SAT*
Varsity Tutors offers SAT tutoring in St. Louis, Chicago and Houston. We'll help you gain a strong understanding of the material through one-on-one tutoring at your home, a library, a café or anywhere that might convenient for you. Your tutor will take the time to get to know you, teach you the latest test-taking strategies, work with you on any areas of weakness, and thoroughly familiarize you with the test so that you can approach test day with confidence. In general, your SAT tutor serves as a friendly and supportive guide whose goal is to make your SAT test preparation efforts are as efficient and enjoyable as possible.
What is the SAT?
The SAT Reasoning Test is an aptitude exam that has been administered to high school students by The College Board since 1941. The SAT is one of the two tests colleges and universities use in order to evaluate students for admission. (The other popular test is the ACT®.) For a long time the SAT was recommended to those planning to go to school on the East or West coasts, while the ACT was suggested to those applying in the Midwest. Over time, the preference for one test over the other has diminished, and most four-year institutions now accept scores from either test. However, it is still true that more students planning to go to school in the Midwest take the ACT.
The SAT can seem a little overwhelming to students who have never taken a standardized test before, and it's a very good idea to prepare for the test in advance. An experienced SAT tutor from Varsity Tutors can guide you through each step of this preparation process. Preparation begins with a practice test which will help the tutor assess your strengths and weaknesses, customize your preparation plan, and build your confidence. Although it can vary with your individual needs and goals, preparation usually continues with a detailed explanation of the test and in-depth reviews of the subject matter for each section. Along the way, your tutor will share the latest study techniques and test tips, monitor your progress with practice tests, and calm any pre- or post-test anxieties.
What is the format of the SAT?
The SAT is a 3-hour, 45-minute test. Most of its questions are multiple choice. There are three main sections, divided into nine subsections, including a 25-minute essay, which is always the first subsection. The three main sections are Critical Reading (3 sections), Mathematics (3 sections), and Writing (3 sections).
The test will also include one experimental section, which is not scored. This section will not be identified; you'll only be able to tell which of the three areas it is, because there will be an extra section of that type. Therefore, you should do your best on every section.
Critical Reading (formerly called the Verbal section) tests your ability to understand and analyze text, your knowledge of grammar, and whether you understand words in context. The test will present you with analogies, sentence completions, and questions based on one (or sometimes two) reading passages. The Mathematics (or Quantitative) section asks you to solve problems in algebra, geometry, measurement, data analysis, statistics, and probability. The Writing section tests your ability to use standard written English, identify sentence errors, and construct an essay on a provided topic.
Each section of the test is scored on a scale of 200-800, with 800 being the best. All scores are multiples of 10; a perfect score is 2400. (You don't need to get all the answers correct to get a perfect score, but it is still considered quite difficult to achieve. Scores in the 600's and 700's are considered by many institutions to be very good scores.) After taking the test, students should indicate which colleges and universities should receive their scores. Students can also opt to not have their scores sent anywhere if they scored poorly. Students may also retake the test on a later testing date. (Note: Be careful in taking the SAT multiple times. The College Board will send ALL of your scores to the institutions you select. Only retake the test if you think your score will improve.)
Why is the test necessary?
Only a few of the colleges and universities in the U.S. do not require some form of standardized testing to help them sort through the hundreds of thousands of applications they receive each year. While your SAT score is not the only thing an admissions panel will look at when it considers your application, it might play a role in the final decision. This is because the SAT attempts to measure your reasoning and writing skills, as well as the breadth of your vocabulary. Admission panels assume that if you have these skills, there's a good chance you'll succeed in college.
Another reason the SAT is important is because it gives students who took more difficult subjects (and received all B's) a chance to compete with the students who took easier subjects (and received all A's). Thus, the SAT is a great opportunity for such students to show an aspect of their potential beyond their transcripts.
Additionally, standardized test scores are sometimes required in order to apply for certain scholarships. If you think you might apply for scholarships, it's a good idea to research them beforehand to find out if they require an SAT score.
Should I take the SAT or the ACT?
The SAT and the ACT are two very different tests, and it is a good idea to talk to a tutor who is familiar with both tests before deciding which test to take. For example, an ACT or SAT tutor can administer practice exams beforehand to determine your strengths and weaknesses with regard to each test, talk to you about your prior test-taking experiences, and help you determine which test is right for you based on your academic goals.
As mentioned, the ACT and SAT are very different, both in content and format. For example, a perfect score on the SAT is 2400, while a perfect score on the ACT is 36. Not only is the scoring very different, but the approach to evaluating your abilities is also very different. The SAT attempts to measure your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities in general, as well as the sophistication of your vocabulary. The ACT is more concerned with how well you learned material covered in the high school curriculum (usually, that learned in the junior year), and whether or not you can apply that knowledge appropriately during the test. Both approaches make sense, because you'll definitely need reasoning skills, a good vocabulary, and a solid background in high school math, English, and science to succeed in college.
However, every student is an individual and has strengths and weaknesses in different areas. Perhaps you have a fantastic vocabulary and good reasoning skills, but you can't recall science formulae easily during a test. In that case, you might want to focus on the SAT. Then again, perhaps science is where you excel, but your knowledge of tricky vocabulary words isn't very broad. If so, the ACT might be the right test for you. Taking practice tests can help you figure this out. If you've taken practice tests and you still don't know, you may want to take both tests once and only send the higher score to the universities to which you are applying. Except for the cost of the testing fee, you have nothing to lose by doing so.
Finally, both tests contain sections involving writing. If you're great at writing essays, this is a good place to show off your skills because admissions panels consider strong communication skills to be essential to success in college. No matter what your major turns out to be, your GPA in college will depend in part on how well you write papers.
Whichever test you choose, experienced ACT and SAT tutors from Varsity Tutors are here to provide you with their encouragement and expertise throughout the test preparation process.
Call us today to find out more about our SAT tutors.
Additional Information
* SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.
The ACT® is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc., in the US and other countries.
Copyright © 2007-2008 Varsity Tutors LLC. Varsity Tutors and the Varsity Tutors logo are service marks of Varsity Tutors LLC.