Why You Should Take the SAT
The SAT is the nation's most widely used college admissions test, a distinction that it has held for more than seven decades. The SAT is taken by more than two million students every year and is accepted by virtually all colleges and universities.
The SAT measures knowledge of subjects learned in the classroom, including reading, writing, and math, and how well you can apply that knowledge outside of the classroom. The SAT helps colleges get to know you better by giving them insight into how you think, solve problems, and communicate.
It's more than just a test
The SAT experience does not start or end with the test. The College Board is there for you at each step on your path to college. From the moment you register for the test, you can take advantage of the College Board's free online practice materials and many useful tools, including SAT Skills Insight™, which helps you understand what skills are tested on the SAT; a college search tool; financial aid and scholarship information; and a profile of several careers and majors.
We're also there for you after you take the test. We'll help you understand the details of your scores with My SAT Online Score Report, and, if you're thinking of taking the test again, SAT Skills Insight will give you the guidance to improve your score.
It's the best predictor of college success
The SAT, along with high school grades, is the best predictor of success in college. The SAT gives you an opportunity to show colleges what you know and what you know you can do.
Taking the SAT is the first step in finding the right college for you—the one where you'll best succeed and discover the tools necessary to pursue your passions and achieve your career goals.
It's fair
The SAT is carefully designed to be a fair test for all students. It is also the most rigorously researched and analyzed standardized test in the world. Each question on the SAT goes through an in-depth pretesting and review process to ensure that every single question is fair to all students across genders and ethnicity groups.
We'll help you get ready for the test
There are many ways to practice for the test. Here are some ideas:
- Study hard, read outside of the classroom, and take challenging classes.
- Take the PSAT/NMSQT®. It is great practice for the SAT.
- Take advantage of the College Board's free online readiness/practice tools, which include a free official practice test, sample questions, The Official SAT Question of the Day™, and other low-cost tools.
- Know that research proves that you don't need expensive test-preparation courses to prepare you to do well on the test.
- If you've already taken the SAT once, consider taking it again. There's a good chance that you'll improve your score.
