Helping Students Practice for the SAT
Practice, Practice, Practice
Prepare your students for the SAT by simulating the test day experience so they feel confident on test day. You can choose to have your students take a practice test online or with paper and pencil.
They can then connect their PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10, PSAT 8/9, or previous SAT results to Official SAT Practice, and Khan Academy® will update students' personalized practice plan to make sure it focuses on the areas they need help with most.
Online Practice Tests
Reserve laptops or the school computer lab. Direct students to Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy. Be sure to:
- Provide students with scrap paper and pencils for math problems.
- Review with students how to answer grid-in questions in the math section.
- Review the approved calculator list so students can practice with the same tools they'll use on test day.
- Set aside about 4 hours for students to take the test.
- Set aside time with students to review their results and the answer explanations for the questions they missed. Also encourage them to review their results on their own.
Paper and Pencil Practice Tests
Prepare students for taking paper and pencil practice tests with these tips:
- Download official SAT practice tests and answer sheets.
- Reserve a quiet space such as a library or empty classroom.
- Provide No. 2 pencils for your students.
- Review the approved calculator list so students can practice with the same tools they'll use on test day.
- Review with students how to answer grid-in questions in the math section.
- Set aside about 4 hours for students to take the full test.
- Support students in using the scoring tips, scoring guides, and answer explanations to score their tests and understand the correct answers.
- Set aside time with students to review their results and the answer explanations for questions they missed. Also encourage them to review their results on their own.
Other Ideas to Prep for Test Day
Review with your students what they should and shouldn't bring on test day and what they can expect. Before test day, you should also advise your students to:
- Eat a good dinner.
- Get a good night’s sleep.
- Eat a healthy breakfast.
Last, have your students reflect on their practice test experience:
- Did they have enough time to finish all sections?
- Did they get distracted during the test?
- Did they feel hungry? Nervous? Sleepy?