Prepping for the SAT exam may seem, at times, daunting; however, we’re here to help you with some practical advice. Once you have strategies in place, the process can be incredibly rewarding!
General Strategies
- In the months and weeks leading up to your SAT exam, set aside a consistent time to practice. Initially, focus on comprehension over speed; however, once you are confident with the former, you can begin timing yourself.
SAT Reading Strategies
- Start reading more challenging material, such as articles or essays; this is an opportunity to learn more about the world around you, whether it’s global affairs, history, art history, or social sciences. The more you read, the easier it will be to answer the questions connected to the passages.
- Identify your strengths and play to these. If you love reading literary fiction, make sure you do this passage first. More of a science student? Go find the science passages and start with those.
- Don’t skip the pre-passage description. This can give you valuable insight into what you’re about to read.
- Actively read the text in front of you, highlighting key words, names, transition words, and important details, but remember that you want to be selective about how much you highlight.
- Look out for words such as so, therefore, but, however, and moreover; these show relationships.
- By engaging with the passage, you are more likely to retain the information. A great strategy is to write down a word or two summarizing each paragraph. Ask yourself questions such as, “What is the purpose of this paragraph?” “What is the tone?” “What details should I pay attention to?”
- For dual passages, read the first passage and answer the related question; then read the second passage, answering specific questions pertaining to this passage and finally responding to all remaining ones.
- Once you have finished reading, try to predict some of the questions you may be asked.
- When answering the questions, you should also try to predict the answer before you look at the answer choices. Going straight to the answer choices increases your chances of falling for a trap answer choice.
If you have any questions regarding the SAT or prep strategies, the Options team is here to assist. Our Writing Coaches work with students on a one-on-one basis to improve both comprehension and timing; we also offer ACT and SAT workshops throughout the year to help students strengthen their skills. Please contact administration for more information.
If you missed our blog about hacks for the SAT Writing and Language Section, check it our here, and if you’re writing the ACT, check out our hacks for the English and Reading sections.
