Get Standardized!

We’ve all been through it: Sitting in a classroom for hours upon hours, reading and answering questions from thick booklets… filling in numerous blank circles with our trusty #2 pencil in hand and scientific calculator by our side… staring at the clock wondering if there’s enough time to finish and when it will all be over… Standardized testing.

Love it or hate it, standardized tests like the SAT are a big deal when it comes to getting into the college you want. However, they aren’t as scary as Hollywood and the small screen make them out to be. Trust me, I should know. I had taken both the SAT and the ACT twice before my acceptance into college.

So what exactly is the SAT????

According to CollegeBoard.com, the SAT (or Scholastic Aptitude Test for those that don’t like acronyms) is a standardized test that focuses on the subjects of reading, writing, and mathematics. Each section of the test is scored on a scale of 200 to 800, making the total score a maximum of 2400. The types of questions that make up this test vary in styles from multiple choice to “fill-in-the-blank.”

Each subject section can then be divided into smaller test sections. These sections are as follows:

Reading: Two 25 minute sections and one 20 minute section. These reading sections contain questions having to do with reading comprehension and sentence completion.

Writing: One 35 minute multiple choice section and one 25 minute student essay section.

Mathematics: Two 25 minute sections and one 20 minute section. These math sections contain both multiple choice and student response questions.

Obviously the SAT is quite a lengthy test, but fortunately it is designed so that students get some time to get up, stretch their legs, and perhaps get a snack to refuel.

The SAT can be taken as many times as a student chooses. It gives the student a chance to improve their scores. (Who doesn’t love a second, third, or fourth chance???) However, keep in mind that each test has a pricetag!

That’s really all I have this week. Perhaps I’ll go into SAT prep for my next entry…
Until then…

♥

Register yourself for the SAT! Go to: www.collegeboard.com