SAT Tips

09/03/2019

There are four times of the year when the Juniors and Seniors are panicking for one reason: SATs.

Stressing for the SATs sucks. I mean, if you're like the rest of us, you've probably opened up every single academic website on studying for the SATs but haven't found any effective tips. But don't worry! This article is covered to help you and give you quick tips on how to study for the SATs efficiently, brought to you by some of the Juniors and Seniors (and some alumn's) of Logos.


Unfortunately, schools do not offer any classes nor information on the SAT itself. Fortunately, Logos holds annual PSATs for Sophomores and Juniors, but that's just about it.


To sign up for the SATs, you can go on the official College Board website. The College Board is the mother of SATs and APs and easily links you to scholarship and college application chances. The SAT is offered five times a year - March, May, June, October, and December. Most students take the SAT first time in their Junior year during March (or even Sophomore year) and take it two more times in October or December as Seniors, depending on their college application deadline.


However, you may ask, why should I take the SATs? And that's true. Everyone is so caught up in aiming for that big 1600 we often forget why we should actually take the SAT. Or that we don't actually have to take the exam, and that we're taking only because everyone else is. Nevertheless, here are some reasons why you should take the exam:

1. What level you stand on in maths, reading, and writing, and to put what you've learned in school to test.

2. Some universities require an SAT score, along with a minimum SAT score part of their admission requirement.

3. Scholarship opportunities.

4. Can balance your GPA out; were you lazy in school and currently hold a low GPA? A good SAT score is a chance to prove that you still have the brains.


Here are some useful tips in studying for the SATs, according to PrepScholar, Reddit, and personal experiences:

1. Gather good review books.

  • Stick to the College Board Practice Exams, as they're closest to the actual exams. The Practice Exams are also available to print from the College Board website.
  • The Practice Exams are also available to print from the College Board website.
  • Kaplan, Barrons, and Princeton are good resources but they're not linked to the College Board and therefore, might not be the most reliable.
  • Here is a list of good SAT books.

2. Take the SAT Diagnostic Exam to know where you stand and which area you should focus on.

  • Spend your time studying in areas that you're weak in.

3. Set a realistic goal.

  • Also, keep in mind what the college you're applying to requires.

4. Explore your studying options:

  • Individual tutor - Find the right individual tutor who understands the SAT system and testing style. Don't study for SAT Math with a normal math teacher who has zero clue about the SATs.
  • SAT Academy - Talk to any Korean and they can hook you up to good SAT academies.
  • Online courses - Provides personal progress, stats, trends, and updates.
  • Group studies - Cheaper than individual tutoring, and good for questions and interaction.
  • Individual studies - It requires harsh discipline.

5. Good time management.

  • The SAT heavily relies on the time marks for each section of the tests. Learn how long you're supposed to stay on each question and how not to linger too much on the reading passages (because we know that we all do that).

6. Practice. A LOT.

  • Some say that the SAT is impossible to study for as it measures your abilities, not your knowledge. Whether that is true or false, it's important to get into the pattern and style of what the SAT is expecting you to know on Saturday morning.
  • Choose an environment that is similar to what you'll actually experience on the exam day - quiet, a clock somewhere near, and zero distractions. 

7. Don't be afraid to watch videos on YouTube - there are actually good tips given out by students who've scored a 1600 on the SAT. Here are some good YouTube channels/videos:


Here are some useful tips from some students who took the SATs in the past:

"It's better for you to start before your Senior year - during your Junior year. You know the practice tests from the Collegeboard - do all of that, because that's your typical questions for the SAT. And I went to the academy - it's useful, I guess. If you study it by yourself, you can't do it every week. But the academy, you're semi-forced. You get that responsibility - you know, your Mom. Because someone forces you." - Senior, 1460


"Take the SAT practice test. Do one for five days before the SATs - it's going to be tiring but it'll get you to the pattern." - Alumni, 1320


"Just practice a lot. And then, when you get it wrong, go over it. Why you got over it." - Kyutae Park, 1460


So there it is! A list of SAT tips and resources. By no means, what we provide isn't 100% of the picture. You can find a whole more lot of information out there on the web and bookstores, but we hope that this was just a good heads up and introducing you to the SAT.


Good luck!

- Jaeyoung K.

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