What is the SAT? SAT exam: sample tasks and self-preparation What words do you need to know to pass the SAT?

Do you want to study in the USA? Then get ready for the fact that you will have to understand the variety of all kinds of tests and exams for which you need to carefully prepare. Indeed, there are a large number of methods for assessing your knowledge in America, and each of them has its own direction and specificity. The following tests are considered one of the most popular: (we wrote about it last time), and SAT.

“Academic Assessment Test” or “Scholastic Assessment Test” / “Scholastic Aptitude Test” is an exam that is designed to show knowledge of the main courses of the school curriculum and general intellectual abilities. The SAT is required for admission to college or university for 8th, 10th and 12th year students in the US and Canada.

What do you need to know about the test?

Remember that the SAT is standardized, but there are several variations (Subject Tests). Before enrolling in an educational institution, be sure to consult with a representative of the university or college about which test is required.
The test can be taken 7 times a year. Duration - about 3 hours 45 minutes + organizational issues. Taking SAT I and SAT II on the same day is prohibited.
You can freely take the test not only in the United States or Canada, but also at official representative offices in Europe. Traditionally, the SAT takes place on the first Saturday of the month, but the exact date can only be obtained from consultants.
The results of the text are known after 10 days; for a fee, they can be immediately delivered to the university of your choice.
Cost: SAT I - $38 + $49 for SAT II.

SAT structure

The SAT is divided into two parts: SAT I (Reasoning test) and SAT II (Subject Tests). The first part is universal, it includes three subsections, each of which is scored from 200 to 800 points - so that the results are always a multiple of 10. Often all questions have 5 answer options, from which you need to choose the correct one:

Grammar (writing) assesses knowledge of spelling, the presence of a certain vocabulary and the ability to correctly structure the text for better understanding (narrative logic). This part is presented in the form of blocks with questions in which there are correct and incorrect answers (sometimes there may not be an error). In addition to the test part, there is also an essay - it takes 25 minutes, during which the applicant must answer some philosophical question. This part is indicative for many admissions committees, although the essay itself is worth 12 points out of a maximum of 800 for completing the entire block.Time: 1 hour.

Example (question for task 5):

Mathematics is a section in which there are three parts that assess your ability to count (algebra, geometry) and analyze data (mathematical analysis, statistics). You can work with a calculator, but in the test itself the ability to guess the answer is practically eliminated - in addition to test questions, there are blocks with detailed answers. All 58 tasks are listed with increasing difficulty - the maximum number of points is 800 (different tasks are assessed differently + your train of thought is taken into account).Time: 1 hour 10 minutes.

Example:

Critical thinking is a block in which you must demonstrate the ability to work with information. It is required to complete sentences using vocabulary, interpret graphs, correctly connect and structure different texts, and also answer questions about them.Time: 1 hour 10 minutes, maximum points - 800.

Example (text fragment and question for it):

SAT II or SAT Subject Tests

SAT II is specialized tests that you need to take depending on the university you choose and the profile of your studies. Today you can obtain documents on completion in the following areas: literature, world history and separately US history, advanced mathematics (2 levels of difficulty), chemistry, physics and biology. In addition to standard subjects, you can take the SAT in German, French, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hebrew + there is a profile test in Latin. You can submit as many applications as you like - the main thing is to cope with the program and pay for participation - in one day you can pass up to 3 specialized tests.The maximum number of points is the same for everyone - 800,which you can dial for1 hour exam (the number of tasks varies depending on the subject).

SAT exam The Scholastic Aptitude Test is the most commonly used standardized exam for admission to American colleges and universities for bachelor's degree programs. It is taken by both American students and international students. The SAT exam assesses general knowledge of literature, history, and mathematics.

SAT scores— There are two types of exams: SAT-I and SAT-II. The number of points on the SAT-I test varies from 200 to 800. (For each correct answer to a question, 1 point is added, for an incorrect answer, 0.25 points are deducted). The essay is graded on a scale from 2 to 12 points.
SAT-II (Subject Matter Test) - Many colleges require or recommend taking a test in one or more subjects as a condition of admission. The SAT-II scoring system is similar to the SAT-I.

To pass the international SAT exam you must:

for studying at universities and colleges in the USA and Canada;
to receive a scholarship for education.

Official results of the international SAT test can be obtained in about two weeks, and can also be found online for free on the College Board website.

SAT Exam Format

There are two types of SAT exam:
1. SAT I, Reasoning test is an entrance exam for most American colleges. It primarily tests a student's analytical skills and general thinking abilities.

The total duration of the test is 3 hours.
The test consists of 3 sections:

Critical Reading(Critical Reading) includes 67 questions, consists of 3 sections, which are allotted 25, 25 and 20 minutes, respectively.

This section tests your vocabulary, thinking, and reading comprehension. There are three types of multiple-choice questions (5 answer options each): Sentence Completions, Analogies, Reading Comprehension.
The Reading section includes one or two texts with 6-13 questions for each. Questions ask about the main idea of the text, specific details, the author's attitude to the essence of the issue under consideration, conclusions and the meaning of individual words.

Writing(Writing) includes 49 questions and an essay - a total of 2 sections of 35 and 25 minutes.
Math(Mathematics) contains 54 questions and is divided into 3 sections. They take 25, 25 and 20 minutes to complete.

The section tests your ability to solve problems involving arithmetic, elementary algebra, and geometry.
There are three types of questions: Standard Multiple-choice questions, Quantitative Comparison, Student-produced response.
Standard Multiple-choice - problems typical of mathematics textbooks, choice of five answer options.
Quantitative Comparison - comparison of two quantities (equal, unequal, or insufficient information) and conclusion.
Student-produced response - a question of the Standard Multiple-choice type without providing a choice of answers.

2. SAT II, Subject test- a test with predominantly multiple choice answers that measures knowledge in a single subject.

Total duration - 1 hour.
The SAT Subject Tests are divided into five categories, each of which includes:

English (English): writing, literature
History: US history, world history
Math: Level 1 and Level 2
Sciences (Natural Sciences): biology, chemistry, physics
Languages (Reading only) ( Foreign languages, reading): French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Spanish
Languages (Reading + Listening) (Foreign languages, reading + listening): Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish.

Preparing for the SAT Exam

Training program for the international SAT exam includes:

polishing grammar in English,
mastering the vocabulary necessary to take the SAT,
improving listening skills (understanding speech and audio materials),
practicing reading skills,
preparing to write an essay,
choosing an effective strategy for passing the exam,
training in conditions corresponding to the format of the exam being taken,
adjusting the training program taking into account the student’s abilities,
tracking student results.

The preparation course for the international SAT exam is conducted by those who have extensive experience in teaching students in specialized preparation courses for the international SAT exam; Preparation is carried out in accordance with the exam format based on American textbooks.

PREPARATION FOR SAT IN ST. PETERSBURG

SAT REASONING TEST

All exam preparation classes are also available online - via Skype!

SAT- one of the mandatory entrance exams for undergraduate programs at universities and colleges in the USA and Canada, and more recently, at some European educational institutions, for example, at Aalto University and Tampere University of Technology (Finland).

The exam is a standardized test that assesses how well an applicant is prepared to receive higher education by assessing the knowledge acquired at school in the field of analytical reading, writing and mathematics, and in fact by testing the ability to think, draw conclusions and solve problems. It should be emphasized that the SAT was originally developed not for foreign students, but for American applicants for whom English is their native language. Hence its specific features and certain difficulties.

There are two types of SAT exam: the General SAT and Subject SAT . The latter is an exam in a specific subject, for example, mathematics, physics or literature.

SAT Exam Format

The exam consists of three compulsory sections: analytical reading, language and writing, and mathematics, and one optional section - an essay.

Chapter Reading (ReadingTest) contains several text excerpts from a variety of sources: contemporary fiction, legislative documents (for example, the US Constitution), speeches of politicians, popular science articles, and unadapted works of scientists and researchers. For each passage, several types of tasks are offered: find evidence of the given statement in the text, determine the meaning of a word by context, evaluate the stylistic device used in the text, and others.

Chapter Language and writing (WritingandLanguageTest) consists of tasks with multiple-choice answers, in most of which students need to find grammatical, syntactic, lexical, semantic and punctuation errors in the texts and correct them, as well as improve the structure of sentences or small texts. Some texts are descriptions of graphs and tables, so students need not only to speak competent English, but also to be able to analyze information in graphical form.

Example

The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, one of Russia’s greatest art museums, has long had a productive partnership with a much loved animal: the cat. For centuries, cats have guarded this famous museum, ridding it of mice, rats, and other rodents that could damage the art, not to mention scared off visitors. Peter the Great introduced the first cat to the Hermitage in the early eighteenth century. Later Catherine the Great declared the cats to be official guardians of the galleries. Continuing the tradition, Peter’s daughter Elizaveta introduced the best and strongest cats in Russia to the Hermitage. Today, the museum holds a yearly festival honoring these faithful workers.

Question #1

A) No change

B) scaring

C) scare

D) have scared

Question #2

To make this paragraph most logical, sentence 5 should be placed

A) where it is now.

B) after sentence 1.

C) after sentence 3.

D) after sentence 6.

Math section (MathTest) contains questions that require a choice from the proposed answers and tasks for independent decision. The test tests the level of proficiency in the following areas: basic algebra, data analysis, data sufficiency problem solving, introduction to higher mathematics, geometry and trigonometry. At the same time, to complete most tasks, students can use a calculator, since it is not the ability to perform computational techniques that is being tested, but the skills of analytical and strategic thinking, as well as the speed of thought processes.

Example

Aaron is staying at a hotel that charges $99.95 per night plus tax for a room. A tax of 8% is applied to the room rate, and an additional onetime untaxed fee of $5.00 is charged by the hotel. Which of the following represents Aaron’s total charge, in dollars, for stayingx nights?

A.(99.5 + 0.08x) + 5

B.1.08 (99.95x) + 5

C.1.08 (99.95x + 5)

D.1.08 (99.95 + 5) x

Chapter Essay (SATEssay) since March 2016 it has become optional: most universities indicate that the results of this section will not be taken into account when deciding whether to admit a student to the university. The section consists of one task based on the text. The student needs to analyze how the author of the text builds his argument on the issue raised: the logical development of the argumentative line, the use of stylistic and lexical devices, the use of examples and facts. At the same time, the text for analysis is proposed differently each time, but the task for the text is always unchanged and is known to the students in advance.

SAT Exam Structure

Sections of the SAT	Type of Questions	No. of Questions	Time Allotted
ReadingTest	Evidence-Based Reading	52 multiple-choice questions	65 minutes
Writingand Language Test	Identifying sentence errors Improving sentences Improving paragraphs	44 multiple-choice questions	35 minutes
MathTest	Problem-solving and data analysis "The Heart of Algebra" "Passport to Advanced Math"	45 multiple-choice questions 13 grid-in questions	80 minutes One 25-minute section (no calculator) One 55-minute section (calculator allowed)
SAT Essay	One analytical essay	1 essay	50 minutes

SAT Exam Score

The Reading and Language and Writing sections are scored together on a scale of 200 to 800 points. You can also get from 200 to 800 points for the “Mathematics” section. Thus, the maximum possible total score for all parts of the exam is 1600 points.

The essay, if the student completed this section in the exam, is scored separately on a scale from 2 to 8 points.

SAT exam results are available approximately three weeks after you take them online or six weeks by mail. Detailed analysis of test execution is available for a fee.

When can you take the SAT?

Since 2017, the number of dates when you can take the SAT exam outside the United States has been reduced to 4 times a year.

SAT test dates for international students in the 2019 - 2020 academic year

March 14th
May 2
October 3
5th of December

Where can I take the SAT?

You can take the SAT exam at special certified centers. The delivery centers closest to St. Petersburg are in Moscow and Helsinki.

PREPARING FOR THE SAT B EXAM "AY CLASS"

Features of preparing for the SAT

Preparation for the SAT exam at the IKlass Educational Center takes place in two stages:

Familiarity with all sections of the exam and types of tasks. Mastering strategies for completing tasks. Developing skills to complete tasks.
Work to improve your score in exam format.

The exam preparation course also involves a significant expansion of vocabulary through certain vocabulary typical of SAT texts and tasks, including mathematical terminology. During classes, a lot of time is also devoted to such skills as:

analytical reading
finding analogies
comparative data analysis
context analysis
task fluency

It is worth noting that the training course is not aimed at mastering the actual language and mathematical skills: it is assumed that you already speak the language at a level not lower than Intermediate, and that you have mastered mathematics to one degree or another at school, namely, to develop the skills to complete exams tasks using specific strategies and in accordance with the strict requirements and standards of the SAT.

When should you start preparing for the exam?SAT?

Given the specifics of this exam, it is recommended to begin preparing for the SAT approximately six months before the expected date of delivery.

So, if you plan to take the exam in early October or November (for most Russian schoolchildren this is the optimal time for taking the SAT), then the start of classes should be scheduled for June - July. Many students who have thought about entering a university abroad in advance prudently take the exam for the first time in June, that is, more than a year before the planned start of their studies at the university. If you successfully pass the SAT, you will be able to relax in the summer and in September you can easily apply to top universities and enter scholarship programs. If the result turns out to be lower than desired, you will have enough time to prepare more thoroughly and retake the exam in the fall.

Those students who, in addition to the SAT, need to show high results in the IELTS or TOEFL exam in order to enter the university (and, as practice shows, this is the majority of students), it is recommended to first prepare and pass the language exam and only then proceed to prepare for the SAT. This approach is determined, first of all, by the complexity of the exams: the SAT is designed for native speakers, so the level of English should a priori be high, and preparation for IELTS / TOEFL will allow you to increase this level to a certain extent. In addition, preparing for both the language exam and the SAT is very labor-intensive: you need to devote an average of 3 hours to studying every day, so combining preparation for two classes at once may simply not be possible.

In any case, in order to properly plan preparation for entering a university abroad, you need to determine the student’s initial level of preparation both in English and in the academic component. For this purpose it offers comprehensive testing in English And practice test SAT, which can be completed throughout the year by appointment in our training center(tel. 812 244-99-64).

Application. There is nothing complicated here. The main thing is to go to the official College Board website. On the start page we are asked to create a personal account, within which we select a subject, date, location of the exam, pay for it and print out the pass.

During the application process, we can fill out a detailed questionnaire about ourselves:

age;
school average;
extracurricular achievements;
future plans.

If we choose this option, the College Board will distribute information about us free of charge to colleges and scholarship funds in the United States. These shipments will not contain our SAT scores - only the information provided on the application form. If a university or scholarship fund is interested in us, we can send them SAT scores. For those who are looking for funding or have not decided on an educational institution, this option is very useful.

Testing dates. The SAT and SAT Subject Test exams take place in parallel at the same testing centers. In the United States, the SAT is administered seven times a year: August, October, December, March, May, and June. The SAT Subject Test is administered six times a year, in the same months as the SAT except March. At the global level, exams may take place less frequently. For a more complete exam schedule and application deadlines, visit the College Board website.

Testing locations. The SAT can be taken in many countries, including Russia. The list of centers is updated from year to year, but as of 2017, four centers are known: two in Moscow, one in St. Petersburg and one in Syktyvkar.

If one of us has trouble getting to nearest place test and he or she lives 70 miles or more away, you can ask the College Board about setting up a center closer to home. The College Board does not guarantee that such a request will be granted, but it is a possibility so please be aware of it.

To find the nearest SAT test center, use the search. In it you need to select the exam date, country and city.

Exam fees

SAT Cost consists of the fee for the exam itself, possible additional services (for example, for changing data in registration), for sending results to universities in excess of the free limit. But if we talk directly about participating in testing, then in the USA you will have to pay 45 dollars for an exam without an essay or 57 dollars for an exam with an essay. In European countries and Russia you will have to pay an additional $38. In total, it will cost us $83–95 to take the SAT in Russia.

The cost of the SAT Subject Test works out differently. We first pay a registration fee of $26 - this gives access to three exams taking place on a specific date. Next, we pay separately for each test for 20 dollars (or 26 dollars if it is a language test: English, French, Spanish, etc.). Don't forget about the additional fee for organizing a test outside the US - $38.

SAT(V different time - SAT Reasoning Test, Scholastic Aptitude Test, Scholastic Assessment Test) is a standardized American test that is required for admission to US colleges and universities. The test is designed to assess the applicant's knowledge in several areas. In addition, admission to some specialties requires passing a specialized exam. SAT Subject Test. Sometimes this test is called SAT I, and the profile test is called SAT II. The SAT is administered seven times a year in the United States and four times in other countries around the world. Tests are taken in October, December, March, May, and (in the US only) June, August and November, usually on the first Saturday of the month. The main organizer of the exam is the private organization College Board.

Why do you need to take the SAT exam?

Successfully passing the test is a prerequisite for admission to many US colleges and universities. The SAT exam is mainly required for admission to large and prestigious educational institutions. For admission to secondary schools, there is the SSAT test.

Self-study materials for the SAT

SAT structure

The SAT exam lasts 180 minutes (3 hours). It consists of two mandatory sections and four parts:

Working with text and English.
- Reading Test (text analysis)
- Writing and Language Test (language and grammar).
Mathematics.
- The Math Test – No Calculator section (mathematics without a calculator).
- The Math Test – Calculator (mathematics with a calculator).
Essay - optional section.

For each section you can get from 200 to 800 points, that is, in total you can get from 400 to 1600 points for the SAT. If a student chooses an exam with an essay, the duration of the exam will increase by 50 minutes, but grades for the essay will be assigned separately. Questions on the exam are divided into simple, medium and complex.

Reading Test consists of 52 questions with a choice of answer options. The total duration of this part of the exam is 65 minutes. Typically, students are asked to read 5 nonfiction texts: one on American history or literature, one on social studies, two on science, and one excerpt from American founding government documents. The SAT Reading portion tests your vocabulary and reading comprehension and analysis skills.
Writing and Language Test consists of 44 multiple choice questions. This part tests knowledge of English grammar and lasts 35 minutes. The test contains short excerpts from texts where the student will have to find spelling, stylistic and punctuation errors.
Mathematics contains multiple choice questions. This part of the test lasts 80 minutes and tests knowledge algebra, statistics and geometry. In the first 25 minutes, you are asked to solve 20 tasks without using a calculator: the first 15 with a choice of answers and another 5 without a choice. In the next 55 minutes, you will have to cope with 38 questions, for which you can use a calculator: the first 30 questions are with a choice of answers, the remaining 8 are without a choice.
Essay- 50 minutes are allotted for it, it is written in pencil on specially issued sheets. The topic for the essay is Statement; students must confirm or refute this statement. Essay topics can be very different: for example, discussions on the meaning of work and career, family, the influence of memories on a person’s life, etc. Subsequently, it will be read by two experts, each of whom will give their points.

SAT Subject Test

SAT Subject Test- an exam in one of the specialized subjects, which is usually required for admission to a prestigious US university. It is taken on the same day as the basic SAT. The exam lasts one hour. The literature test includes 60 multiple-choice questions. Students must read passages from different works and answer questions. The mathematics exam varies in difficulty level: you can choose Level 1 or Level 2 depending on the requirements of the university. In the mathematics exam, you must answer 50 questions in arithmetic, algebra, geometry and statistics in an hour. The physics exam includes 75 tasks, the biology exam - 80 tasks, and the chemistry exam - 85 tasks. The history exam requires you to answer 95 questions.
The SAT Subject Test is aimed at determining the level of knowledge in five areas (optional) and in specific areas within each area (also optional). The SAT Subject Test contains 50-80 tasks, each asking you to choose only one correct answer from 5 options.

1.English language:

Literature
Letter

2.History:

The World History
US history

3.Natural sciences:

Chemistry
Physics
Molecular biology;
Ecology
Biology

4.Foreign languages (reading only):

French
German
Hebrew
Italian
Spanish
Latin

5.Foreign languages (reading + listening)

Chinese
Japanese
Korean
French
German
Spanish

How much does it cost to take the SAT?

Registration for the SAT exam without an essay costs 86 USD (for foreigners) and 49 USD (for residents), for the SAT with an essay a foreigner will have to pay 100 USD, for the subject SAT you will have to pay 24 USD (for 1 test), take other subject tests in this same day costs 13 USD (for 1 test);
You can get an additional duplicate document for 12 USD;
You can expedite delivery of written test results for 31 USD (duplicates for 1,125 USD);
Finding out the results by phone costs 15 USD;
You can get the completed test with answers and explanations for 18 USD;
Restoring outdated test results costs 31 USD.

Sample SAT Certificate

How to pass the SAT with a high score?

Using the correct preparation materials. Trust only proven textbooks that are popular with SAT takers. In the ranking of the best publications, as always, the top positions are occupied by The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar by Erica Meltzer, Barron’s 2400, Official Study Guide, PWN the SAT Essay Guide etc. You can order new textbooks online or buy books second-hand from those who have already taken the SAT. Don’t forget about the useful materials that are published on. You can also take some SAT practice tests here to gauge your chances of success.
Practice Tests. It is important to practice timed tests as you would for a real exam. During testing, applicants, as a rule, are overcome by panic and fear of failing miserably, which is what the system is designed for. The person in the audience is “out of place” and therefore makes a lot of mistakes. To prepare for the exam, you should complete as many tasks as possible against the clock. It is better to take a practice test not at home, but in a library or cafe, in order to learn not to react to extraneous noise.
Troubleshooting. It is impossible to move forward in learning if you do not pay attention to your mistakes. It is important to thoroughly analyze each mistake in order to prevent it from happening again in the future. It is necessary to analyze not only errors, but also those questions for which you managed to guess the correct answers. Careful analysis helps move forward.
Mindfulness training. The creators of the test are well aware that for many applicants English is not their native language, so they formulate each question in such a way that the test taker makes a mistake by not carefully reading the task. Therefore, before answering the question, you need to carefully read it to the end.
Learning new terms. As a rule, the mathematical part is considered the easiest for applicants, since mathematical notations and formulas are the same for all countries. However, do not forget about the English terms that appear in the tasks. To understand what is said in the assignment, you must have a sufficient level of command of English (preferably at least Upper-Intermediate).
Improving English. Without a good knowledge of English, there is nothing to do on the SAT test. The math section with its terms is not as scary as the need to write a decent essay. To “pump up” your academic English, you should read more English-language publications like, , etc. It is enough to spend 30 minutes a day reading to see the result - it will become much easier to understand texts from the reading and language section.
Special applications for mobile devices. You can improve your English at any convenient time, even while standing in a traffic jam or in line. Special applications running on IOS and Android will help you learn more new words. You can also find collections on the Internet that you should learn in order to understand the essence of the tasks.
Break text into parts. In the Reading section, you should not read the entire proposed text to the end; it is better to break it into small pieces and answer questions related to each part. Global issues related to the theme and main idea of the text should be left for last.
Essay writing. As it turns out, the final grade for an essay depends on its length. Les Perelman, one of the MIT professors, was able to predict the grade of most written work without even checking it. He simply looked at the length of each essay - the more words it had, the higher the score. Therefore, you should not skimp on words, but you definitely need to monitor the literacy of written speech and the content of the essay. A good essay is replete with facts and examples from literature, history, or pop culture. It is important to be able to paraphrase and play with the structure of the text. There is nothing worse than an uninteresting essay built from the same short sentences, so it is important to expand your vocabulary and practice writing English texts.
Learn grammar rules. Oddly enough, the SAT test tests knowledge of the same rules year after year. We offer several sources with theory and illustrative examples that you need to know: , , .

You shouldn’t spend time studying textbooks the day before the test; you need to forget about the exam for a while and just give yourself a rest. It is important to stop being nervous and driving yourself into panic. Before the test, you need to get a good night's sleep and come to the exam in a good mood. You should take water and some kind of snack with you, preferably sweets, to satisfy your hunger during a short break. It is also important to familiarize yourself with the rules before taking the test, since the slightest violation can lead to cancellation of your work.

What else do you need to know about the SAT exam?

The SAT can be taken by gifted children 12-13 years old.
The applicant has the right to reschedule the date of taking the SAT test, but for this service you will have to pay an additional 29 USD. This option can only be used if there are at least two weeks left before the exam.
In case of failure to appear for the exam, the registration fee is not refunded to the applicant.
All types of SAT tests can be retaken an unlimited number of times. Results are published online approximately 3 weeks after the test.
Previously, a quarter of a point was deducted for an incorrect answer, but since 2016 this condition has been abolished.