How to Ace the SAT/ACT!

EduVisa Panel - February 26th, 2022

Agenda

• Introduction
• Overview of the SAT & ACT
• Strategies for Individual Sections
• Registration Questions
• Audience Q&A

Today’s Panelists

• Trisha (1550 SAT)
• Anish (35 ACT Math, 33 ACT Science)
• Jonan (1520 SAT)

SAT & ACT Overview

Which factors are most important in admissions?

A growing number of schools are going test-optional!

What are the SAT and ACT?

SAT: Scholastic Assessment Test

• Administered by the College Board
• Offered in March, May, June, August, October, November, December
• Composed of 4 sections in reading, writing, and math
• Essay section no longer administered

• Standardized exams
• Major component of the U.S. college admissions process
• Purpose of exams:
• Measure what a student has learned in high school
• Predict a student’s future academic performance in college

ACT: American College Testing

• Administered by ACT Inc.
• Offered in February, April, June, July, September, October, December
• Composed of 4 sections in writing, math, reading, and science
• Includes optional essay section

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SAT & ACT Structure

Grading Metrics for the SAT and ACT

• Your composite scores on the SAT and ACT are scaled!

Grading Metrics for the SAT

• Section Scores

(EBRW & Math)

• Scaled!
• Composite Score
• Can be superscored!
• Cross-test scores
• Analysis in History
• Analysis in Social-Science
• Sub-section scores

Grading Metrics for the ACT

• 4 Section Scores
• Scaled!
• Composite Score
• Average of 4 sections
• Can be superscored!
• Writing Score (2-12)
• Separate from

composite score

• STEM
• Average of Math & Science
• ELA
• Average of Reading, English, Writing
• Breakdown of skills

What score should I aim to receive?

• Ideal score dependent on the colleges you’re applying to!
• You want your test scores to ideally be in the 75th percentile of enrolled freshmen.
• Google the Common Data Set of each school on your list.
• Look for the most recent PDF file of the CDS on the school’s webpage.
• You will find the 25th and 75th percentile scores for the SAT & ACT under “Freshman Profile”
• Lots of other valuable information in the CDS!

What score should I aim to receive?

• Ideal score dependent on the colleges you’re applying to!

Harvard University Common Data Set, 2020-21

University of Washington - Seattle Common Data Set, 2020-21

Section-Specific Strategies!

Check out the next few slides for re-kaps of the information our panelists shared!

Note: the majority of the advice shared for writing, reading, and math is applicable for both tests with the exception of test-specific details such as the number of passages, number of questions, formulas provided, etc.

Trisha: Writing Section

• Be familiar with the structure of a full, complete sentence
• Be able to distinguish this from run-ons and fragments
• Shorter is better! Concision is key (as long as the choice is grammatically correct and maintains the intended meaning)
• “Being” is almost always incorrect! (wordiness & passive voice)
• Understand subject-verb-agreement structure

Jonan: Reading Section

• SAT Passage types (5 total):
• 1-2 Literature (always first)
• 1-2 History & Social Studies
• 1-2 Science
• You do not have to go in order! Start with whichever passages you’re most confident in.
• Paired Passages: 2 in a set
• Answer only Passage 1 questions first, then only Passage 2 questions, and then lastly answer the questions for both.
• Annotate as you read to help you engage with the text and stay alert!
• Circles, brackets, 3-5 word notes

• Wrong answer types:
• Out of context (unrelated to the passage or question)
• Too broad (relative to passage’s focus)
• Absolute statements / extremes (ex. always, never)
• Sneakily hidden incorrect words
• One word can negate the entire sentence!
• There will always only be 1 correct and 3 incorrect answers.
• Analyze incorrect answers carefully - don’t shrug them off!
• Read every single sentence in the passage, including the blurb (can give insight into author’s main argument)
• For questions with line references, read a few lines before and after the referenced lines to understand the context.

Anish: Math Section

• You want to strive to get as many questions correct as possible - even 1 incorrect can drop you to a 32-35 depending on the curve.
• ACT does not provide formulas, so make sure to memorize them!
• The SAT does provide some formulas.
• Jot down important information as you read.
• For lengthier problems, read the last line first and work backwards.
• Negative signs are easy to miss when going through questions quickly.
• Strive to remain cool & collected.

Anish: Science Section - only on ACT!

• Reading the passage first is a waste of time on this section. Skim through the passage, start by reading the questions first, and reference the passage for details.

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• Focus on trends and labels when analyzing graphs.

Registration Questions and Audience Q&A!! 🥳

Registration Questions

• How do you manage your time in each of the sections on the SAT? On the ACT?
• What resources did you use to prepare for these tests?
• What was your studying schedule like? How frequently would you study and for how long?
• How many times should I take the SAT and ACT?
• How much time should I dedicate for myself to study for these exams?
• Is it advisable for me to take both the SAT and ACT? Or should I do just one?
• I have my SAT in two weeks. What should I do to prepare myself before test day?

Additional Questions from Audience:

• How to know which colleges to look out for when building my college list?
• Should I take AP exams in addition to taking the SAT?
• Final pieces of advice?

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The answers to these questions can be found in the #event-discussion channel.

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If you have further questions, feel free to ask them at any time in our #sat-general or #ask-college-students channels!

Resources!

Official SAT Practice Tests - PDF

Official SAT Practice Tests - Online

Free SAT x Khan Academy Online Practice Questions & Videos

Domestic SAT Test Fees

International SAT Test Fees

SAT Fee Waiver Eligibility

SAT 2022 Test Dates

Sample SAT Score Report

For even more resources, check out EduVisa’s (slightly outdated) MasterDoc!

https://myeduvisa.org/resources

Official ACT Practice Test Study Guide - PDF

Official ACT Practice Test - Online

Free ACT x Kaplan Live Events

ACT Test Fees

ACT Fee Waiver Program

ACT 2022 Test Dates (& Overview)

Sample ACT Score Report

Test Optional Colleges for 2022-2023

College Panda Blog