All you need to know about the SAT 2011 exam

Plan to do your graduation abroad? You will have to appear for the Scholastic Assessment Test or SAT, which is an entrance test that will qualify your admission to undergraduate programmes in the US. Counsellor Suchitra Surve from Growth Centre tells you all about the exam -- from registration to tips to crack the exam. Read on.

What is SAT

Scholastic Aptitude Test commonly called as SAT is required to be taken by the students who wish to pursue undergraduate studies abroad. It is mandatory for USA admission and preferred by most of the other countries as well. It is conducted by the College Board on selected dates at selected centres.

It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). It was first introduced in 1926, and its name and scoring have changed several times. It is a paper based test and scored out of 2400.

It is a three hours and forty-five minutes test. There are few breaks in between as well so the total time taken is approximately around four hours and five minutes.

It contains two main sections Verbal (reading and writing) and Quant (mathematics). There is also an experimental section which however does not count towards the final score. Along with SAT I which the regular SAT students may also have to appear for SAT II test which is offered in various subjects. Depending upon the course they can choose the subject for SAT II test.

The test is mainly administered so that colleges can have a way to compare all of their applicants against each other.

Students are under a misconception that a good SAT score is the only way to get admission into any good college. But they should remember that the admissions committees view the SAT as only one of the number of important factors for granting admissions to its applicants. However fairing well in SAT can better your chances of getting into the school of your choice.

Test pattern

Typically, SAT reasoning test are categorised into three major sections -- Critical Reading, Writing and Mathematics, with a total of 10 sub-sections.

The quickest way is to register online on www.collegeboard.com.

Students will have to create a login for themselves and register for the desired date for exam.

Students can choose the test centre of their choice as well. Since the exams are conducted less number of times in a year it is advisable to register well in advance for the exam.

There are deadlines for the SAT exam registration. Students should make a note of it as well. Online registration is the fastest, most accurate method. It gives immediate confirmation of the test center seat and access to an online Admission Ticket for corrections and reprinting.

The other option for registration is via mail. Students can opt for this option but it will be slightly time consuming. And this can be done with the SAT paper registration guide.

Students who provide an email address on the form will receive tickets by email only. Paper registrants who do not provide an email address or who indicate on the form that they want to receive a paper ticket as well will continue to receive an Admission Ticket in the mail.

Phone registration is offered for retaking the test. A fee applies. Only students who have a previous registration in the system can register by phone.

This is an exam which requires thorough preparation and a cool mind when a student attempts it. Take a look at the key preparation tips that every student should bear in mind while trying to attempt this test.

Manage your time well

Control your anxiety

Use the process of elimination to choose the correct answer

Making minimum and appropriate use of the calculator

The SAT is intentionally designed to make the students feel the pressure of time. Student should therefore carry a watch to the exam to keep a check of the time. They should check the time before the beginning of each section and note the time taken for completing each section as each section is time bound.

Do not spend time on reading the instructions. This should be done and understood during preparing for the exam. The time spent for reading the instructions should be spent answering the questions.

Do not rush through every question nor take an incredibly long amount of time on a few questions and leave the rest unanswered. All the questions are worth the same number of points so do not spend an inordinate amount of time with the more difficult questions.

If there is time at the end of each section, go back and re-examine the difficult questions that were omitted. Check the answers to the first questions which are generally very easy. Don't stop working until asked to do so.

Since nearly every question on the SAT is multiple choice, the answer to almost every question are front of the student so the student merely has to apply whatever has been practiced during the preparation time. Process of elimination is the best way to reach the final answer.

The SAT allows you to bring a calculator to the exam but its use should be minimum and as low as possible. It should be used selectively to check the work. There are chances that the student might hit a wrong key and lose all the calculation which in turn would waste precious time.

These are a few things that the student can remember. All these tips will most definitely help students to overcome the test anxiety and help them take the test in a better manner. But practice and preparation are the two essential components. Practicing with actual SAT questions and knowledge of SAT preparation and test-taking strategies will certainly go a long way in achieving good scores.