SAT Syllabus

The SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) exam is held to select students from all over the world for admission to the most prestigious universities in the USA, UK, Canada, and other places. Almost 1.7 million candidates appear in the cutthroat competition.

The SAT exam is computer-based and assesses students’ abilities in Math and English. To ease the time pressure on students, the new version of this entrance, the Digital SAT 2024, has increased the timing by 43% per question. This will allow students to answer the problems accurately. The SAT exam pattern is short and has been changed.

The pattern is generally based on the Math and English syllabus students have covered in high school. Even though the syllabus is simple, candidates need to analyze each section and its question types to achieve a high score.

Highlights of SAT Exam 2024

SAT Syllabus

The SAT syllabus comprises basic language and quantitative syllabus of high school education level. The test syllabus is categorized into two sections:

• Critical Reading & Writing
• Mathematics

These sections collectively help evaluate the candidate’s overall aptitude and reasoning skills. Previously, the reading and writing sections in the entrance test were considered separate, but now they are included in one section. Apart from this, there is no specific syllabus for the paper. The candidate will find passages in the reading and writing section related to science subjects.

SAT Exam Syllabus 2024 Digital Reading and Writing Section

The reading and writing section tests students’ language abilities and writing skills. This section is for Evidence-based reading that consists of short reading passages between 25 to 250 words after which a single MCQ is asked. This section is divided into two modules, consisting of:

• 25 Operational Problems
• 2 Pre-Test Problems

Read the passage and answer the question by making an argument, telling a story, or explaining the study or an experiment.

This section is MCQ-based. Students have to read the passage, understand its outlook and meaning, and answer it accordingly. Collectively, both sections consist of 64 minutes of time duration, 32 minutes for each module, and 54 questions overall. The digital reading feature gives the students the advantage of switching between the questions back and forth within a single module.

Overview Of The SAT Syllabus: Reading and Writing Section

SAT Exam Pattern Reading Section

Through the writing section, students’ ability is assessed based on how well they interpret, synthesize, and use evidence for answering various problems related to Literature, History, Social Studies, Humanities, and Science. In addition to questions about the texts, the candidates need to interpret accompanying tables, charts, and graphs.

Here is the general breakdown of areas the reading section covers:

1. Craft & Structure (28%):  Candidates need to thoroughly go through the passage and carefully analyze the hidden meaning and agenda of the text to answer correctly. Students have to consistently practice and measure their performance while keeping time as the main measuring factor. This will improve their reading skills and performance.
2. Information & Ideas (26%): For information-based problems, the candidate needs to analyze the paragraph, extract information, interpret data and graphics, and evaluate arguments.
3. Standard English Conventions (26%): This segment evaluates the candidate’s proficiency in understanding the meaning of uncommon and rare words from passages. To crack these language-based questions, candidates need to learn the meaning of unfamiliar words from the context provided.

Detailed Breakdown of Writing Section

To ace the writing section, candidates need to focus on the following areas:

1. Command of Evidence
2. Words in Context
3. Expression of Ideas
4. Standard English Conventions

The writing-based queries are designed to evaluate the candidate’s knowledge of grammar and punctuation and effective use of the English language.

While grasping the fundamental rules and concepts of basic grammar should be enough for qualifying this section, some concepts and rules hold the most significance:

1. Subject-Verb Agreement
2. Application of Pronouns
3. Parallelism and Modifiers
4. Punctuation
5. Linking of Phrases and Clauses

SAT Syllabus: Math Section

This unit assesses candidates’ problem-solving skills and their ability to quickly understand and solve issues. It includes two timed modules:

• First Module: 20 Operational Questions + 2 Pretest Questions
• Second Module: 20 Operational Questions + 2 Pretest Questions

The total time provided to complete this section is 70 minutes in which students need to complete 44 questions. The candidates are allowed to shuffle between the questions in the modules.

Most of the questions in the Math Unit can be covered by studying and understanding the concepts of 6th to 10th-grade Mathematics. Basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, statistics, and basic trigonometry are mandatory to clear the exam. Candidates need to study Quadratic functions, Exponential functions, geometric functions, and Trigonometric concepts to ace the Advanced Math part.

Candidates need to thoroughly analyze each question before answering it. They must understand the hidden concept behind the question and use it to crack the answer without being pressured by the limited time. Therefore, careful reading and a proper approach can help you through the question.

Some questions’ language might be complicated and twisted to increase the difficulty level to probe students’ attention spans. Conversely, some MCQ options may be placed confusingly on purpose. Being attentive during the Math queries is necessary, or you might make a silly calculation mistake.

Quick Overview of the SAT Math Syllabus

SAT Exam Pattern Mathematics Section

The following table provides an estimated weightage of each concept based on the recent exam trends over the past years. However, remember that the weightage is based on an analysis of the exam pattern so far and is liable to change.

SAT Exam Fees

The Scholastic Assessment Test is among India’s most expensive university exams, particularly due to the inclusion of non-US regional fees. Here is the complete breakdown of the registration fee:

Bottom Line

While the syllabus for the SAT exam is not well defined by the College Board for International Candidates, you can ace the exam by sticking to the high school-level concepts of the English language and Mathematics. By knowing the exam pattern and weightage of the type of questions, not only can you ace the exam but also land the University of your choice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the SAT syllabus for 2024?

The SAT syllabus is divided into Reading, Writing, and Mathematics sections, for which the candidates need to acquire knowledge of these subjects at the high school level.

Is the SAT exam very difficult?

Surprisingly, the paper isn’t as difficult as you might think, by familiarizing yourself with the basic concepts of language and mathematics and working on your time management skills, you can successfully crack the test.

Is the SAT exam harder than the JEE?

No, it is much easier than JEE since its syllabus does not include technically inclined questions like JEE.

Does IIT accept SAT exam scores?

No, IIT does not accept SAT scores since the test is specifically curated for admissions to foreign universities in the US, Canada, and a few other countries.

What is the SAT score for Harvard University?

While the cut-off for Harvard University changes each year, you need to score between 730-780 in the Reading & Writing section and the range of 760-800 in Mathematics for your chances of admission.