The SAT is no longer a prerequisite with many US universities going test-optional, but a strong score can still greatly boost an applicant’s chances at competitive schools. Allow me to share the tips and tricks I used to attain a near-perfect score of 1590.
The resources
Khan Academy provides a strong foundation in all 8 content domains. Take Practice Test 1 on Bluebook to assess your strengths and weaknesses, and concentrate your efforts accordingly. Use Youtube to familiarize yourself with time-saving techniques like using DESMOS, the built-in graphing calculator, to solve circle questions. The channels I watched were Tutorollini Test Prep, Hayden Rhodea and John Jung.
CollegeBoard provides a question bank that lets you create PDFs on specific content areas and difficulty levels. This saves you from having to scour old-spec SAT questions, specifically for Math since the questions are the same as the former paper-based format. If you are willing to go the extra mile, use the following books: CollegePanda SAT Math; Critical Reader Reading+Writing (separate books). All three can be found on online retailers.
Bluebook provides 4 tests. After these, I completed two free ones found on Princeton Review and MentoMind. Third-party sites use their own question models, so expect some deviation from the difficulty level of official tests. Keep a few days gap between each test to correct and learn from your mistakes. Join the Digital SAT Prep group on Facebook to find a helpful community willing to solve any questions you find yourself stuck on.
The test prep
The early questions will always test you on basic concepts, but what makes them tricky is the fact that they have the highest weight, so silly mistakes are punished. Be cautious with the first half of each module and look out for deceptive wording. For English modules, I recommend starting at the middle and going through Reading questions later so you don’t get bogged down.
Memorizing grammar rules and inference techniques will only get you so far in English -- take it from a guy who scored 800. The best way to prepare is to read consistently. Follow science journals and newspapers, as most SAT excerpts are taken from these. The goal is to develop an instinct for what the right answer should be, and match your prediction with the given choices. Learn to skim through most of the passage and ignore the fluff meant to distract you. The information you need is located near the end or around special syntax. Focus on these and reread if necessary.
Don’t underestimate Math; it requires just as much practice as English if you want to score highly. Brush up your concepts everyday because the SAT will test you in discrete ways; I encountered a quadratic question about making an equation based off inequalities! Multiple techniques are needed to solve the hardest sums, so having a varied arsenal is crucial.
Lastly, a good SAT score will not compensate for a subpar GPA, so don’t sacrifice the latter. The SAT is only one factor amid myriad others on an application. With a dedicated routine, you can ace it without foregoing other commitments.
Kazi Rafsan Mahboob is a student at Sir John Wilson School.