Welcome to the Achievable SAT Course! We’re thrilled to have you here as you embark on a journey through vocabulary, critical reading, data, grammar, and math. The SAT is a challenging exam but an exceedingly learnable one; you should be optimistic about your chances for score improvement based on the things you learn (or relearn) here.
This course is designed to strengthen your skills, deepen your understanding, and, ultimately, prepare you to tackle the SAT with confidence and clarity. Whatever your goal for the SAT–be it college admissions only or also to gain a specific target score tied to a scholarship award–this course is here to support you every step of the way.
This course is designed to be your guide through every aspect of the SAT. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific question type that you’ll find on the exam, with step-by-step explanations and examples to illustrate the skills and strategies you’ll need. You’ll also find a wealth of practice questions that mirror the structure and content of the actual test. By working through these sections, you’ll get hands-on experience with the types of questions you’ll face and learn tips for approaching each one strategically. Our goal is to equip you with the tools to read critically, reason effectively, and apply strategies confidently.
The SAT exam is designed for high school students applying for college, around 16-18 years of age, but it is open to students of all ages and available to every student, regardless of their educational background.
The SAT assesses your reading comprehension, analytical thinking, and mathematical skills and reasoning. It consists of 98 questions, most of them multiple-choice (though about 12 in the math portion are called “student-produced responses,” meaning that you must type in the answer). You have 134 minutes (2 hours) to complete the exam (not counting the 10-minute break between the Reading/Writing and Math portions).
(These titles may not mean much to you. We understand; they don’t seem terribly revealing to us either! Not to worry: we’ll dig into sub-areas of all of these in our lessons, which should clear things up for you thoroughly!)
NOTE: By “Advanced Math” the SAT essential means Algebra 2 (non-linear equations and functions). “Algebra” refers to Algebra 1 (linear equations and functions).
Ever since early 2024, the SAT is a digital and adaptive test. It is digital in the sense that (unless you have special accommodations) you will take it on a computer. It is adaptive by section. What this means is that, should you score better than a certain number correct on the first Reading/Writing or first Math section, you will be given a harder second section in that content area. Conversely, should you score lower than that threshold on the first Reading/Writing or Math section, you will be given an easier section in that content area.
(You don’t really need to worry about what that threshold is, but for the curious, it appears to be about two-thirds correct in each area. For the Reading/Writing, this would be 16 or 17 correct out of 25; for Math, this would be 13 or 14 correct out of 20. The reason we’re using 25 and 20, respectively, is that each section has two experimental questions inserted somewhere into it that are not scored. So while the Math section, for example, has 22 questions that you will answer, only 20 of them count. Remember: you do not know which ones, and it’s not worth trying to guess!)
The upshot of this adaptive format for you is that, if you get the easier second section in a content area, there is a “ceiling” on your score (probably in the 600-650 range) above which you are not likely to score even if you get all the questions correct in the second section. Conversely, if you get the harder second section, there is a “floor” for your score (probably in the 400-450 range) below which you are unlikely to go even if you get all the questions incorrect in the second section. Again, this information is given for your curiosity but is not something worth worrying about. The bottom line is that you definitely want to get the harder second section in both Reading/Writing and Math; with the help of this course, we are confident that you will!
Do the work. Make sure you read through the material, click ‘Complete’ at the end of a chapter, and consistently do your assigned reviews (click here to learn more on how to use our program properly). Achievable is built to be “on the go” and easy to use on your phone. Check out this page to learn how to easily turn this program into an app. The more accessible the program is, the more likely it is that you’ll do the work.
Humans are creatures of habit. Think about it - how difficult is it to start a new diet or routine? The key to success is taking small, “bite-sized” steps. If you can allocate 20-30 minutes every day to studying, it will soon be a built habit. As you get closer to your exam, allocate more time to your studies. It is also key to quickly realize any repeated mistakes and identify what you struggle with the most so that you can pinpoint specific studying needs and build an early foundation for success.
The textbook’s wrapping-up portion contains more details about taking the SAT exam, including how to register, exam cost, and test-taking options.
Feel free to explore this course at your own pace. Be sure to work through the course as prompted, starting with the textbook and continuing to practice problems and exams. Following the prompts with consistent, daily investment of time will yield great results! Remember, practice is key! With each question you tackle and each text you analyze, you’re building skills that go beyond the test and will serve you well in both your academic and personal life. We’re here to help you succeed, and we’re excited to see all that you’ll achieve. Welcome again to the Achievable SAT Online Course!