Taking a Practice SAT at Home

So, your child is getting ready to apply to college. It’s an exciting yet stressful time—and one of the most important steps in the process is taking the SAT. Taking a practice test can help prepare your student for the real thing, and we’ll show you how to make it a successful experience in just a few simple steps.

Create a Good Testing Environment

The first step in creating a good testing environment is finding a quiet space free from distractions and allowing enough time for all sections of the test, including breaks (The SAT is about 3 hours long with two short breaks in between sections). Make sure you have snacks and drinks close by to keep your energy levels high throughout the test. Finally, it’s smart to take the test when you’re well-rested so you can focus on the questions.

Make Sure You Have What You Need

In addition to pencils, scratch paper, and a calculator, you will also need an official practice test and answer sheet from College Board, which can be found online. You will also need a timer to keep track of section times and ensure that your child takes appropriate breaks throughout the exam.

Before you begin, familiarize yourself with the timing for each section of the SAT:

Score Your Test Accurately

After completing all sections of the practice test, it's time to score it! Follow these steps to accurately score the practice test:

1. Score the Reading Section:

   • For each passage, count the number of correct answers your student has provided.

   • Add up the correct answers from all passages to obtain the raw score for the Reading section.

2. Score the Writing and Language Section:

   • Count the number of correct answers your student has provided in the Writing and Language section.

   • The sum of correct answers will be the raw score for the Writing and Language section.

3. Score the Math Sections:

   • For both the Math - No Calculator and Math - Calculator sections, count the number of correct answers your student has provided.

   • Add the correct answers from both sections to obtain the raw score for the Math sections.

4. Convert Raw Scores to Scaled Scores:

   • Use the conversion table provided with each practice test book to convert the raw scores for each section (Reading, Writing and Language, and Math) into scaled scores ranging from 10 to 40.

5. Calculate the Total Score:

   • Add the scaled scores of the Reading and Writing and Language sections together, then multiply the sum by 10 to obtain the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (ERW) score, which will range from 200 to 800.

   • Finally, add the ERW score and the Math score together to obtain the total SAT score, which will range from 400 to 1600.

Once complete, take note of which areas require improvement and review them with your student so they can focus on specific weak spots when preparing for their official SAT exam date.

Conclusion: Administering an SAT practice test at home is easier than you might think—it just requires patience and planning! By following these simple steps, you can create a successful testing environment that allows your student to get comfortable with taking exams and prepares them for success on their upcoming college entrance exam date! With careful preparation, you can help make this exciting yet stressful time more manageable for everyone involved in the application process! Good luck!