple choice ones. Finally, there is also a subsection that will last for 20 minutes and has 16 questions. This subsection will last for 20 minutes. You should expect changes to occur to this above mentioned format as the College Board would see fit to change.

Writing: The writing section also has multiple choice questions. However, it will require students to compose a brief essay. The essay portion of the test will account for 30% of the total score for the writing section of the test. The rest of the questions will take up the remaining 70% of the total score for this section. The essay section will take 25 minutes to complete.

Critical Reading: This section of the test was used to be called the verbal section. It has a couple of 25 minute sections and a section that lasts for 20 minutes. Some of the sections will ask students to compare passages. Students will read and comprehend excerpts on subjects on physical sciences, humanities, and personal narratives. Both sentence level and critical reading are at the heart of this section.

Annual Test Dates

There are no specific test dates to take the SAT. However, in the United States, the test is offered seven times annually. The test dates usually fall on the first Saturday of May, June, November, and December. There are other test dates given for the months of March, April, and October.

Preparing for the SAT

There are classes that students can take in order to prepare for the said examinations. You can look up class schedules on the Internet. If you prefer a more individualized and personal mode of instruction then you can hire a tutor. Students should begin preparing for the tests as soon as they can determine the actual test dates.