The SAT is just a week away, and you're wondering how to make the most of your remaining study time. The good news? A week is enough to fine-tune your skills and boost your score—if you focus on the right things. Let’s break it down by section and make sure you’re prepared to crush the test.
Here are my top three Reading and Writing tips for the March test.
1. On Inferences questions, assume as little as possible.
For many students, Inferences questions pose the greatest challenge in the Reading and Writing section. These are the questions that ask, “Which choice most logically completes the text?” Oddly enough, the best approach to Inferences questions is actually to minimize inferences: you’ll want to assume as little as possible.
On an Inferences question, the text is building an argument premise by premise and asking you to fill in the most logical conclusion. Since the premises of a strong argument will entail (or, at least, very strongly suggest) its conclusion, your best course is to stick to what the passage actually says. Read as little into the text as possible. Your assumptions might even be good assumptions—but they’re still assumptions!
You should be able to directly defend your answer choice with actual words and phrases in the text. If you can’t, don’t pick that answer choice!
2. On Command of Evidence questions, focus on the claim.
If your least favorite question type isn’t Inferences, there’s a better than decent chance it’s Command of Evidence instead. The sheer amount of information these questions throw your way can cause you to lose confidence before you’ve even had a chance to read them in full.
The two most common mistakes I see students make on Command of Evidence questions are:
1. They jump right to the data and pick the first answer they see that aligns with information in the graph or table.
2. They pick an answer choice that simply repeats a lot of the same words that the text uses. Under time pressure, such strategic compromises are understandable. But if you want to improve your accuracy on Command of Evidence questions, you’ll need a different approach. Fortunately, my advice remedies both of the above missteps: focus on the claim that the text is making.
Every Command of Evidence question will have a claim that you have to either support or weaken. Sometimes, they’ll call it a “claim”; other times, they’ll call it a “hypothesis” or a “conclusion." But they’ll all have one, and your primary focus should be on it. Just because an answer contains true information doesn't make it correct! For an answer choice to be correct, it must support the claim.
3. Brush up on grammar and punctuation rules.
This one is pretty straightforward. About 25% of the Reading and Writing section on the SAT tests the conventions of standard English. If you ignore grammar and punctuation as you study, you’ll leave a lot of potential points on the table! Before test day, make sure you know the rules for the following:
- The major punctuation marks: commas, semicolons, colons, dashes, and apostrophes. • Types of clauses and when/how to separate
- Subject-verb agreement and verb tenses
- Pronoun-antecedent agreement
- Subject-modifier placement
If you haven’t reviewed these rules in a while, make sure to brush up on them before test day. Without knowledge of them, you won’t stand a chance!
What about the Math section?
1. Desmos is your friend.
And a pretty great one at that. This powerful graphing calculator that’s built into Bluebook is a game-changer—but only if you know how to use it effectively.
From solving systems of equations in a flash to creating regressions using a table of points, Desmos offers a massive advantage to students who take the time to learn its ropes. Just as importantly, using the calculator to solve problems more efficiently can aid with time management, allowing you to bank valuable time for the most difficult questions at the end of each module.
If you’re not well-versed in the Desmos calculator’s functions (or just want a refresher), be sure to check out Method Learning’s Desmos mini-lessons. Bite-sized but packed with helpful tips and tricks, they’ll help you navigate the SAT Math section with confidence.
2. Expect Multi-Skill Questions
On Bluebook’s SAT practice tests, questions often will only ask you to demonstrate a single skill—like, say, find an intercept of a line, or evaluate a function at a given value. Increasingly,
though SAT Math seems to be shifting towards questions that require combining multiple skills rather than just testing one concept at a time.
For example, a quadratic equation might require factoring and an understanding of function translations. A word problem might ask you to demonstrate proficiency with percentages, as well as create a system of equations. A geometry question might ask you to use both your knowledge of line-angle relationships and the triangle area formula.
I wrote a multi-step problem in the style of something you might see on the SAT. Try it!
The area of square A is 9π times the area of circle B. The side length of square A is 18 centimeters. The circumference of circle B is nπ centimeters. What is the value of n ?
3. Review Formulas That Aren’t Provided on Test Day
The SAT gives you a reference sheet with helpful math formulas and information, but it’s not comprehensive. Some formulas you’ll need to memorize include:
- Quadratic forms (standard, vertex, and factored) and properties (axis of symmetry, the sum and product of solutions, and how to interpret the coefficients).
- The quadratic formula:
- The standard form of a circle:
- Exponential functions:
Line and angle relationships: What are vertical, complementary, and supplementary angles? What are the relationships between angles created by parallel lines and transversals? - Statistics measures: mean, median, mode, range, and standard deviation
Not only are these (and other) formulas essential for solving certain problems, but they can also increase your efficiency in solving others that you might otherwise have to take roundabout ways to solve. Commit them to memory to give your score a boost!
Final Tips for the Week
As test day approaches, here are some final tips you’ll want to implement. You’ve probably heard these before, but clichés are clichés for a reason.
- Take at least one full-length practice test under timed conditions.
- Review your mistakes! Working through difficult practice questions won’t yield the same benefit if you don’t take the time to understand why you missed the questions you got wrong.
- Get good sleep, hydrate, and pack a snack. Brain fog won’t help you on test day!
One week is enough to put the finishing touches on your SAT skills and build confidence. Focus on these key things, and you'll walk into test day feeling prepared and ready to perform your best. You’ve got this!
.png?width=800&height=2000&name=Top%206%20Focus%20Areas%20to%20Boost%20Your%20SAT%20Score%20in%20the%20Final%20Week%20(1).png)
College planning is a complex, multi-year journey, requiring academic and standardized test success, resumé building, sensible college selection, and application savvy. Method Learning's college readiness services, including college advising, test preparation, financial advising, scholarships, and academic skill building, are designed to help you start early, stay organized, and navigate this critical process with confidence.
