5 Tips for Studying for the New Digital SAT
by Jennifer L.
The new Digital SAT is here! What are 5 tips for studying for the new SAT that students should know?
1. Get Motivated and Set a Goal
If you want to get a strong score or improve your current score, get motivated and set a score goal. Commit to a study plan that will help you reach your objective.
2. Download the Bluebook App and Take a Practice Test
The Bluebook App is the College Board’s official testing platform for the day of the test. Bluebook provides digital SAT study materials, including four official free practice tests. Make them count!
Take a full-length practice test to get your baseline score. Review your results and implement an effective study schedule targeting the areas that need the most attention.
3. Time to Focus
At a minimum, plan to commit to two days a week with at least one to two hours minimum for each study session. Remember, the bigger the score improvement you are targeting, the more hours are needed for studying.
If you have a tight schedule balancing your academics and extracurricular activities, prioritize the section of the SAT that requires more attention. Some colleges will accept a Super Score, a combination of the highest English and math scores from multiple test sittings. Depending on your goal score and the amount of time you have available to study, you may need to focus on the section that needs the most improvement.
Learn the way to approach specific types of problems you’ll encounter on the test. Practice these problems consistently until you feel comfortable and proficient. Identify why you got a problem wrong and why the answer is correct. Recognize your mistakes so you can correct them. College Board has a Question Bank on its website, where you’ll find several types of practice problems. Once you’re familiar with different problem types and approaches, try taking another practice test.
4. Take Another Full-Length Practice Test
Did your score improve? Did you get close to or meet your score goal? Determine if your studying efforts and test prep materials have been effective. Review your study plan and make changes as needed. At this time, consider if you need the additional support of a private test-prep agency.
5. Be Ready for Test Day
On the big day, ensure you get a good night’s sleep and have a substantial breakfast to keep you energized throughout the test. Review what you need to bring to the test site: a fully charged testing device with the Bluebook application installed, your admission ticket, an acceptable photo ID, and pencils or pens for scratch work.
Most importantly, stay calm and know you’re ready for the test! Good luck!