Congratulations on completing the Achievable SAT Course! You’ve put in the hard work, practiced your skills, and engaged with some of the most profound and enduring ideas in history. Completing this course is no small feat, and you should feel proud of all you’ve achieved. You’ve built a strong foundation in critical thinking, reading comprehension, and mathematical reasoning, all of which will serve you well both on the SAT and beyond.
When you’re ready, be sure to register for the SAT exam by visiting the registration page. And remember, there’s no limit to the number of times you can take the test. If you don’t reach your target score on the first try, you can always take it again! Each attempt is an opportunity to improve and show just how much you’ve learned.
If you have not yet registered for the SAT, we recommend that you do so ASAP. Pick a date on which you feel you’ll be most ready. (Your Achievable course allowed you to choose a test date when you started; this may have changed given life circumstances, but at least you were directed to plan for an approximate test day.) When you take your practice tests in advance, take those at the same time of the day; that will help you simulate what will happen on test day. Registration typically stays open until about 11 days before each test date, but to be safe and ensure your “seat”, we recommend you register 4-6 weeks in advance.
Here are some things to keep in mind when preparing to take the official SAT:
The SAT is scored out of 1600–800 each for both Reading/Writing and Math. A score of 1030 or higher is considered above average, while a score of 1200 or higher, especially 1350 or above, is a strong score for competitive college applications. What score is competitive depends, of course, on the nature of the schools you’re applying to. BigFuture by College Board (the makers of the SAT) is a good resource for determining what score you should target in order to maximize your chances for admission to your preferred college(s).
You will be given a formula sheet that you can use for the math portion of the SAT. In addition, as noted over and over again in the math portion of this course, the Desmos graphing calculator is embedded in the SAT interface. Use Desmos to maximum advantage; practice it as often as possible!
As you approach test day, we recommend the following to make sure you perform at the highest possible level:
Do not study the day before the exam.
Do something you enjoy on this day, but make sure to be home by 6 p.m. and winding down by 9 p.m. Your mind and body need a full eight hours of rest to recuperate from the day’s work, and you’ll need them operating at full capacity on test day.
Wake up early on test day and get that heart pumping.
Try to wake up at least two hours before you’ll start the test (or before you’ll leave for the school where you’re taking the SAT). The first thing you should do is get your heart rate up for at least 5-10 minutes. A quick jog, jumping jacks, or a similar exercise should do the trick. Exercise will release endorphins and kickstart your brain into work mode.
Eat a protein-rich breakfast.
After exercise, shower and get something to eat. The ideal breakfast has protein, probiotics, and antioxidants. Eggs, yogurt, and blueberries are one such example.
Mentally prepare yourself.
After you have eaten, you need to spend about 5-10 minutes reflecting and calming yourself. Use this time to really put yourself at peace; prayer or another spiritual discipline are certainly fitting! Focus on the fact that you have worked really hard up to this point and are ready to take this test. You ARE going to perform well on the exam. Repeat that to yourself. Once you feel at ease, you are ready to gather your supplies and head to your testing area.
Arrive early.
Whether it’s to the room in your house or to the school where you’re testing, you should plan to arrive 20 minutes early. Arriving early will allow you to feel comfortable and on top of your game. You don’t want to rush, stress out, and perform poorly because you couldn’t get back in the right mindset.
As always, refer to the official SAT website for further information.
Check out the Achievable Blog for more study tips and best practices.
Thank you for being part of this journey with us. We wish you the very best on the SAT and in all your future endeavors. Best wishes, and go forward with confidence—you’ve got this!