How to study for the SAT
A simple plan that beats cramming.
1. Start with a diagnostic
Before studying anything, find out where you actually stand. A short diagnostic shows which skills are weak so you don't waste hours reviewing what you already know.
2. Study a little, often
Studies of the "spacing effect" find that spreading the same total study time over several days generally produces better retention than one long session. Twenty focused minutes a day beats a four-hour Sunday marathon.
3. Review your mistakes — this is where points come from
Doing hundreds of new questions while never revisiting your errors is one of the easiest ways to waste study time. For every question you miss, read the explanation and make sure you understand why your answer was wrong, not just what the right one was. Then re-attempt that question type a few days later.
4. Build stamina with full practice tests
Take a timed full-length practice test every week or two. It builds endurance and reveals pacing problems that short practice sets never surface.
5. A sample weekly routine
- Mon–Fri: one short lesson + a 12-question set (about 20 minutes), plus 5 minutes reviewing past mistakes and a few vocabulary cards.
- Saturday: a longer session on your weakest skill.
- Every 1–2 weeks: a full timed practice test, then review every miss.