SAT Preparation Tools

To achieve a top score on the SAT, students should follow a three-step plan of attack:

1. Learn the concepts that are on the test.
2. Learn the tips, traps and strategies of the test writers
3. Learn to work faster and smarter by taking timed practice tests

We address Steps 1 and 2 in our companion publication, Guerrilla Tactics for the SAT: Secrets and Strategies the Test Writers Don’t Want You to Know (ISBN: 978-1-933819-30-3). From our experience, no one should take the SAT without mastering these techniques, which can make the difference between a great score and a mediocre one.

1,001 Questions and Answers for the SAT (ISBN 9781933819365) addresses Step 3, which is to build your confidence, speed and test-taking strategies by taking mock exams under actual testing conditions. From our experience, working with sample questions isn’t enough; you need to attack the questions exactly as they are presented in the SAT. By design, we have organized 1,001 SAT questions in the identical format you will see on the exam:

1. Critical Reading: The SAT presents 48 questions on Passage-Based Reading and 19 Sentence Correction questions in three sections (67 total questions in 70 minutes):

Two 25-minute sections; 24 questions
One 20-minute section; 19 questions

2. Writing: the SAT presents 25 Sentence Improvement Questions, 18 Sentence Error Identification questions, 6 Paragraph Improvement Questions and one original essay in three sections (49 total questions and one essay in 60 minutes).

One 25-minute section; 35 questions
One 10-minute section; 14 questions
One 25-minute section: essay

3. Quantitative: the SAT presents 44 Multiple Choice Problems and 10 Student-Produced
Responses (Grid-Ins) in three sections (54 questions in 70 minutes)

One 25-minute section; 20 questions
One 25-minute section; 18 questions
One 20-minutes section; 16 questions

Let’s be honest; the content of the SAT isn’t particularly difficult. With unlimited time, many students could attain a top score on the exam. The biggest challenge is working at a fast enough pace to:

1. answer as many “easy” questions as possible
2. leave the hardest ones until the end
3. formulate an intelligent strategy for guessing

From our experience, there is no way to accomplish these goals without working through hundreds of practice questions under actual testing conditions. Ultimately, it isn’t only a matter of timing; it’s developing a plan to maximize your own strengths on each section of the exam.

And that’s the aspect of test preparation that few “experts” acknowledge; one size does NOT fit all. No two students have the same strengths and weaknesses, which means that no two preparation plans will be the same. Ultimately, it’s up to YOU to identify the areas in which you need work, and to focus your time accordingly. The 1,001 questions and answers in this publication are a great start.

Use the information in whatever way makes sense to YOU. If you want to assess the level of difficulty of the math questions, use the Quantitative sections as a general review of the math topics on the SAT. Check out the typical vocabulary words that show up in the reading passages and the sentence completion questions. Note the grammar and word choice errors that are tested over and over again on the exam. Don’t stop until you have them down cold.

Then, before the day of the test, complete several sections under timed conditions. Give yourself a few minutes at the end of each section; on the actual SAT, you will need this time to transfer your answers to your grid. Make sure that you can work hard enough, smart enough and fast enough to earn the score you desire.

We are proud to offer 1,001 Questions and Answers for the SAT in both electronic and paperback format.

To order the electronic (PDF) version of the publication for $15.99, please click here. When you place your order, you can immediately download the document and save it to your computer for future use - and print your own copy, if desired.

To order a paperback version of the publication for $15.99 (plus shipping), which will be delivered to your door, please click here. The site accepts all major edit cards.