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SAT
Course: SAT > Unit 9
Lesson 3: General SAT StrategiesTime management strategies
Learn to work within the time limits of the SAT
Time management strategies
One of the difficulties of the SAT is managing your time so that you can answer as many questions as possible. The resources found here should help!
SAT section times:
Test | Total time | Pacing guide |
---|---|---|
Math (calculator) | 55 min. | 87 seconds per question |
Math (no calculator) | 25 min. | 75 seconds per question |
Writing | 35 min. | 48 seconds per question |
Reading | 65 min. | 13 minutes per passage |
Learn how skipping questions and circling back later can help you optimize your time on test day
How can knowing about the Level of Difficulty of a question help you take the SAT?
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- In the Reading test I find it difficult to read the passages actively and be alert while doing that. It is quite difficult to manage. Do you have any reading tips?(115 votes)
- What helps me is to try and acknowlege/point out all of the relevent adjectives and verbs actively while I'm reading the passage; it helps me stay engaged as I read to make useful connections.(98 votes)
- I tend to have trouble with math. I often feel as though if I had more time, I would get more answers right. I answer the easy ones and then end up guessing on the hard ones at the end out of panic. How can I better allocate my time? Someone recommended a time allocation system that I've tried, but I was really wondering if someone else had a suggestion...would be very much appreciated.(38 votes)
- What works for me is continuously glancing at the time left and pace myself accordingly. You can practice on khan academy timing yourself for 1 minute on the practice questions; after you have grasped the concept to prepare yourself for the exams time limit(22 votes)
- How do I keep track of time? I tend to stress uncontrollably and cannot think straight when I realize that I am on a time limit, leading me to forget everything about the question that I am on and the problems ahead. Are there any techniques that help me reduce my fear of time and reduce stress?(19 votes)
- Hey there! My best advice to you, and I know I'm going to sound like some cliche yoga instructor, but breathe. I've found when I'm stressed, the time gets eaten away because I'm too busy freaking out in my seat and not paying attention to what I'm doing. Although it is important to look at the clock, especially while taking such an exam as the SAT, try limiting yourself just a bit on how much you stare at the time. Practice also comes with that. On Khan Academy, you can always pause the practice tests if you are feeling too overwhelmed, but keep in mind you cannot run and come back to your test while taking the real SAT. Just remember to stay calm, you will do great! A little bit of practice everyday comes a long way. Hopefully this helped you!(24 votes)
- I like to take my time on math questions, how can I be both efficient and thorough on either one of the math tests?(15 votes)
- Do lots of practice and with time you will be able to do the questions quickly and still get them right :)(4 votes)
- How can I improve my English score to reach 740+? Especially in the reading section,it is a nightmare. Any tips?(12 votes)
- Try practicing and reading more of the passages you are weakest at to gain a better understanding of its style and to improve your reading speed and comprehension. For the reading section, always read the blurb in italics for every passage as it can help you understand the main idea of the text. Hope this helps!(5 votes)
- How can I be able to improve my SAT score? I take the SAT in April and my PSAT score that I got was 890. How can I improve it and get it to a score of 1440 or higher?(6 votes)
- I am also trying to improve my score. I recommend working on math, english, and reading about an hour a day. Skills improve over time and the more practice tests you take, the easier it is to take the exam. There's also an SAT-specific course I take called Powerprep that helps a lot (not advertising but just saying what works for me). I hope you do well on your exams!(12 votes)
- will writing practice tests on khan academy put one in realistic conditions of the actual exam(3 votes)
- Of course it won't be exactly the same. Instead of being in the test center, with its stress and all, you'll be in your house looking at a computer screen, with distractions all around you. However, you can try to make it as similar as you can. Clear your desk or the space you're working in, and choose a time where you'll be in a quiet space. Make sure to take the breaks the test tells you to, and only for that amount of time, no more and no less. Don't split up sections and take the test all in one sitting. Only eat and drink, or stand up and use the bathroom during the breaks. Things like that will make your practice tests seem more like the actual SAT and will prepare you better.(12 votes)
- i took the SAT in march and i had 1000. how can i improve my score by 400 points? how many hours in a day can i study to bring about this improvement(5 votes)
- Try to do more practice tests and focus on what you are struggling the most when dealing with the SAT, and try to study as much as you can without tiring your brain and making you exhausted.(4 votes)
- If I save time from any section, will I get the saved time added to another section?(2 votes)
- Sadly, you cannot. You have a set amount of time for each section. Even if you wanted to, you can't go ahead onto a different section if you've finished with one. And you definitely can't get extra time added to any section either. You can try thinking of the 4 sections as 4 distinct, separate tests.(5 votes)
- How should you combat zoning out during the test? I know after the reading test my brain gets very tired and I end up doing worse on the math test because of this.(3 votes)
- You should take a 5/10 minute rest between tests. Try distracting yourself.(1 vote)