SAT Exam 2024: Dates, Registration, Fees, Eligibility, Syllabus, Preparation, Results & Score

The SAT or Scholastic Assessment Test is the most popular standardised test for undergraduate admissions to the US. Colleges in the UK, Australia, and Canada also accept SAT 2024 scores as part of their overall application. The exam tests students on their verbal, reading, comprehension, analytical, and mathematical skills. It is designed to ensure that students seeking undergraduate admission have the relevant college-ready capabilities necessary to excel in higher education. 

Until recently, the SAT was a three-hour-long paper-based test. But, after the recent changes introduced by the College Board, the SAT 2024 exam has shifted to a shorter, crisper, fully digital mode. 

In this blog, we’ve covered all the latest details about the SAT 2024 exam and a preparation strategy to get you started on the right note.

Read more: SAT Exam Syllabus 2024 – Section-Wise Syllabus, Exam Pattern & Question Types

Free Profile Evaluation
Hundreds of colleges. Hundreds of programs. Hundreds of opportunities abroad.
But which one is the perfect fit for you?
Sign up for a Free Profile Evaluation Session with our admission experts today.

Book My Free Profile Evaluation

SAT 2024 Overview

SAT 2024 has undergone many changes. Considering the changing global education scenario, a new format has been introduced to make the test more relevant.

The new Digital SAT is 2 hours and 14 minutes long and has two sections – Reading + Writing and Mathematics. Each section is scored out of a maximum of 800 marks; the total possible score is 1600. The scores will now be released in just a few days instead of a few weeks, giving students the freedom to study more and apply to colleges faster.

Moreover, students can also choose to bring their own devices to the centres to give the digital test, as long as they meet the technological requirements.

You can read more about the new Digital SAT format here.

Apart from these changes, the other aspects of the exam remain the same. It will be conducted seven times a year across 30 cities in India. Students can give the test as many times as they want, but most choose to give it twice – once after their 11th and again before their 12th begins.

SAT Exam Dates 2024

For the second half of 2024, four more dates are available for the SAT. You can register for it within the allotted deadlines. There is also the late registration option for those who miss the primary registration dates for an extra charge.

SAT 2024 Exam Highlights

You can find all the basic details of the SAT exam 2024 at a glance here.

How to Register for the SAT Exam 2024?

SAT Exam Registration

SAT Exam Eligibility 2024

While the College Board sets down no strict eligibility guidelines for SAT 2024, there are a few things you should take care of.

1. There is no formal age limit to take the test. While most of the students who take it are in the age group of 17-19, older candidates are also allowed to take the test. But this test alone will not guarantee admission to your preferred colleges. So, don’t forget to check with your college if they have any age limits.
2. While you can take the SAT as many times as you want, most students take it twice in their 11th and 12th grades. Ensure you take your final attempt at least 3 to 4 months before the application deadline. This leaves enough room for any delays in the scores and also gives you time to retake it should the need arise.
3. The College Board has prescribed no education qualifications. Since the test is for undergraduate admissions, it is assumed that only high-school students will take it. For more details about eligibility for specific college programs, it is most prudent to contact the college itself.

SAT Registration 2024

Registrations for the SAT can be done digitally as well as via mail.

Online 

1. Visit the College Board website to read all the rules before initiating your registration.
2. Once you’re clear on that, you can visit the MySAT portal to begin your registration.
3. The first step is to create your account on the portal by filling in all the details and generating your password.
4. Choose the nearest test centre, your preferred test date, and your test slot.
5. Upload your photo to the portal, but ensure it meets the College Board requirements.
6. Have a payment method ready and pay your fees. You should get your confirmation soon.

By mail

1. Go to your school library and look for The Student Registration Guide for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests.
2. It will contain the offline registration form and return address marked envelope.
3. Fill out the form, create a fee demand draft, and seal the envelope. 
4. Post it at the nearest post office.
5. The USIEF represents the College Board in India. All mail from India will be forwarded to them.

You need to make sure that the date and slot you select for your test are final because cancelling the test at the last moment can be expensive. Test-takers will only be refunded $10 upon cancellation. It’s much better to reschedule the test if the need arises.

SAT Exam Fees 2024

SAT Exam Pattern 2024

The digital SAT exam primarily consists of two sections – Reading+Writing and Math. Each section will further be divided into two equal-length modules. The first module of each section will be a mix of easy, moderate, and challenging questions. The questions will be MCQs and Student-Produced Responses. The next module will contain harder or easier questions based on how well you perform on it. The digital SAT exam has become adaptive, much like the GMAT and GRE. You will also get a break between the two sections.

SAT Exam Syllabus 2024

The SAT exam syllabus for 2024 will be based on much of the same curriculum taught in high schools. With strategic practice from the right resources, you can complete the syllabus, gain the right test-taking skills, and do well on the SAT. A good grasp of the syllabus will help you create a targeted strategy for your SAT exam preparation.

SAT Reading and Writing

In the SAT reading and writing section, you’ll be tested in four spheres of language:

Craft and Structure

In this part, the questions will revolve around comprehension, vocabulary, analysis, synthesis, and reasoning skills within a given context. You will also be expected to evaluate texts and form connections between them.

Information and Ideas

You’ll be expected to locate data in graphical and visual representation, interpret it, evaluate it, and integrate it within the larger context.

Standard English Conventions

In this section, you’ll be tested on your grasp of standard English conventions that dictate daily usage. The conventions can range from sentence structure, phrases, vocabulary, usage, and punctuation.

Expression of Ideas

You’ll have to work on the given written texts to make them more effective at conveying the included ideas.

SAT Math

Algebra

• Linear equations in one variable
• Linear equations in two variables
• Linear functions
• Systems of two linear equations in two variables
• Linear inequalities in one or two variables

Advanced Math

• Equivalent expressions
• Nonlinear equations in one variable and systems of equations in two variables
• Nonlinear functions

Problem-solving and data analysis

• Ratios, rates, proportional relationships, and units
• Percentages
• One-variable data: distributions and measures of centre and spread
• Two-variable data: models and scatterplots
• Probability and conditional probability
• Inference from sample statistics and margin of error
• Evaluating statistical claims: observational studies and Experiments

Geometry and Trigonometry

• Area and volume
• Lines, angles, and triangles
• Right triangles and trigonometry
• Circles

SAT Admit Card 2024

Your admit card for the SAT is a crucial document without which you won’t be allowed to sit for the test. You need to carry a printout of the admit card with you along with other identification, such as your passport. The admit card can be accessed from the official SAT portal. Visit MySAT, login, and you’ll find the print admit ticket option in the drop-down menu. Download it, print it out, and always keep it with you.

SAT Exam Centres 2024

With over 73 centres spread across 44 cities, students can easily find a centre near their place that is easily accessible. It is advisable to book the centres in advance to ensure you don’t end up having to travel too far. You can quickly look up the nearest centre in your city on the official website. Nonetheless, we’ve compiled a list of all the centres across all the Indian cities.

Read more: What Are The Top Colleges Accepting IELTS Scores?

SAT Scores

Each section on the SAT is scored out of 800 with a minimum possible score of 400. The full range of the score is anywhere between 800 to 1600. The average SAT score is around 1050, while the median is about 1000. Most colleges will accept 1200+ scores from international students. But the most competitive ones, such as Harvard, Stanford, and NYU, have students with average scores north of 1450. Your target SAT score should be derived from the average score of your chosen college. An excellent score to target is 50 points more than the average score. 

SAT Cutoff

Most colleges do not have any SAT cut-offs. The SAT scores are considered part of a holistic application – other parts, such as your essays, grades, and extracurriculars – also hold a lot of weight. Despite that, a high SAT score can play to your advantage in other ways. It can help you show colleges how prepared you are to face the rigours of highly demanding courseware. Good SAT scores can also be used to cover up weaker parts of your overall application. As mentioned above, a good way to lock in your SAT score is to look at the average SAT score for your target program. We’ve compiled the estimated SAT scores for several colleges below:

SAT Results

With the new digital SAT exam, your SAT results will be out in a few days instead of waiting for several weeks. You can also get rush scores delivered to your chosen colleges in a couple of days by paying $31 extra for that service. The official score report can be checked by logging into your MySAT portal and downloading a detailed copy of the score breakdown. The official score report will be forwarded to four schools for free as part of the SAT exam package. You’ll need to pay $12 per additional report to get your scores across to any more schools.

SAT Preparation Strategy for the 2024 Exam

The SAT scores can play an outsized role in convincing admission committees about your competence and viability for a top-notch college program. That’s why you must put in a lot of effort to study for the SAT 2024 exam. Here are a few tips you can look into to boost your SAT 2024 preparation.

1. Buy the Official Digital SAT Study Guide by the College Board. It contains a vast array of different questions and detailed solutions, along with practice mock tests.
2. Before you begin your prep, give a full-length diagnostic mock to gauge where you stand right now. You can download up to 8 mock tests from the official College Board website.
3. Analyse the results and document your weaknesses and strengths. Allocate more hours to topics that you need to work on.
4. Indian students usually don’t face trouble with the SAT math section, but the verbal one can be a tough nut to crack. Spend time shoring up on your vocabulary, reading articles, blogs, and books, and revising basic grammar. Then, go through the entire verbal section from the Official SAT guide.
5. Keep giving as many practice tests as you can. Ideally, by the end of your prep, you should’ve given at least 8 of them.
6. If you have trouble sourcing suitable material, consider joining a coaching program like the one IMS offers. The IMS SAT Live Online program has over 48 hours of live online teacher-student interaction, thousands of practice questions, and ten mock tests. The program also gives you free access to the Official SAT Study Guide to supplement your efforts. 

SAT 2024 Sample Papers

Like every other test, the success of your SAT prep, too, hinges on how effectively you give your SAT 2024 sample papers. Try giving at least 8 of them in actual exam-like conditions to see how well you perform under pressure. After giving each one of them, analyse your results thoroughly. This is your window into your own growth – how much have you improved since your first diagnostic test. Track your improvement and find ways to reach your target score. 

Regularly giving these tests will also help you improve your time management strategy. You’ll be able to find the parts wherein you inadvertently end up spending the most time.

Lastly, you’ll also get the opportunity to work on your guessing ability. Since the test has no negative marking, forwarding an educated guess is always better than leaving it blank.

FAQs on SAT 2024

1. What is the SAT exam given for?

The SAT is for undergraduate college admission abroad, primarily in Canada and the USA.

Read more: How To Choose The Right College For Higher Education Abroad?

2. Is SAT 2024 easy for Indian students?

While Indian students might find the Math section easy, the Reading and Writing sections will require dedicated practice.

3. Can I take the SAT exam after the 12th?

Yes, you can take the exam after the 12th. Most students take it at least twice to bring their scores up.

4. Can I use a calculator while taking the SAT?

The new Digital SAT edition has an inbuilt calculator in the device itself. Unlike previous paper-based editions, bringing your own calculator is no longer compulsory.

5. Are SAT subject tests still available in 2024?

No, SAT subject tests have been discontinued since 2021.

6. Do all US universities require the SAT?

No, most universities have either gone test-optional or test-blind, meaning they don’t require you to take the SAT compulsorily. Despite that, 12 lakh students take the SAT yearly to improve their overall applications.

7. How long is the SAT 2024 exam score valid?

The SAT 2024 exam score is valid for five years from the day you first took it.