SAT exam syllabus includes courses the students have already studied in their school over the years. So if you are good at studies in school, you shouldn’t face any issues preparing for the SAT Syllabus. There are two types of SAT Exams: SAT General Test and SAT Subject Test.
SAT General Test
SAT General Test is more common between the two SAT tests and is generally used by undergraduate colleges for admissions. The Scholastic Assessment Test assesses the written, verbal and mathematical skills of the candidates.
SAT Subject Test (not valid anymore)
There are 20 SAT Subject Tests which are divided into 5 subject areas. These subjects are further categorized into smaller topics. The various SAT Subjects include:
- Mathematics
- Science
- English
- History and
- Languages
SAT Exam Pattern 2022
SAT Subject | SAT Syllabus | SAT Test Pattern |
|---|---|---|
Math 58 questions | This section includes questions on problem-solving, data analysis, algebra, and advanced math. | Duration: 80 minutes Score: 200-800 |
Reading 52 questions | This section includes questions on Sentence Completion, Tests understanding of passages from the US and world Literature, History/Social Studies, and Sciences. | Duration: 65 minutes Score Range: 200-800 (combined with Writing Section) |
Writing and Language 44 questions | This section includes questions on, expression of ideas and standard English conventions through passages related to Careers, History/Social Studies, Humanities, and Sciences. | Duration: 35 minutes Score Range: 200-800 (combined with Reading Section) |
Essay (optional) One optional essay | This section requires students to evaluate an argument through the analysis of evidence. | Duration: 50 minutes not scored |
Total 154 questions | n/a | Duration: 3 hours (with optional 50 minutes) Score: 1600 |
SAT Exam Syllabus 2022
SAT Syllabus includes courses that students have already covered in their school curriculum over the years. Syllabus for SAT exam includes:
- Reading section
- Writing
- Mathematics
SAT Reading
SAT Reading section is a part of the evidence-based Reading and Writing part of the SAT. It has a total of 5 passages each having 10-11 questions and there will be a total of 52 questions in the section. Each question has four answer choices. The reading comprehension part is designed to evaluate candidates’ ability to understand the meaning of different contexts and their associated terms with meaning and to comprehend written text.
- SAT contains three critical reading sections
- Reading comprehension – 25 mins
- Sentence completions – 25 mins
- Paragraph-length critical reading – 20 mins
The five passages of the Reading test include one pair of passages that you need to read together and four standalone passages. Each passage is 500-750 words long. The passages are taken from the following types of documents.
- 1 passage from a work of sociology, social science, psychology, or economics
- 2 passages from scientific works in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, or Earth Science
- 1 literary passage from a work of fiction
- 1 or 2 passages from a US constitution and founding of the US
Types of questions in the Reading test
- How the author uses evidence
In a few questions, you have to show that you understand how the author is using evidence to support a claim. Here, you might need to
- Find evidence in a passage that best supports the answer to a previous question
- Identify the part from the passage that supports the author’s point
- Find a relationship between an informational graphic and the passaged it is paired with
- Words in Context
In some of the questions in the Reading test, you need to identify the meaning of the word in context. Here, the focus is on advanced vocabulary
- Analysis in Science and Social Studies/History
The Reading test comprises passages in the fields of science, social studies, and history. Here, you might see questions that ask you to
- Interpret data
- Consider implications
- Examine hypotheses
SAT Writing
The Writing test is a multiple-choice test where you read passages and need to find and fix mistakes. The 35 minutes test comprises 4 passages and 44 multiple-choice questions. Each passage can be 400-450 words and has 11 multiple-choice questions. This section is designed to assess the candidate’s understanding of grammar and vocabulary.
- SAT writing has three sections
- Essay section – 25 mins
- Multiple choice sections – 25 mins and 10 mins
- SAT contains three Math sections
- Algebra and functions – 25 mins
- Geometry Statistics – 20 mins
- Probability and Data analysis – 20 mins
Writing and Language passages can be taken from
- History/Social Studies
- Humanities
- Careers
- Science
Types of questions in the Writing test
The questions will be related to the passages.
- Expression of ideas that includes 24 questions usually six questions for every passage which can be further divided into three kinds.
- Organization questions that focuses on placement of information of ideas and logical sequence
- Development questions that are related to main ideas, supporting details and quantitative information in graphs, charts and tables
- Effective language use questions where you need to consider style and tone, improve precision and eliminate wordiness
SAT Math Syllabus
The Math test of the SAT has two parts, Math test-Calculator and Math Test-No calculator. Math Test-Calculator has 38 questions with time limit of 55 minutes and Math Test No-Calculator has 20 questions with the time limit of 25 minutes.
- SAT contains three Math sections
- Algebra and functions – 25 mins
- Geometry Statistics – 20 mins
- Probability and Data analysis – 20 mins
The Math Test focuses on different areas of math
- Heart of Algebra focuses on linear equations and systems
- Problem solving and data analysis on quantitative data
- Passport to advance Math focuses on the manipulation of complex equations
The Math test also includes trigonometry and geometry and most of the questions are multiple-choice questions, however, test takers need to solve the problem in almost 22 percent of the questions. The Math section is scored on a scale of 200-800.
Math Calculator test | |
|---|---|
Time allotted | 25 min |
Total no. of questions | 20 |
Multiple-choice questions | 15 |
Grid-in questions | 5 |
Math No-Calculator test | |
|---|---|
Time allotted | 55 min |
Total no. of questions | 38 |
Multiple-choice questions | 30 |
Grid-in questions | 8 |
Types of questions in the Math test
The Math test is divided broadly into four categories.
Categories | Number of questions |
|---|---|
Heart of Algebra | 19 |
Problem Solving and Data Analysis | 17 |
Passport to Advanced Math | 16 |
Additional Topics in Math | 6 |
Difference between SAT Mathematics Level 1 and Level 2
Aspirants who are confused between the two must go for the one in which they can score more. Those aspirants who are good in trigonometry or elementary functions (precalculus) or both should go for SAT 2 Math whereas those who want to score high points and are not so familiar with topics covered in level 2 should opt for SAT 1 Math. It is important to factor in the requirement of the candidates’ University and Programme of choice.
SAT Essay (Optional)
This is an optional section of the SAT. Many universities require candidates to submit SAT Essay score for admission. SAT Essay evaluates a candidate’s reading, writing and analysis skills. Here, you have to go through a passage roughly 650-750 words long. In 50 minutes, you have to write an analysis about how the author builds his argument. Here, you need to analyse the author’s text and identify the evidence that the author used to support his argument. You need not give your opinion.
Although SAT Essay is optional most of the colleges prefer candidates to submit their SAT Essay scores along with their application. So, until and unless you have a very strong reason to miss this section, do not miss this section and go for the SAT Essay section.
SAT essay assesses candidates’ reading, writing, and analysis skills. The time allotted for completing this task is 50 minutes. Candidates have to read a 650-750 word long passage and then write an analysis about how the author has built the argument. Candidates should refrain from giving their opinion.