As the most commonly taken standardized test for college admissions in the US, the SAT requires extensive preparation to do well. UHS students often spend months practicing for the two main sections: reading and writing, and math. Students who have already studied for the SAT have described strategies for both sections and study habits, showing how a combination of methods can lead to strong results.
Reading and Writing
Time management is critical in the reading and writing section, leading some students, like junior Marcus Cheung, to come up with strategies to quickly answer each question.
“I read the question first, then skim the passage to look for the answer,” Cheung said.
Cheung explained that this method avoids having to read the entire passage in detail. By identifying the question first, students know exactly what to search for, keeping the process efficient and direct.
Similarly, junior Alan Yang also uses a targeted approach to navigate the section.
“I tackle the easy questions first, then the hard ones,” Yang said. “And if I’m unsure [on a question], I try process of elimination and scan for vocab words.”
This strategy ensures that easier questions are completed quickly, leaving more time for the harder ones. The process of elimination not only increases the chance of finding the correct answer but also helps reduce stress by narrowing choices.
However, senior Mark Menaker prefers a more traditional method of understanding the passage.
“I would read over the passage pretty slowly and go to the first question,” Menaker said. “Normally, the first question will say why the author says this. I want to know what the passage is about, like a low-res[olution] image of what’s happening before I zoom.”
Menaker’s approach shows the value of building an overall picture of the text before answering specific questions. This allows for stronger comprehension and helps with answering inference-based questions more effectively.
Math
Students have also developed clear approaches for the math section of the SAT.
“I study alone for math, but I also work with a tutor and use resources like Quizlet, Bluebook, past SATs, and Desmos,” Cheung said.
For Cheung, the combination of multiple resources helps build confidence. Using Desmos also helps students become comfortable with calculator functions, a critical tool during the exam. These tools can help with the challenging problems in the section, which can surprise students when they see many easy problems in a row.
“The math [can be] much easier for [many of] the questions, but there are one or two that are really hard,” Yang said.
Because they form the majority of the section, consistent performance on easier questions is most important. Thus, students should aim for accuracy across the majority of the section and approach the hardest questions with elimination or guesswork to save time.
Study Habits
Good study routines and motivation play a large role in SAT preparation.
“I started studying two months before the test, usually about two hours per week,” Cheung said.
This steady schedule shows how short, consistent sessions can build skills over time, avoid cramming and help students remember information better. Furthermore, students can study in a variety of environments, such as study groups.
“I stay consistent because of competition with friends and have my parents check in with me,” Yang said.
Other students, however, built consistency through repeated practice tests.
“I took a full-length test once a week and a practice test every other day,” Menaker said.
This approach builds endurance and comfort with the test format. By practicing under timed conditions, students can improve pacing and reduce stress on test day.
To prepare effectively for the SAT, students must use a mix of strategies based on their individual skills. Some strategies focus on efficiency and consistency, others on elimination and accountability and still others on comprehension and repeated practice. Taken together, these approaches show that strong SAT performance comes from balancing strategies across reading, math and study habits.
