The IvyPrep Difference
About Scholastic Assessment test (SAT)
What is the SAT?
An overview of the (Digital) SAT exam
The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) is a standardized test widely used in admissions to US universities. The SAT comprises four compulsory sections: Reading, Writing and Language, Math (no calculator) and Math (with calculator). These four sections are scored out of a total of 1600.
You have also probably heard that College Board will soon make the SAT digital.
So what is changing?
You will take the SAT on a laptop or tablet. The test will be shorter, about 2 hours instead of 3.
The new test have shorter reading passages instead of a few long texts and you’ll be allowed to use your calculator on the entire math section and there’s a calculator built right into the digital testing application.
Format
An insight into the SAT exam
Students testing outside the U.S. will first take the digital SAT in Spring 2023. So, you will have plenty of time to prepare and get familiar with the digital test.
Section
No. of questions
Total time (min)
Evidence-based Reading & Writing
96
100
Reading sub-test
52
65
Writing and language sub-test
44
35
Math
58
80
No-calculator sub-test
20
25
Calculator sub-test
38
55
Who needs the SAT
US Universities
All first-year applicants
Most transfer applicants
NUS medicine & NUS dentistry
Applicants with IB Diplomas
NUS law
Applicants with a C grade or lower for:
H1 General Paper; or
H2 Knowledge & Inquiry
SMU & UNISIM
Applicants without any of the following:
A-Level / IB
NUS High Diploma
Polytechnic Diploma
Reading
52 Multiple Choice Questions testing critical reading and thinking skills across four genres: history, literature, natural science and the social sciences.
Writing
44 Multiple Choice Questions testing fundamental conventions of grammar and effective use of the English language.
Math
38 Questions allowing the use of a calculator and 20 without. The main topics tested are algebra, functions, data analysis and geometry.
We recommend that students start preparing for the SAT at least 3 months prior to the exam.
Registration
How do I register for the SAT?
1
Sign in to your free College Board account or register for a new account.
2
Provide your full name and other identifying information — this must be exactly the same as seen on your photo ID.
3
Choose to register for the SAT with or without the Essay. (Update: The SAT Essay is no longer offered after June 2021.)
4
Upload a photograph that meets the College Board’s specific photo requirements.
5
Make payment, and check out. Click here to learn more about testing fees.
6
Print out your Admission Ticket. Make sure you bring it with you on Test Day!
Where can I take the SAT?
Universities in the US will consider both academic and non-academic factors in making their admissions decisions. You are required to demonstrate competency and skill in both of these regards.
Academic requirements
Final Year Grades
IB; or A-Levels; or APs / SATs; or GPA
Reference Letter
You will need one teacher recommendation that speaks to your academic abilities. This would ideally be someone who has taught you recently (JC1 / JC2 or Grade 11 / 12).
Academic Honors
Applications require accomplishments that are academic in nature (eg: Honor Roll / Olympiads / Research Experiences).
Testing
Some courses (Law / Medicine / Oxbridge applicants) will require special admissions tests such as the LNAT or BMAT / UCAT.
Non-academic requirements
Super-curricular Accomplishments
These activities demonstrate to universities that you are exploring your chosen subject outside of the classroom with genuine passion and curiosity.
UCAS Personal Statement
This is a short essay of roughly 500 words. This essay will require you to state your intended course of study at university, why you wish to pursue this interest, and how you have already meaningfully engaged with this subject previously.
Here are some of the SAT testing centres in Singapore. Note that not all test centres are available for all dates. Click here for the latest information.
Dulwich College Singapore
71 Bukit Batok West Avenue 8,
Singapore 658966
Furen International School
345 Old Nelson Road,
Singapore 758692
Global Indian International School
27 Punggol Field Walk,
Singapore 828649
NPS International School
10 Chai Chee Lane,
Singapore 469021
Stamford American International School
1 Woodleigh Lane,
Singapore 357684
When can I take the SAT?
SAT Test Date*
Deadline for Registration Changes, and Regular Cancellation
Mar 11, 2023 (Digital)
Feb 24, 2023
May 6, 2023 (Digital)
Apr 21, 2023
June 3, 2023 (Digital)
May 19, 2023
Students taking the digital SAT who need to borrow a device from College Board will need to register and request their device earlier than the registration deadline, to allow time for international shipping.
SAT Scoring
Superscores
Superscoring is the process by which colleges consider your highest section scores across all the dates you took the SAT.
Schools will take your highest section scores, forming the highest possible composite “superscore”.
May
Verbal Score: 760
Math Score: 700
Total Score: 1460
May
Verbal Score: 760
Math Score: 700
Total Score: 1460
October
Verbal Score: 720
Math Score: 750
Total Score: 1470
Which courses should I apply to?
1
Make payment via an AXS station or at the RELC EB office (only from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm on October 1, 2021). Registration before the standard deadline costs SGD 362, while registration before the late deadline (October 15, 2021) costs SGD 482. Click here for a guide on how to pay via AXS.
2
Oxford University and Cambridge University will only accept one application to either university. You cannot apply to both.
Courses in the veterinary science, medicine or dentistry fields which limit you to four courses on the UCAS, instead of the usual five.
Deciding on a course of study
There are over 50,000 undergraduate courses at more than 395 providers in the UK, so it’s important you do your research. What would you like to study? What would you like to achieve after university? Is being located in central London important to you? These are some important questions to ask as you decide which courses to apply to. To learn more:
Look at the UCAS subject guides to understand what the different subject areas have to offer — including graduate destinations, entry requirements, and personal statement tips.
Browse the UCAS search tool for inspiration on the types of courses you can study — you can use the subject filters to narrow your search.
What score do I need?
Here are the average SAT scores of successful applicants to top-tier universities.
Ivy League Universities
Average total SAT scores
Yale University
1550
Harvard College
1520
Columbia University
1520
Princeton University
1520
University of Pennsylvania
1510
Brown University
1510
Dartmouth College
1500
Cornell University
1480
Top private universities
Average total SAT scores
California Institute of Technology
1560
University of Chicago
1540
Vanderbilt University
1530
Stanford University
1520
MIT
1520
Johns Hopkins University
1510
Northwestern University
1510
Carnegie Mellon University
1500
Top public universities
Average total SAT scores
Georgia Institute of Technology
1520
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
1500
UC, Berkeley
1450
University of Michigan, Ann-Arbor
1450
University of Virginia
1420
UC, Los Angeles
1400
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
1390
Score Percentiles
What score should I aim for?
The SAT gives you a percentile ranking for your overall score (out of 1600) as well as for each of the two sections: Evidence Based Reading and Writing, and Math. Your percentile rank tells you how you did on the SAT compared to other test-takers.
For most competitive universities, we recommend trying to score at least within the 90th percentile.
Composite score range
Percentile ranking
1550–1600
99+
1500–1550
99 to 99+
1450–1500
97 to 99
1400–1450
94 to 97
1350–1400
91 to 94
1300–1350
87 to 91
1250–1300
81 to 87
1200–1250
74 to 81
1150–1200
67 to 74
1100–1150
58 to 67
1050–1100
49 to 58
1000–1050
39 to 49
Which courses should I apply to?
1
Make payment via an AXS station or at the RELC EB office (only from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm on October 1, 2021). Registration before the standard deadline costs SGD 362, while registration before the late deadline (October 15, 2021) costs SGD 482. Click here for a guide on how to pay via AXS.
2
Oxford University and Cambridge University will only accept one application to either university. You cannot apply to both.
Courses in the veterinary science, medicine or dentistry fields which limit you to four courses on the UCAS, instead of the usual five.
Deciding on a course of study
There are over 50,000 undergraduate courses at more than 395 providers in the UK, so it’s important you do your research. What would you like to study? What would you like to achieve after university? Is being located in central London important to you? These are some important questions to ask as you decide which courses to apply to. To learn more:
Look at the UCAS subject guides to understand what the different subject areas have to offer — including graduate destinations, entry requirements, and personal statement tips.
Browse the UCAS search tool for inspiration on the types of courses you can study — you can use the subject filters to narrow your search.
Section percentiles
Differences
SAT vs ACT
Both tests are accepted by most universities in the US. However, as they have slight differences, it is recommended that candidates should take the test they would fare better in.
Should you be unable to decide which test might be more suitable for you, a good way to gauge your expertise is to attempt a full length practice test for both.
IvyPrep offers free diagnostic tests for both the SAT and ACT. Upon completion of the tests, a detailed score report would be generated to assist with your decision in which test you should sit for.
SAT
ACT
Scoring
Composite score of 400–1600
Scoring
Composite score out of 36 (average of all 4 sections)
Format
Paper and Pencil
Format
Computerized
Dates
Offered five times a year:
March
May
August
October
December
Dates
Offered seven times a year:
February
April
June
July
September
October
December
Math formulas
Geometry formulas are provided
Math formulas
To be memorized
Calculator policy
Allowed in one Math sub-section
Calculator policy
Allowed in Math section
Science section
No
Science section
Yes
Which courses should I apply to?
1
Make payment via an AXS station or at the RELC EB office (only from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm on October 1, 2021). Registration before the standard deadline costs SGD 362, while registration before the late deadline (October 15, 2021) costs SGD 482. Click here for a guide on how to pay via AXS.
2
Oxford University and Cambridge University will only accept one application to either university. You cannot apply to both.
Courses in the veterinary science, medicine or dentistry fields which limit you to four courses on the UCAS, instead of the usual five.
Deciding on a course of study
There are over 50,000 undergraduate courses at more than 395 providers in the UK, so it’s important you do your research. What would you like to study? What would you like to achieve after university? Is being located in central London important to you? These are some important questions to ask as you decide which courses to apply to. To learn more:
Look at the UCAS subject guides to understand what the different subject areas have to offer — including graduate destinations, entry requirements, and personal statement tips.
Browse the UCAS search tool for inspiration on the types of courses you can study — you can use the subject filters to narrow your search.
Should I take the SAT or the ACT?
The types of questions in each section of the SAT and the ACT vary. Ultimately, the best way to know which test is a better fit for you is to attempt both. Click here to schedule a free SAT and/or ACT Diagnostic Test.
The key differences in concepts tested on the SAT and the ACT are here:
SAT
ACT
Reading
Questions are always in chronological order; a number line is provided. You are given approx. 13 minutes per passage.
Reading
Questions are not in chronological order — being able to remember the location of exact details in passages gives you an advantage. You are given approx. 8 minutes per passage.
Writing
More focused on questions about writing style, language precision and vocabulary.
Writing
More focused on grammar, punctuation, sentence structure and big idea questions.
Math
Focus on Algebra, along with other topics such as Data Analysis and Modeling.
Math
Wider range of Mathematical concepts — such as logarithms, graphs of trigonometry functions, and matrices.
Science
No Science section. Scientific data and passages present in Reading and Writing sections.
Science
Comfort with scientific terms and experience gathering scientific data from charts and graphs will give you a greater advantage on the ACT.
Essay
No longer offered after June 2021.
Essay
Analyze three perspectives on an issue and present your own.
Score Conversion
SAT Composite score
ACT Composite Score
1570–1600
36
1530–1560
35
1490–1520
34
1450–1480
33
1420–1440
32
1390–1410
31
1360–1380
30
1330–1350
29
1300–1320
28
1260–1290
27
1230–1250
26
1200–1220
25
1160–1190
24
1130–1150
23
1100–1120
22
1060–1090
21
1030–1050
20
990–1020
19
960–980
18
920–950
17
880–910
16
830–870
15
780–820
14
730–770
13
690–720
12
650–680
11
620–640
10
590–610
9
