

How to Make Your Practice Tests More Like the Real ThingĮven if the practice tests are not a carbon copy of the real thing, they are not useless.

This chart categorizes the differences of the official SAT by section: Math These patterns can throw you off guard when taking the official test. This can greatly hinder your SAT score, and your results can be lower than you anticipated.Īccording to College Panda, the sections may have different question types as content unfamiliar with when you used the practice SATs. When put in a new test set, you can forget the new methods and stick with what you are more familiar with. When it comes to SAT math, however, you were taught a new quicker method to approach the math questions for the sake of time conservation. The current SAT may have new content in their sections, and if you have taken prep courses and tutoring alongside your practice tests, you may have been taught new methods for approaching each question.įor example, you may have been taught a certain way to answer a math problem when it comes to math. The second reason is that students tend to revert to their old habits under massive stress. This is vastly different from the homemade open-book test you have been referencing all this time.

You are then given a time limit on each section and may find yourself rushing to complete each section before time runs out. When the real test day comes, you wake up early to go to an unfamiliar test center where you can be subjected to uneasiness and limited breaks. The guide to the answers is put in front of you, and you can take breaks whenever you like before getting to the difficult sections of the test. When doing the practice SAT, you are usually in the comfort of your own home, on your laptop or desktop, accessing the practice portals whenever you like. SAT Practice Tests aren’t taken in realistic settings. There are two major reasons why the practice SAT isn’t the same as the official one. The content and how you take the test can be vastly different, which is why some students are shocked to learn that their scores are vastly different from what they scored on the practice test. Why Practice Tests and the Real SAT Aren’t the SameĮven though they offer a preview of what you will face on the official test, practice tests are not 100% accurate compared to the real thing. Here you will learn about the differences between the practice SAT and the official SAT and how to use the practice tests to your benefit. Practice tests are not carbon copies of the SAT they are made differently. When doing a practice test, you are challenged to sharpen your test-taking skills and approach each section methodically to receive a good grade. SAT practice tests have vast differences from the actual test. While the practice tests are incredibly helpful, they may not 100% guarantee a perfect score on the real test. When studying for the SAT, practice tests are like a godsend it allows you to time yourself appropriately, know the type of questions that the test will ask, and try out different methods on how to answer each section. Practicing for the SAT and wondering how similar it is to the real test? This guide will help discern the key differences between the practice tests and the real thing and properly prepare for the official SAT. Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University
