High acceptability in all the major US universities – SAT is a student’s gateway to living a dream life! It is a three-hour-long entrance test comprising three different sections – Reading, Writing, and Mathematics.
Let us discuss its syllabus, the latest updates, the exam pattern to be followed in 2024, and much more! Keep reading.
SAT Exam Pattern and Structure
The revised suggested exam format for SAT Digital 2024 is as follows: it is divided into the following sections and is approximately an hour shorter than the current format. View the most recent SAT Digital exam 2024 pattern here:
| SAT Digital Parameters | SAT Digital Reading & Writing (RW) Section | SAT Digital Math Section |
| Two-staged: one tests Reading and the other the Writing section. Both are administered across separately timed modules. | Two-staged: The math section is administered via two separately timed modules. | |
| Format | ||
| 1st module: | 1st module: | |
| 25 operational questions | 20 operational questions | |
| Test length (total operational and pretest questions) | 2 pretest questions | 2 pretest questions |
| 2nd module: | 2nd module: | |
| 25 operational questions | 20 operational questions | |
| 2 pretest questions | 2 pretest questions | |
| 1st module: 32 minutes | 1st module: 35 minutes | |
| Time Duration | 2nd module: 32 minutes | 2nd module: 35 minutes |
| Total Questions | 54 | 44 |
| Total Time Allocated | 64 minutes | 70 minutes |
| Scores Reported | Total score calculation: RW + Math section scores | |
| Question Type(s) | Discrete; MCQs with four options | MCQ (75%) and student-produced response (SPR)(25%) |
| Topics Tested | Literature, History / Social Studies, Humanities and Science | Science, Social Science and real-world related topics |
| Informational Graphics | Tested, includes – tables, bar graphs, line graphs | Also tested |
SAT Exam Latest Update
Reading and writing (RW) and math combine to form the two sections of the new SAT digital format. The test takes two hours and fourteen minutes, with separate scoring for each section.
The SAT exam pattern has distinct time slots assigned to each section. There will be a total of fifty-four questions in the Reading and Writing part and forty-four questions in the Mathematics section. Sixty-four minutes are allotted for Reading and Writing, while Seventy minutes are set up for Mathematics.
| Component | Time Allotted (Minutes) | Number of Questions/Tasks |
| Reading and Writing | 78 (two 39-minute modules) | 66 |
| Math | 86 (two 43-minute modules) | 54 |
| Total | 164 | 120 |
SAT Exam Syllabus 2024
Syllabus of SAT Reading:
- Error spotting
- Error rectification
- Rephrasing, Rehashing, and Reconstructing the sentences
- Proper usage of grammatical rules
Syllabus of SAT Writing:
- Vocabulary
- Reading comprehension
Syllabus of SAT Mathematics
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Statistics
- Arithmetic
- Probability
- Data Interpretation
- Problem-solving Questions
SAT Exam Eligibility 2024
The College Board has not set any eligibility requirement for the students of SAT. Usually, high school students – those of Class 11th and 12th – usually take the SAT exam to get admission to prestigious foreign universities.
- Age Limit:
- There is no prescribed minimum or maximum age limit for the students.
- However, the maximum participation is witnessed among students between the ages of 17 and 19.
- Since there is no upper age limit, candidates of any age can take the SAT exam. However, participation at a higher age might not get you admission into foreign universities due to their age restrictions.
- Minimum Educational Criteria: There is no minimum educational qualification to become eligible for SAT
- Number of Limits: There is no limit on the number of attempts students can take. Thus, students can appear for it as many times as they want. It is also held four times a year.
How do you make SAT preparation a Fun activity?
- Make sure studying for the SAT exam is enjoyable rather than just a learning exercise by structuring your study time accordingly.
- Every night before going to bed, start reading for pleasure rather than merely exercise.
- Play word games and study non-fiction novels or newspaper crossword puzzles to get a good vocabulary for this.
- Regularly watch instructional videos.
- Choose a topic each day to talk about and get ideas from each other. By the end, you will have adequate information about the subject.
- With this, students’ SAT preparation will become enjoyable and cease to seem like a tedious exam preparation.
Note: There is no exception to the rule that preparation is the key to exam success when taking the SAT. Whether you create a one-week or one-month study schedule for the SAT, remember to concentrate on both the shortcuts and the fundamentals. The three-month SAT study schedule indicated above is meant to serve as a guide for applicants. They can modify the study schedule to suit their comfort level if they require more time to prepare for reading or arithmetic. Continue your SAT preparation to get a good score.
Trivia
Do you know that SAT was originally designed in 1926 to hire army recruits? Yes, using SAT, the IQ of army aspirants was tested.
Most students take both ACT and SAT so that they become eligible for almost all the universities in the world.
In 1934, SAT was used by students to get scholarships from all the Ivy League Schools.
Until 2016, there was a guessing penalty that cost you 0.25 points for every wrong answer.
College Board
