The SAT predicts how students will perform as college freshmen.

This test is globally recognized and is one of the most important factors considered during college admissions. SAT scores are usually considered in conjunction with students’ high school grades and, to a lesser extent, personal recommendations and extracurricular activities.

The SAT has undergone many changes since it was first developed at the beginning of the twentieth century. The current test is officially known as the SAT Reasoning Test, recently updated from the Scholastic Assessment Test and, previously, the Scholastic Aptitude Test. In its current incarnation, the SAT takes up to three hours and forty-five minutes, excluding breaks.

The test was restructured in 2005 and the scoring scale now extends up to a possible total of 2400 marks (previously, the highest possible SAT score was 1600). The SAT aims to test what students have learned in the classroom, and includes reading, writing, and mathematics sections. To make sure you score as well as possible on your exam, it is a smart idea to be familiar with the SAT structure and how your test is scored.