Most colleges and universities draw on standardized aptitude test scores, like the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), to establish at least part of their admissions criteria. Published and administered by the College Board, the SAT tests high school students on basic knowledge areas. The test itself contains sections designed to discover students' reading comprehension, writing skills and
. mathematics knowledge.The reading section, composed of several passages, focuses on the student's ability to understand written language and make inferences based on comprehension. Types of questions include general comprehension queries and sentence completions. The passages vary in length. To practice this section of the SAT, download sample tests at http://www.majortests.com/sat/critical-reading.php.The writing portion of the SAT includes an essay-writing task and several questions aimed to grasp students' capacity to recognize correct grammar and usage. Students have 25 minutes to write an essay, followed by two sections of grammar exams. Practice is critical to success for this portion of the SAT. The sample tests at http://www.majortests.com/sat/writing-skills.php give students an opportunity to be prepared for these tasks.The math portion contains word problems along with algebra, geometry, statistics and probability questions. Calculators may be used during the math sections of the test. Although this portion is composed of mostly multiple choice questions, some problems, called grid-ins, require the student to solve a problem and supply the answer. Find practice tests for each of these question types at http://www.majortests.com/sat/math-skills.php.Many students enroll in SAT preparation courses to increase readiness for taking the SAT. The College Board, however, recommends that students apply themselves at school and practice verbal and math skills outside the classroom setting to achieve success on the SAT. On its website, the College Board provides several free tools, including a printable practice test, located at http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/sat-practice-test. Smartteaching.org provides a comprehensive list of online resources for SAT preparation located at http://www.smartteaching.org/blog/2008/09/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-sat-100-helpful-sites-and-resources/.More reference links: http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/sat-practice-test http://www.smartteaching.org/blog/2008/09/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-sat-100-helpful-sites-and-resources/
