Preparing for the SAT suite of assessments

Welcome to "Get Ready for SAT Prep: Math!" Let's talk about how this course works with our SAT Math course to help you succeed.

###What's the connection between the "SAT Math" course and this "Get Ready for SAT Prep: Math" course?

Think of this "Get Ready" course as a bridge. It helps you build the fundamental math skills you'll need before tackling our main SAT Math course.

Here's the key difference:

• The SAT Math course covers SAT Math skills at the SAT level. We separate skill practice into three categories: "Foundations" (the most basic questions), "Medium" (slightly more challenging questions), and "Advanced" (the most challenging questions). Together, these three categories span the range of difficulty that you'll encounter on the SAT.
• The “Get Ready” course covers SAT Math skills at the fundamentals level. In other words, it covers the building blocks underlying SAT Math skills. You may notice that some skills already show progress toward mastery on the course mastery page: this is because the "Get Ready" exercises also appear across other Khan Academy math courses, and your existing mastery progress on those exercises transfers over.

Important note: This “Get Ready for SAT Prep: Math” course is not meant to prepare you directly for the SAT. Rather, it prepares you for our SAT Math course, which then prepares you for the actual test.

###Who should use this course?

This course is perfect for you if:

• You're in 10th grade and want to get an early start on SAT prep.
• You scored below 500 on the Math section of a recent PSAT/NMSQT or SAT (either a practice test or the real test).
• You're finding the "Foundations" lessons or practice questions in our SAT Math course too challenging for a given skill, or you’re struggling to achieve proficiency.

If you're taking the SAT within the next six months, we recommend that you start with the SAT Math course and only use this course for skills you find particularly difficult. If you’re learning and growing in the SAT Math course, then stick with that! In that case, you should continue preparing for the test by trying to master all the skills at all three difficulty levels: Foundations, Medium, and Advanced.

###How to use both courses effectively

####If you're a 10th grader:

Master this "Get Ready" course first. Follow these steps:

1. Take the quiz at the end of each skill. This will help you identify both your strengths and the areas where you still need to learn and practice.
2. If you answer all the questions in a quiz correctly, congratulations! You’re likely prepared to move onto the same skill in the SAT Math course at the “Foundations” level.
3. If you miss questions on the quiz, go back and complete the lessons and exercises for that skill. Once you think you have it down, you can attempt the quiz again to check your understanding.

This gives you plenty of time to build a strong foundation before 11th grade. Note that even if you’re ready to move onto the SAT Math course at the Foundations level, you may want to save that course for when you’re ready to begin your actual PSAT/NMSQT or SAT prep.

For more guidance on when to start preparing, read about creating an SAT prep plan.

####If you're preparing for an upcoming PSAT/NMSQT or SAT:

1. Start by taking a practice SAT on College Board's Bluebook app.
2. Begin with the Foundations level in the SAT Math course, starting with the skills where you scored the lowest.
3. Work your way through all the content (videos and exercises!) in every Foundations-level lesson, and take the quizzes and tests to check your understanding. You want to focus extra on the skills you missed the most questions in, but not only on those skills—ideally, you should leave enough time to learn and practice every skill.
4. Once you master “Foundations”, keep going! To fully prepare for the SAT or PSAT/NMSQT, try to master the skills at the “Medium” and “Advanced” levels too.
5. Don’t forget to take more practice SATs on Bluebook at regular intervals throughout your prep journey!

####If you need help with specific skills:

1. Identify exactly which skills are giving you trouble in the SAT Math course. You’ll know you need extra help if the Foundations exercises are too difficult, and the lesson videos and articles aren’t helping or don’t make sense to you.
2. Find those same skills in the "Get Ready for SAT Prep: Math" course.
3. Work your way through all the lesson content (videos and exercises) for that skill, then take the skill quiz to check your understanding. This will help you learn (or relearn) the fundamentals.
4. Once you’ve mastered a skill in “Get Ready”, go back to the SAT Math course and resume prepping at the “Foundations” level.
5. Once you master “Foundations”, keep going! Again, to fully prepare for the SAT or PSAT/NMSQT, you’ll want to try to master the skills at the “Medium” and “Advanced” levels too.
6. Again, don’t forget to take more practice SATs on Bluebook at regular intervals throughout your prep journey!

###Your step-by-step path to SAT success

Remember, the "Get Ready" course is just the first step in your SAT prep journey. The SAT Math course is where you'll learn to tackle actual SAT questions at all difficulty levels. For more information, read all about the SAT Math section and how to use Khan Academy’s SAT Math course to prepare for it.

Ready to dive in? You’ve got this!

In this article, we’ll explore how to use College Board’s Bluebook™ app to take official SAT Practice Tests (or, if desired, PSAT Practice Tests), how to view and interpret your practice test scores, and how to pair your results with Khan Academy’s free SAT prep courses.

###What is College Board’s Bluebook™ app?

College Board's Bluebook™ app is a free digital testing application that allows students to take official SAT and PSAT practice tests. You can download and run the Bluebook™ testing app on a Windows or Mac device, an iPad, or a school-managed Chromebook.

###How to use the Bluebook™ app

Using the Bluebook™ app is straightforward. Once you open the app, you’ll see a “Practice and Prepare” section right on the homescreen. Here you can choose between a “Test Preview” or “Full-Length Practice”.

Clicking “Test Preview” will allow you to preview the format of the SAT and PSAT/NMSQT, the directions, and the question types without being timed. It will also show you the in-app tools available during the test (including useful things like annotation, marking questions to come back to later, and crossing out choices, among other features). We recommend clicking through the Test Preview before taking a practice test.

“Full-Length Practice” is where you’ll find all the official practice tests for the SAT and the PSAT/NMSQT (along with practice tests for the other PSAT-related assessments for lower grades, namely the PSAT 8/9 and the PSAT 10). When you take a practice test on the Bluebook™ app, the app will time you and simulate the actual testing environment.

###Pairing the Bluebook™ app with Khan Academy's SAT prep courses

To get the most out of your SAT and/or PSAT/NMSQT prep, it’s a good idea to use both the Bluebook™ app and Khan Academy's SAT prep courses together. While the Bluebook™ app is a great resource for taking practice tests and getting used to the digital format of the SAT and PSAT/NMSQT, it’s not designed to teach students the content that is covered on those tests. This is where Khan Academy comes in!

Once you’ve taken a full practice test on Bluebook™, you'll be prompted to view your results in detail at “My Practice” on College Board’s website. Once you've followed those instructions and signed into your College Board account, you can click the arrow to the right of your practice test score to see your score details, including a question-by-question breakdown. At the top of the score details page, you’ll see a link to “explore every question on Khan Academy.” Click that link to get to Khan Academy’s Official Practice Test Review for that practice test, which includes detailed explanations for every question, as well as links to our lessons for each question type (all completely free)!

For more, check out our article on how to Create an SAT Prep Plan.

Happy prepping!

Understanding your SAT and PSAT/NMSQT scores can help you understand your strengths and areas for growth as you start preparing for college!

###Where can I get my scores?

You can find out when your scores will be released by checking the score release schedule.
Once your scores have been released, head to the SAT score reporting portal to sign in and receive your score report.

###What do my scores mean?

Your total score is your overall score and is a combination of your section scores (see below). The highest composite score for the SAT is 800+800, or 1600. The average score is 1000.

Your section scores are the individual scores for the two main sections of the SAT: Reading and Writing and Math. Each of these sections is scored out of 800, and they are added together to get your overall score.

On the PSAT/NMSQT, the highest score you can get on each section is a 760, so the highest composite score on the PSAT/NMSQT is a 760+760, or 1520. The average PSAT/NMSQT score is about 920.

Wondering if your SAT score will help you get into your college of choice? Many colleges and universities will list the SAT score ranges of admitted students on their websites. While a score in that range is no guarantee of admission (and a score outside that range is no guarantee that you won’t be admitted), this info might help you figure out how your score compares to those of typical students at your school of choice. Just remember–your SAT score is only one part of your application!

###What are benchmarks and why do they matter?

Benchmarks are scores on each of the sections that are used to assess college readiness.
Students who achieve the benchmark on both sections are considered to be college ready. But don’t worry if you didn’t achieve the benchmark! Students who score below the benchmark in one or both sections can still succeed in college, with some extra support and perseverance.
The benchmark score for the SAT Reading and Writing section is 480.
The benchmark score for the SAT Math section is 530.

Students who take the PSAT/NMSQT see 11th-grade-level benchmarks on their score reports. These represent the section scores that students in 11th grade should meet or exceed to be considered "on track" for college and career readiness. The benchmark score for the PSAT/NMSQT Reading and Writing section is 460. The benchmark score for the PSAT/NMSQT Math section is 510.

###How important is my SAT score?

SAT scores can feel like a big deal, and in some ways they are. Your SAT score may play a role in the college admissions process, or it may determine your eligibility for high school graduation. However, it’s important to keep in mind that while the SAT is one way to measure your academic abilities, it is only a snapshot from one point in time. Your SAT score doesn’t define who you are, what you’re capable of, or what your academic future may hold.

Your SAT score also isn’t fixed. You can always learn more and improve your performance with practice. You’ve got this!

The college search and application process can feel overwhelming, but don’t worry—there are plenty of resources available to help you navigate it.

###Researching and applying to schools

There are thousands of colleges and universities out there, so it can be helpful to start by narrowing down your options based on factors like location, size, and majors offered.

Check out BigFuture on College Board for more information and resources about searching, applying, and paying for college, and staying organized throughout the process. There, you can research and build a list of colleges to apply to, find scholarships and complete the FAFSA, and explore career options and how they relate to different college majors.

Once you’ve identified some schools you’re interested in, it’s time to start working on your applications. Many schools use the Common Application, which allows you to apply to multiple schools using one application. You’ll need to write essays, request transcripts and letters of recommendation, and fill out financial aid forms. Which brings us to…

###The elements of your application

While the SAT is an important part of the college application process for many schools, it’s not the only thing that colleges consider when they’re reviewing your application. In fact, many colleges have moved away from requiring standardized test scores altogether. If you’re not feeling confident about your SAT scores, don’t worry—you still have plenty of options.

Here are some other key elements of your application:

• Your academic record: Colleges will be looking at your high school transcript to see how you’ve performed academically. Make sure you’re taking challenging courses and doing your best to maintain good grades.
• Extracurricular activities: Colleges want to see that you’re involved in activities outside of the classroom. This could include sports, clubs, volunteering, or part-time jobs. But, don’t just join a bunch of activities to round out your college application! In general, admissions officers are looking for depth, rather than breadth, of activities—find what you are passionate about and pursue it.
• Essays and personal statements: These are your chances to showcase your personality and explain why you’d be a good fit for the school you’re applying to.
• Letters of recommendation: These are letters from teachers or other adults who know you well and can speak to your strengths and character.

###Other resources

Make sure to check in with your high school guidance counselor throughout the search and application process. They can be a great source of information and support!

In addition to College Board’s BigFuture, there are plenty of online resources to help you. Khan Academy offers a College Admissions course with articles, videos, and resources to help you navigate the process—including how to find and compare different schools, how to approach the different elements of your application, how to pay for college, and much more. There are also other websites and services that can provide additional information, guidance, and support.

The college search and application process can be stressful, but remember that it’s also an exciting time in your life. Congratulations on getting started—you’ve got this!