Crack the SAT: 16 Expert Hacks to Ace the Test in 2024

The SAT is a momentous event in the lives of high schoolers as it plays a significant role in college admissions.

There is no failing SAT score — the lowest you can get is 400 out of 1600.

However, there are SAT scores that aren’t good enough for certain colleges and universities.

It goes without saying that a high SAT score can help you get into the selective institution of your liking.

Below, I will give you 16 SAT hacks to keep a bad SAT score at bay!

1. Take the PSAT

The PSAT stands for Preliminary SAT.

The College Board designed it with 11th graders or junior high school students in mind.

After all, it’s also known as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) — third-year high schoolers must take it to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship competition from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

Great news: you can take the PSAT in the 9th or 10th grade.

Sitting for the PSAT allows you to have an idea of what it’s like to take the real thing.

There are PSAT practice tests online, and taking them beforehand is one of the best PSAT hacks.

However, it’s worth noting that the PSAT costs $18.

2. Use Official Study Materials

You can come across an infinity of SAT study materials on the internet.

However, not all of them come from reputable sources.

Make sure to go for study materials you can count on, especially those from the College Board, the creator and administrator of the SAT — and the PSAT and AP program, too!

Unfortunately, not all good SAT study materials are free of charge.

You can expect to spend anywhere from $50 to — believe it or not — $2,000 on SAT prep courses.

3. Take SAT Practice Tests

After going through SAT study materials once, it’s time to take SAT practice tests.

It’s a good thing that the College Board offers them at no cost.

Here’s an SAT hack to keep in mind: SAT practice tests from recent years are not necessarily the best.

The SAT reuses questions, sometimes entire sections of a test.

As a matter of fact, the ACT does so, too!

Record your scores for your initial SAT practice tests and compare them with your subsequent ones — experts recommend taking two to three timed SAT practice tests to determine how much you know.

4. Spend Enough Time Studying Per Week

Most high school teens gearing for the SAT study 10 to 20 hours a week.

You may have to study more or afford to study less, depending on your SAT practice test scores.

Of course, you must spend more time studying areas where your practice test scores are bad.

Here’s an estimate of how much you need to study according to how much you want to increase your score:

SAT Point Increase	Weekly Study Time
0 to 30	10 hours
30 to 70	20 hours (1.67)
70 to 130	40 hours (3.33)
130 to 200	80 hours (6.67)
200+	150 hours+

5. Stick to Good Study Habits

Developing good study habits is beneficial for acing the SAT and succeeding in college academically.

Luckily, gearing up for the SAT is just like preparing for any high school exam.

Except that you have to start reviewing for the SAT months in advance!

Here are some SAT tricks and hacks for improving your study habits:

• Find a quiet and comfortable area in the home
• Minimize distractions
• Set a goal to accomplish per session
• Take breaks
• Reward yourself for a job well done
• Stick to a regular study schedule

Different high school teens have varying study habits that work best for them.

Therefore, it’s a must to determine what is effective for you by trying a few ideas and strategies.

6. Join a Study Group

Many high schools organize study groups when the SAT administration nears.

In some instances, students themselves organize them.

Either way, joining a study group may help you get good SAT scores because you can count on the participants to keep you motivated and provide you with effective study skills.

But it’s not always that being a part of a study group is the answer.

Close friends studying together could easily get distracted and start discussing things other than SAT-related ones.

Reviewing with those whose aptitude levels are substantially different from yours could also lead to a disaster.

7. Focus More on Your Weak Spots

Here’s one super effective tip on how to hack the SAT: determine what you don’t know.

Let me clarify this.

Taking SAT practice tests lets you familiarize yourself with their unique formatting, thus allowing you to alleviate your test anxiety and enable you to know how to use your time wisely.

In addition, it lets you determine your strengths and weaknesses based on the scores you get.

Spending more time studying subjects with bad scores makes perfect sense.

While you can spend less time on your strengths, brushing up on them while preparing for the SAT helps ensure they are permanently on your memory.

8. Avoid Pulling an All-Nighter the Day Before the SAT

Refrain from assuming that staying awake all night to review is one of the best SAT tips and tricks 2024 since it tends to work for your high school quizzes and major examinations.

Doing it will do you more harm than good!

As a matter of fact, you should also refrain from cramming during the 24 before sitting for the SAT because it will have very little to no effect on your scores.

High schoolers should review for the SAT months in advance — not hours before it.

The College Board recommends preparing two to three months for the SAT, which is why you should choose an SAT test date that gives you enough time to study to avoid cramming.

9. Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Instead of studying until the wee hours the night before the SAT, get enough Z’s.

Unfortunately, among the various SAT hacks in this post, this is one of the most challenging to accomplish.

Your SAT score can make or break your admission to a selective college, which can leave you tossing and turning in bed all night instead of being in dreamland to rejuvenate your brain cells.

No matter what happens, it’s a good idea to avoid popping a sleeping pill in your mouth.

Drowsiness and impaired concentration are common side effects, and experiencing this while taking the SAT could leave you revising your college list and filling it with nothing but test-optional schools.

Instead, here are some tips from a Mirror article the College Board once posted on its Twitter or X account:

• Create a worry list
• Hum
• Close and roll the eyes
• Tighten and relax muscle groups from foot to head
• Listen to guided meditation
• Drink cherry juice
• Take slow, deep breaths
• Use earplugs or noise-canceling headphones

10. Pack All Necessary Materials

It’s not just your knowledge-packed brain you should bring on the test date.

Bringing test-taking essentials is also a must!

Make sure that you have the following with you:

• SAT admission ticket
• Valid photo ID
• Approved calculator
• Two no. 2 pencils with erasers
• Wristwatch without an audible alarm
• Drink and snack

11. Eat Breakfast and Dress Comfortably

Avoid heading to your designated SAT testing center with an empty stomach.

Your mind and body need all the nutrients and energy they can get to stay alert and energetic for over three hours.

Add slow-release carbs such as oatmeal and wheat bread to your breakfast meal.

Remember to dress comfortably — go for loose, soft, and comfortable clothes.

12. Answer Easy Questions First

Does it seem like a question will take over 30 seconds to answer correctly?

Skip it.

Head to the next question and see if it’s something you can answer correctly without wasting a lot of time.

Keep doing this until you have answered all easy questions, and use the remaining time you have to answer those that you skipped — again, proceed with the next question if it’s taking you a long time to answer the current one.

13. Count on the Process of Elimination

What’s great about the SAT is there are multiple-choice questions.

So, in other words, the right answers are there — you just have to find them!

Sadly, in many instances, finding the right answer is easier said than done.

Among all SAT hacks 2024, here’s something you should never overlook: eliminate answers you believe are incorrect.

There are five answer options for every multiple-choice question on the SAT, and getting rid of one wrong answer increases your chances of getting it correctly from 20% to 25%.

And if you correctly eliminate three wrong answers, you have a 50/50 chance of answering it correctly!

14. Guess If Completely Clueless

Guess which of the SAT tips and tricks 2024 not too many test-takers would guess is effective?

Guessing!

The College Board does not penalize students for guessing on the SAT.

If you have no idea what the correct answer is, guessing can work to your advantage in a couple of ways:

• It gives you the chance to get the correct answer
• It allows you to use your limited time wisely

15. Write on the Test Booklet

Feel free to underline important words and sentences in your SAT booklet.

Don’t be too shy to write notes, calculations, and diagrams on it, too.

Writing on your test booklet isn’t only allowed — it’s also smart, especially when reading long passages and observing graphs and charts for the first time!

By using your SAT booklet as some sort of scratch paper, you can save time.

But remember that your answers should go to the answer sheet and not on your test booklet.

And this brings us to an important matter: keep your answer sheet neat and free of any unnecessary markings!

16. Stay Positive

Last but definitely not least among all effective SAT test hacks, remain optimistic.

There’s no need to worry that much if you know you did your best to prepare for the SAT.

Thinking that you might get a bad score and get rejected by your top-choice college or university will only make it harder for you to focus on reading passages and questions and picking the right answer.

Besides, a bad score wouldn’t be the end of your dream to have a bachelor’s degree.

Many institutions do not care about SAT scores, and you can make your application a standout with your personal statement, supplementary essays, extracurriculars, leadership skills, etc.

Read Also: Can You Pass the SAT Without Studying?