All about SAT Exam to Study in UK

Do you know that the best part about the UK education system is that it provides international students with the flexibility to combine courses and specializations across varied disciplines? Revered for offering the best education system in the world, pursuing higher studies from the UK opens the door to an array of opportunities.

English Proficiency Tests are the most important and common requirements to study in UK. All universities for the offered courses, require international students to produce a proof for English proficiency by submitting scores of exams like SAT or the Scholastic Assessment, Test International English Language Testing System, or IELTS, Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic).

For international students who are seeking admission to any of the undergraduate courses in the UK, acing the SAT exam is important. Founded in the year 1926, SAT, originally known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, was later renamed to Scholastic Assessment Test. SAT was further renamed to SAT I: Reasoning Test, then to SAT Reasoning Test, and now, it is known simply as SAT. This standardized test is widely used for college admissions across the United Kingdom. You will not have to take the SAT for UK university admissions if you are a student in the UK or if you are studying under a GCSE/O-level/A-level system. If you’re a foreign applicant, such as an Indian, who wants to study in the United Kingdom, you can take the SAT/ACT and send it to most British universities, where it will be approved. With a valid SAT scorecard and the fulfillment of the country/university-specific criteria, candidates can get admission to the bachelor’s degree courses of their choice. The weightage of the SAT scores in the admission process varies from school to school.

To know more about the SAT Exam, the types, eligibility criteria, exam dates, syllabus and more, read below:

1. What Is SAT Exam?

The SAT exam is a standardized entrance test that is administered by the College Board (a private, not-for-profit organization in the United States) to measure and evaluate the written, verbal and mathematical skills of aspirant undergraduate candidates.

2. Types of SAT Exams

There are two types of SAT exams, namely SAT General Test and SAT Subject Tests.

SAT is a general test, wherein the English, Verbal, Mathematical and Science skills of the students are tested.

SAT subject test helps evaluate the subject knowledge of the students. The various SAT subjects include Mathematics, Science, English, History and Languages.

Some colleges/universities require the scores of both the exams to process the admission, whereas some colleges might require only the SAT general test. Hence, students must take the tests that are required or recommended by the college/university that they want to apply to.

3. SAT Exam Eligibility

There is no specific qualification that is mentioned by the College Board for students to appear for the SAT exam. Moreover, there is no specific age limit as well that is prescribed by the administrative authority of SAT. As SAT exam scores help students get admission to the undergraduate courses in the USA and other countries, this test is usually taken up by students who are in their junior or senior years of high school.

4. How to Register and Apply for SAT Exam

Students can choose to either register online for the SAT exam through online (College Board website) or offline (mail) methods.

To register and apply for the SAT exam online, students need to visit the official College Board website (https://www.collegeboard.org/) and create their individual account. Then, they need to add their personal details and create their student profile. Next, they need to select the test date and center. The next step is to upload their photo and finally, make the payment for the test via a credit card or PayPal.

To register for the exam via mail, aspiring students can also register through mail in India. Students need to get the Student Registration Booklet for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests from their schools. This guide includes a registration form and a return envelope. Students need to fill the form, attach their photo and add the demand draft in the return envelope that is already addressed to the SAT Program (postage stamps need to be added by the students).

5. SAT Scholarship

For students who have appeared for the SAT exam and have scored well can not only get admission to the institution of their choice but can also be eligible for SAT scholarship. This merit-based scholarship is offered by specific institutions to students based on their SAT scores. Also, some students can be eligible for an SAT registration discount which is both SAT merit-based and income-based. Do check the terms and conditions on the official College Board webpage for more details.

6. SAT Exam Dates

The SAT is conducted about seven times a year in August, October, November, December, March, May and June by the College Board. Students need to keep track of the upcoming exam dates and deadlines so that they can prepare well and align their preparation strategy accordingly. The registration deadlines are usually around 3-4 weeks before the exam. It is recommended for students to take the SAT twice so that they can apply for the university of their choice with the best possible score. Most of the test takers appear for SAT in the summer of their junior year and then for a second time in the fall of their senior year.

7. SAT Exam Pattern

The SAT exam from the College Board has a total of four tests, namely Reading, Writing, Language and Math tests.

8. SAT Exam Preparation Tips

Below are some general SAT exam preparation strategies and tips that might help students ace the SAT exam.

Reading: SAT exam usually comprises four to five long passages, hence it is recommended that students read various magazines and newspapers.

Going Through Past Exam Papers: Checking out and solving previous years’ SAT exam papers will help students get an idea about the question pattern.

Eliminating Method: Sometimes, it is easier to eliminate the wrong answers so that students can arrive at the right answers. SAT online practice tests and SAT online coaching are ideal to help students practice this method.

Focusing on Difficult Sections: Students need to focus more on difficult sections by solving multiple SAT papers online. This method helps them get a better understanding of the concepts.

Learning to Manage Time: Timing is crucial for such entrance exams. Also, the questions related to passages might require more time. Hence, students need to solve more SAT exam sample papers to be able to manage time more efficiently during the exam.

Use Authentic SAT Study Materials: Students need to use authentic and latest editions of SAT study materials, such as the Official SAT Study Guide, Barron’s books, Kaplan SAT Prep, vocabulary flashcards, etc.

SAT Coaching: Several institutes and coaching centers help students prepare for SAT exams. Students can choose to attend SAT online coaching or offline coaching classes, according to their convenience.

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