Scholastic Assessment Tests (SATs)

Table of Contents

SAT is a standardized test administered by the College Board and is required to be taken by students seeking admission to undergraduate schools. The full form of SAT is the Scholastic Assessment Test, which was earlier known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test. SATs has been developed to evaluate the written, verbal and mathematical skills of the candidates. SAT is a pencil-paper test taken by those who aspire to pursue undergraduate courses, particularly in the US and Canada are required to take the SAT exam. Earlier, students looking to get admission to a particular course needed to take the SAT subject test but now SAT Subjects are discontinued by the College Board from June 2021. UG aspirants should know when they should start studying for the SAT.

Table of Contents

Why SAT?
SAT Exam Latest Update
SAT 2022 Exam Highlights
SAT Exam Eligibility
SAT Registration
SAT Exam Fees
SAT Scholarships
SAT Exam Dates
SAT Exam Syllabus
SAT Exam Pattern
SAT Score
SAT Result
SAT Preparation
SAT Sample Papers
SAT Exam Centers in India
SAT FAQs

Why SAT?

Students looking to enroll in undergraduate programs in the US appear for their SAT. Most of the colleges in the US require SAT for admission to undergraduate courses. Apart from this, many schools also offer SAT scholarships money to students based on their SAT result.

Types of SAT

Conducted by the College Board, SAT 1 or more commonly referred to as the Scholastic Assessment Test is required to be taken by students seeking admission to undergraduate schools. SAT 1 is a general test that has been developed to evaluate the written, verbal and mathematical skills of candidates. SAT 2, on the other hand, is a more subject-focused test. Students looking to get admission to a particular course are required to take the SAT Subject Test to demonstrate their knowledge of that particular subject. SAT Subjects are discontinued by the College Board from June 2021. Now aspirants just need to take the SAT 2022 for getting admission to their desired UG course.

SAT Exam Latest Update

Recently College Board announced that SAT exam will go digital starting in 2023 and it will be two hours long test instead of three hours currently. Test-takers may also be allowed to use a calculator for the math section of the exam. “The digital SAT will be easier to take, easier to give, and more relevant,” said Priscilla Rodriguez, Vice President, College Readiness Assessments (PSAT & SAT) at The College Board. International students will be able to give the digital SAT test from early 2023 and US high school students will be able to give it from 2024. Currently, students use a pencil to fill in the bubbles on a multiple-choice answer sheet. With the Digital SAT test, students will get scores in days instead of weeks.

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) ALERT: Due to COVID-19, test centers are not operating at their full capacity. Candidates can register and book their exam slots for this academic year for taking the SAT 2022. They can check the availability of the test center near them during registration.

Many universities abroad are going test-optional as SAT is being canceled. What does it mean for students and whether this arrangement is here to stay? Read on to have all your questions answered, here.

Recently, the College Board has introduced SAT in India. students looking to pursue higher education in premier universities in India would be pleased to know that in 2018, the College Board has brought into effect an India Higher Education Alliance with various academic establishments. All the university affiliates in the Alliance are accepting SAT scores for admission from Indian students and around the world. Hence, students who want to study abroad and also apply to universities can appear for the SAT test 2022. Also, check the list of Indian academic universities accepting SAT scores.

SAT 2022 Exam Highlights

Exam Name	SAT
SAT full form	Scholastic Assessment Test
Official Website	https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat
Most popular for	Undergraduate courses in the US and Canada
Also accepted by	The United Kingdom and Australia
Conducted by	The College Board
Mode of Exam	Written-based examination
SAT Fee	$104 without the essay and $117 with essay
Score Range	400-1600 points
SAT Contact	The College Board National Office 250 Vesey Street New York, NY 10281 Phone: 212-713-8000

When to take the SAT test?

Usually, high school students take the SAT exam to take admission in the undergraduate (UG) courses abroad. US universities accept SAT and ACT scores to give admission in UG courses to students who have cleared high school.

What is the duration of the SAT test 2022?

The SAT exam is a 3-hour long test without an Essay. If you choose, the SAT with Essay then the SAT will be 3 hours and 50 minutes long.

How is the SAT test scored?

Each section of the SATs Evidence-Based Reading and Writing and Math are scored on a 200-800 point scale. Your total SAT score is the sum of your section scores. Also, if you take the SAT with Essay then the candidate will receive a separate score.

What is the difference between SAT vs ACT?

Most of the colleges in the US accept either SATs or American College Testing (ACT) for admissions to their undergraduate programs, so, students looking to get into these courses are required to take these tests. However, it is important to know which exam you should take. Firstly, check the requirement of the college you are applying to whether they require the SAT or ACT, then decide on which exam you should go for. If you are lucky enough to have both options acceptable for your choice of college, you may find this article helpful: SAT vs ACT: Which Test is Easier?

SAT Exam Eligibility

The College Board, which is the conducting body of the SAT has not laid down any specific SAT eligibility criteria for students wanting to appear for the SAT exam. Read: SAT Tips & Strategies

1. Age Limit to Appear for SAT

Candidates should be informed that there is no minimum or maximum age criteria or SAT age limit fixed for students wanting to appear for the exam. General studies have shown that students belonging to the age group of 17 to 19 are among the highest to appear for SAT.

2. How many times can you take the SAT exams?

As in the case of ACT, there are no restrictions set by the College Board, students can take the SAT exam as many times as they want. SAT is administered 5 times a year in India. SAT is administered 5 times a year in India. The test is usually conducted in the months of March, May, August, October, and December.

3. What is the educational eligibility criteria for SAT?

There are no specific eligibility criteria set by the College Board, the body that conducts and manages the SAT exam. However, it can be taken by students who are in high school. Students who want to apply for undergraduate studies abroad are required to have successfully completed their high school education to move to the next level of their learning.

What skills does the SAT Exam test?

SAT exam analyses the Mathematical, Critical Reading, and Writing skills of the candidates. According to the College Board, they test the skills which students have learned in their schools. They test the skills which are required for the academic success of the students in college.

SAT Registration

Students wanting to appear for the SAT are required to register for the same. SAT is an important examination for students wanting to pursue their bachelors in the United States or Canada among top study abroad countries. Students can do SAT exam registration through the offline method via mail or through the more convenient, online method. Through the online method, candidates are required to create a login id on the official SAT website and go ahead with the registration process.

SAT Online Registration (Steps)

Visit the College Board official website.
Create your account.
Submit all the required details.
Choose which exam you want to give along with your nearest test center.
Upload your clear photograph.
Pay the application fee.

SAT Registration by Mail (Steps)

You first need ‘The Student Registration Guide for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests’, which is available at schools.
The guide includes a registration form and a return envelope.
The form needs to be sent along with a demand draft.
The local representative of SAT in India is the USIEF. The mailed forms will be directed to their regional office.

SAT Slot Booking

Since there are a limited number of seats in every designated SAT Test Centre. Candidates are recommended to book their SAT exam slots in advance to avoid any unnecessary hassle. For convenience, you need to find SAT center near your home, so you can reach there on time at the test date.

How to Cancel SAT?

Candidates should note that no matter how early you cancel your SATs, you would not be entitled to a full refund. Candidates who have registered for the exam and are required to cancel the same would be eligible for a $10 refund if the candidate cancels the test 5 days in advance.

How to Postpone or Reschedule SAT Exam Date?

Candidates are required to pay an extra fee of $25 to cancel the SAT test before the regular change deadline or $35 to cancel after the regular change deadline through test day.

SAT Admission Ticket

Once the candidate has successfully registered for the exam he would be required to log into his account on the official website and download the SAT Admission Ticket. It is important the candidate should check the credentials on the admission ticket and get any mistake rectified at the earliest.

SAT Exam Fees

Candidates looking to appear for their SAT are required to pay a fee for the same. Candidates can check out the detailed SAT exam fees in India levied below.

The fee for only the SAT exam is $55 + Non-U.S. Regional Fee. Non-U.S. Regional Fee for students giving SAT Test in India is $49, so the total SAT fee is $104
The fee for the SAT exam with Essay is $68 + Non-U.S. Regional Fee. So, the total fee for the SAT exam with Essay is $68 + $49 = $117

SAT Cancellation Fees

Canceling your SAT Registration is an expensive affair and students are always advised to go for a date change rather than canceling the exam entirely. Candidates should keep in mind that Registrations cannot be refunded later than five days before test day, and candidates are only refunded $10 whether they have opted for SAT or the SAT along with Essay.

SAT Rescheduling Fees

Candidates who are looking to change their SAT Test Centre or SAT Test Date are required to pay an extra $30 to avail of similar services. Candidates can check out rescheduling fees below:

Date/Test Centre Change Fee before regular change deadline	$25
Date/Test Centre Change Fee after regular change deadline	$35
Late Registration Fee	$30
Register by Phone	$15
Waitlist Fee	$53

How to get a fee waiver for SAT?

Students belonging to the 11th and 12th grades in the US or US territories are eligible for SAT Fee Waiver. US Citizens residing outside the country can also get their fee waived off. However, SAT Subject Test fee waivers are available for students in grades 9-12.

SAT Scholarships

One of the biggest drawbacks of studying abroad is having to pay tuition fees in foreign currency clubbed with high living expenses. Due to such reasons, a lot of times, many sections of students are unable to go abroad and end up settling down for other alternatives. However, with the availability of various scholarships and education loans students can finally make their dream come true. College Board in association with a few Indian universities has started SAT scholarship for Indian students. Scholarships are available on the official website of every college along with other fellowships and grants that are awarded to deserving students on a regular basis. Students can also opt for education loans from financial institutions for studying abroad.

SAT Exam Dates

Candidates looking to appear for their SAT need to register for the same. Candidates need to be aware of the SAT exam date 2022 India. Candidates are advised to register for their SAT exam before the SAT registration deadline to avoid any last-minute stress. The table below provides the test dates for the SAT General Test as well as SAT Subject Test.

2022-22 SAT Administration Dates (Anticipated)

Test Date	Test Available
August 28, 2022	SAT Test
October 2, 2022	SAT Test
December 4, 2022	SAT Test
March 12, 2022	SAT Test
May 7, 2022	SAT Test

Which is the best time to give the SAT exam?

The SAT Exam is held multiple times round the year. Students looking to appear for their SAT are advised to choose SAT exam dates 3-4 months before their application deadline, to avoid any last-minute errors. Candidates can find SAT from the various SAT exam centers located across major cities in India.

SAT Exam Syllabus

SAT syllabus includes courses the students have already studied in their school over the years. So if you are good at studies at school, you shouldn’t have any issues preparing for the SAT exam Syllabus. The SAT syllabus includes:

Writing Section

SAT writing has three sections
Essay section – 25 mins
Multiple choice sections – 25 mins and 10 mins

Critical Reading Section

SAT contains three critical reading sections
Reading comprehension – 25 mins
Sentence completions – 25 mins
Paragraph-length critical reading – 20 mins

Math Section

SAT contains three Math sections
Algebra and functions – 25 mins
Geometry Statistics – 20 mins
Probability and Data analysis – 20 mins

SAT Exam Pattern

The SAT exam comprises of three main Sections — Math, Evidence-Based Reading, and Writing. Also, there is an optional 50-minute essay. The total testing time after including the essay comes to 3 hours and 50 minutes.

Total: 154 Questions (155 with essay)

Duration: 3Hrs with 50mins of extra time allotted for Essay (optional)

Total Score: 1600

SAT Score

The SAT is divided into two sections, Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. These two sections are scored on a 200-800 point scale, for a maximum total score of 1600. There are additional subscores reported on a 20-80 scale. The scores of a student reflect on how he/she is compared with other students who have appeared for the test. Visit SAT Score Reporting for a detailed understanding of calculating SAT score.

SAT Score Range: What’s a Good SAT Score for Colleges?

An average SAT score is around 1000. Anything above 1200 is considered a good SAT score. The maximum anyone can score on the SAT is the perfect score of 1600. Since you receive scaled scores, you should have some understanding of SAT scaled scores and percentiles. For a detailed understanding of What a good SAT Score is: read this.

How to Send SAT Scores to Colleges?

There are two ways of sending the scores to colleges, one while registering for the test or after releasing the official scores. Candidates receive four free Score Reports while registering for the SAT test. Candidates can send the scores to colleges up to nine days of taking the test after that they have to pay $12 for sending the score reports to each university/program they choose.

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Fee Waivers during SAT Score Reporting to Colleges

For the economically weaker sections and low-income students, the College Board offers SAT fee waivers/scholarships. It allows a student to send his/her SAT score to the colleges of their choice for free of cost. However, the eligibility differs as per the latest changes. You can contact the representative of the College Board or read about the criteria on their website and apply accordingly.

Sending SAT Scores: A Step-by-Step Guide

First of all sign in to your College Board account
You will see an option for ‘Send Scores’. Click on ‘Send Scores’.
Next step is to choose ‘Send Available Scores Now’ (for sending scores immediately) or click on ‘Send Scores When Available’ (if scores are yet to be declared or you are yet to sit for the exam)
Add recipients by choosing your shortlisted colleges. You can search them by name and by state.
Make sure you double-check all the recipients and personal details, and then only pay the final amount

SAT Score Validity Period

The SAT scores are valid forever! However, College Board states that the official SAT score sent to colleges after five years or more will include a message that the test score will be a less valid predictor of the academic performance of the candidate. The SAT structure was changed in 2016, so, many colleges do not accept SAT scores from the old format. Technically, SAT scores are valid forever, which means they do not have an expiry date, but many universities do not accept scores that are older than five years or more. Sp, if your SAT scores are older than five years, you should think of taking the exam again. Students can also order an additional copy of their scorecards for the purpose of sending it to more colleges and can pay a sum of $ 9 (INR 700 Approx.).

SAT Score Verification

SAT Score verification is nothing but a revaluation of your test scores, to check that you have received scores in all sections and nothing has been skipped. So, if you feel that the SAT score that you received is different than what you expected, you may have missed or made a mistake in marking your answers. Another reason for a different SAT score than expected can be that your Essay is illegible or blank when one views it online. Under SAT score verification you have three options:

Multiple-choice hand score verification
Essay score verification
Or both, Multiple-choice and Essay score

You can put in this request within the next five months after test day by filling in a SAT score verification form. Before going further, it is advised to read the instructions carefully given on the form. You will also be required to submit a score verification fee. For students with a fee waiver, this score verification fee will be reduced. You will receive a letter with the new and confirmed results within five weeks once you pay the verification fee and submit your form. If there are any changes in the SAT scores post verification due to an irregularity in the scoring or scanning process, the verification fee will be refunded.

SAT Score Cancellation

For any reason, you need to cancel your SAT Score, here are two methods through which one can cancel their SAT scores:

At the test center: If you are unsure about how the test went, or if you feel like you have skipped a number of questions, you can cancel your test right then and there. Right at that moment, at the test center, you can ask the supervisor for a ‘Request to Cancel Test Scores’ form. Fill in all details along with your signature. Submit the form to the supervisor. Make sure you submit this before leaving the test center.

At home: If your poor performance hits you after you leave the test center, you can cancel your test at home as well. However, there is a time limit to it. You need to submit your cancellation request by writing to College Board as quickly as you can because the deadline for receiving such requests will be 11:59 PM (IST) on a Wednesday after the test date. You need to download ‘Request to Cancel Test Scores’ online from the College Board website, fill in your details, sign it, and fax it or speed-post/courier it overnight.

Here are the details for Fax and over-night mail service:

Fax: (610) 290-8978
Overnight U.S. Postal Service Express Mail (US only): SAT Score Cancellation, P.O. Box 6228, Princeton, NJ 08541-6228
Overnight mail service or courier (US or international): SAT Score Cancellation, 1425 Lower Ferry Road, Ewing, NJ 08618, USA

SAT Result

The scoring for the SAT is evaluated out of 2400 (from 600 to 2400). Subject-wise scores range from 200 – 800, where 200 is the minimum and 800 is the maximum score. The scores for your exams are available after 3 weeks of taking up the examination. Colleges have different criteria for selecting students on the basis of their scores.

Steps to access SAT Result 2021

Follow these steps to access your SAT Result:

Click on ‘My Organizer’
On your left side menu, you will see the option ‘SAT scores’, select it
Next, click on ‘Access My Scores’
You will be asked username and password, enter these details
Scroll down until you see the option of ‘My Test Scores’

SAT Cut-Off

The College Board does not have any SAT cut-off listed for students wanting to apply to universities abroad after appearing for their SAT. There are no strict SAT cut-offs for top colleges/ universities, candidates are expected to fall within a certain range to be eligible for admission to top schools. However, exceptions would be made for unusual cases. Know more about SAT Cut-Off 2022.

Countries accepting SAT Score

Every country has its own selection criteria for international students. The SAT Exam is accepted in various colleges worldwide. It is most popular for undergraduate courses in the USA and Canada. Though it is also accepted by some universities in the UK and Australia. Check out the countries accepting SAT Score.

Colleges accepting SAT Score

As discussed above, the SAT Exam is required by undergraduate aspirants to get enrolled in universities abroad. Check out the list of top engineering colleges abroad that accept SAT Score.

SAT Preparation

Candidates who score well in SAT tend to be good readers, who possess a good vocabulary. They can also sustain the pressure of answering questions in a shorter time span as the test requires dealing with multiple sections. For the overall preparation, SAT is similar to the other exams in the sense that candidates 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 the 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.

Check out detailed information on SAT Preparation Tips. Candidates looking to prepare section-wise can check out our writing prep tips, reading prep tips and math prep tips to be able to perform their best during the time of the exam.

What are the best books for SAT Exam 2022?

Whether you decide to study on your own or to join a coaching class, you would always need a set of SAT prep books. This set should be able to help you cover the entire syllabus along with a series of sample papers or practice tests. Practicing these questions would give you an idea of the overall feel of the exam paper along with letting you figure out how far you have reached.

SAT Sample Papers

One of the most convenient methods of preparing for the SAT is through solving SAT Sample papers. Solving SAT Test Papers not only allows the candidate to self-evaluate his performance but also prepare him for the exam day. For the benefit of our readers, we have got the latest SAT practice test for aspirants to solve and do their best on the day of the exam.

SAT Exam Centers in India

The SAT is conducted in multiple major cities across India for the benefit of students. Students are always advised to book a Sat Testing Centre that is closest to their location and is most convenient. The SAT exam is held at over 50 institutes and spread across 30 major cities in India. To find SAT test center that is closest to you, view the entire list of SAT exam centers in India here.

SAT Exam Day Tips

Reaching your test center ahead of time is always a good idea. It gives you time to relax and prepare for facing the exam. Having some time in spare also helps you tackle anxiety that creates panic before entering the examination hall.

Aspirants looking to appear for the exam can check out SAT Exam Day Tips for their benefit.