What to Expect with the SAT - Chapter 1 - Understanding the SAT Basics

Sep 14, 2026

Chapter 1 focuses on what students can expect when taking the SAT, aiming to reduce anxiety through familiarity with timing, testing format, and score outcomes. It explains how often to take the exam, where and when it is offered, and how the test structure works, including sections and modular timing. The chapter also compares the SAT with the ACT, covering differences in math coverage, science content, and the presence or absence of an optional essay, while offering guidance for special needs and for non-native English speakers.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Chapter 1: What to Expect with the SAT

Choosing between the ACT and the SAT

What the SAT covers

Scheduling your study time for the SAT

Accommodating for special needs

SAT tips for non-native English speakers

Understanding SAT requirements and scoring

Getting the SAT scoring

Thinking About the ACT

Digital SAT testing experience and exam sections

SAT vs ACT differences (math, science, essay, timing)

SAT breakdown by section

IN THIS CHAPTER » Choosing between the ACT and the SAT » Seeing what the SAT covers » Scheduling your study time for the SAT » Accommodating for special needs » Doing amazing even if English isn’t your ﬁrst language » Understanding what the SAT looks for » Getting the SAT scoring Chapter 1 What to Expect with the SAT The best and easiest way to reduce your anxiety and own the SAT is to become familiar with it. Knowing what to expect means you can plan for it, so nothing on exam day is a surprise. In this chapter, you find the basics of the SAT, including when, where, and how often you should take it. This chapter also tells you what sort of scores you receive, explains how to deal with special needs, and gives you a peek into the structure of the actual exam. If English isn’t your first language, there are tips on getting the edge over your primarily English-speaking competition. Thinking About the ACT Most 11th and 12th graders take one of two, or both, giant exams on their way to college. One is the SAT, and the other is the ACT. Most colleges accept both, but you should check with your target schools just to be sure. When you call or email the college admissions office, among your other questions, ask the following: » Do you require an exam score with my application? » If so, do you accept both the SAT and the ACT? » Do you need me to write the exam essay? CHAPTER 1 What to Expect with the SAT 7 You take the ACT as a paper-based test, but at some testing centers, you have the option to take it on the computer. The paper-based and computer-based versions of the ACT are exactly the same in terms of length, types and numbers of questions, difficulty level, and scoring algorithm. At the time of this writing, the ACT takes between four and five hours, while the SAT has been shortened to just over two hours. It’s possible that in response to the revised SAT, the ACT will change even more, with reduced numbers of questions and shorter reading comp passages. At this time there is no indication of other changes to the ACT, so here’s a rundown of the differences between the current ACT and the recently revised SAT. The SAT and the ACT are similar in overall difficulty. The math is about 90 percent the same, but SAT math goes more in depth than ACT math, while ACT math covers more topics. (ACT math has logarithms, for example, which SAT math does not.) Some students may find ACT math easier. The ACT also has a Science Test, which the SAT does not. To compensate, the SAT has sciencebased questions mixed into the Reading and Writing section, but not to the extent of the ACT Science Test. Students who struggle with science may prefer the SAT. The ACT also ends with an optional essay question, which the SAT does not. SAT Reading and Writing covers similar topics to ACT Reading and Writing however, the SAT combines these into a two-part module that runs slightly over an hour, while the ACT separates Reading and Writing into two tests, or three tests with the optional essay, totaling about two hours (or close to three hours with the essay) . The SAT doesn’t have an optional essay, so the entire exam is about two and a half hours, while the ACT can run over five hours if you include the essay. Basically, it sounds like the digital SAT is a better bet, but I would expect the ACT to respond with its own shorter, digital version sometime soon. In the meantime, for more on the ACT overall, pick up ACT Prep 2025/2026 For Dummies with Online Practice by Lisa Zimmer Hatch and Scott A. Hatch (published by Wiley) . Besides contacting your target schools and checking their websites, you can find more on the application requirements by checking a college guide. A college guide is a compendium (thorough collection) of school listings and admission requirements. Many libraries and bookstores carry college guides, and you can also talk with your college counselor, who may also have one. If college isn

FAQs

What does Chapter 1 teach about preparing for the SAT?

It teaches what to expect on test day, including when and where to take the SAT, how often students should consider taking it, and how the exam structure and scoring work. It also includes strategies for special needs and guidance for students whose first language isn’t English.

How is the SAT different from the ACT according to this chapter?

The chapter compares exam duration and content: SAT math goes deeper while ACT math covers more topics. ACT includes a Science Test and an optional essay, while SAT includes science-based items within Reading and Writing and does not offer an optional essay.

What is the digital SAT testing experience and how is it structured?

It describes the exam in the given order: Reading and Writing with two 32-minute modules, a 10-minute break, and Math with two 35-minute modules. It also notes that the sections include a few unscored “trial” questions indistinguishable from scored items.

Sep 14, 2026

Uploaded by Quinn Holloway