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About the SAT
About the SAT
The SAT is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions. The SAT is a multiple-choice test created and administered by the College Board.
The purpose of the SAT is to measure a high school student's readiness for college. College admissions officers will review standardized test scores alongside high school GPA, the classes taken in high school, letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors, extracurricular activities, admissions interviews, and personal essays. How important SAT scores are in the college application process varies from school to school.
SAT Content and Format
The SAT takes three hours and consists of three tests: (1) the Reading Test, (2) the Writing and Language Test, and (3) the Math Test. Compared to the ACT, the SAT provides 43% more time per question:
Component |
Time Allotted (minutes) |
Number of Questions/Tasks |
Reading | 65 | 52 |
Writing and Language | 35 | 44 |
Math | 80 | 58 |
Total | 180 | 154 |
Most of the questions are multiple choice, though some of the math questions ask you to write in the answer rather than selecting it.
On all questions, there's no penalty for guesing: if you're not sure of the answer, it's better to guess than leave the response blank.
For more information about the SAT, go to What’s on the SAT?