The SAT test has become synonymous with college admissions in the United States. SAT test preparation, therefore, has become necessary for doing well on the SAT. The SAT exam is a standardized test that tests students on the basis of their reasoning skills. There are a few things that parents and students must know about this standardized test. Let us talk about some of those things.

The SAT test is a three hour forty five minute test. There is also a 25-minute experimental section. But the score of this section does not contribute to the overall SAT score. Including this section, the SAT becomes a two hundred and fifty minute exam. If you add the breaks, the SAT becomes a 5-hour test.

There are people who might want to take the SAT a second or third time. What is the test taking limit? Students, in general, take the SAT a maximum of three times. Exceptions exist here too as there are some who claim to have written the SAT test more than five times. Suppose you write the Sat more than once. In that score, which score would be considered by colleges? There is no fixed rule to this. However, as general rule, colleges consider the score of every attempt at the SAT. However, different colleges have different criteria- some take into account the highest combined total SAT score. The best thing you can do is check with the college’s admission office to understand its admission procedure.

What about students who have disabilities? Can they take the SAT? College Board has set certain accommodations for SAT test takers having documented learning disabilities. However, there is a process involved for this. The student is required to complete a Student eligibility form before registering for the SAT test. More details about registration for disabled students can be found on the College Board’s website.

How to register for the SAT? Online registration is perhaps the simplest and the quickest way to register for the SAT exam. Students would have to visit the College Board’s website and follow the registration procedure. The first step would be choosing the desired test date and test center. The best thing about registering online is that one can get immediate registration confirmation.

Registration via mail is also an option. College Board allows SAT test registration through mail if a student wants to pay by check or money order. There are some other criteria too about which you can read on the College Board’s website. Standby registration and homeschooled registration are also available.

Students should ensure that they understand the registration policy carefully before registering for the SAT test. Students (and sometime parents) believe in the myth that the SAT is a complicated exam that asks for years of rigorous efforts. This is not the truth. The SAT is a fairly simple test that has been designed to challenge the student’s reasoning skills. SAT test preparation should not unnecessarily burden the student. With a SAT study plan that covers SAT practice tests and test-taking strategies, doing well on the SAT ceases to be a difficult affair.