A Study Guide: How To Prepare For The SAT In One Month

SAT prep is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s important to start studying as soon as possible. However, whether you forgot you had the exam, didn’t have time to study, or signed up late, you can still get ready for the exam in a month. You’re going to have to put a little more work in, though, if you want to have the highest score possible. Here is a timeline you can follow over the next few weeks to study for the SAT in just a month.

How To Study for the SAT in One Month

To study for the SAT, here are our recommendations on what you should tackle when.

Getting Ready

Write these steps into your planner so you can stay on track for success and better manage your to-do list.

During each week of this one month study plan, you’ll want to take an SAT practice test, review the results, and study. Make sure you take time off, too. Weeks 1, 2, and 3 with one break day might look like this:

Plan to study for at least two hours each “study” day. You’ll need 2 hours and 14 minutes for the practice test, with a 10-minute break between the Reading and Writing section and the Math section.

Don’t skip break days, even if you feel the pressure of a tight timeline. Studying seven days a week for a month is a good way to burn yourself out on the material.

Keep in mind that our study timeline is a recommendation – you can absolutely adjust as you need to fit your own schedule. If you need a second break day, make sure you take it to avoid burnout. Or you may want to study three hours on one day and one hour the next. You can always switch it up each week, too.

Set a Goal

Setting a goal helps you stay motivated and challenged. Make your SAT score goal S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). Aiming for a perfect SAT score is great, but is it achievable? Even just “higher than last time” fits the criteria!

However, many colleges are looking for specific SAT (or ACT) scores from their applicants. To create your goal, check out these ranges. You can find them easily using College Match!

Week 1

During your first week of SAT prep, follow these guidelines:

• Take a practice test. The best way to familiarize yourself with the SAT is to understand what you’re being tested on, so at the start of your prep, you’ll want to take a practice test for the first time. Sit for it as if you’re taking the real SAT. Remove distractions, silence your phone, take scheduled breaks, and don’t flip between the sections.
• Review your results. Taking practice exams over and over won’t help you understand the “why” behind wrong answers. Score your practice SAT, note what questions you got wrong, and find out why you were incorrect. You’ll want to identify your strengths and weaknesses. You might struggle with answering all the questions within the allotted time, specific types of questions within a section, or an entire section.
• Study your weaker areas. You’ll want to study your weaker areas more than your stronger ones. For example, if you have trouble with trigonometry, devote extra time to practicing these types of questions. Read foundational concepts, complete individual practice questions, and check your answers, reviewing why your selection is right or wrong.
• Study your stronger areas. You shouldn’t completely ignore the sections you did well on. However, they won’t need as much attention as your weaker areas. Devote some study time to the questions you got wrong in these portions of the SAT.
• Learn about time management. If time management is a concern, read up on the best tactics to speed up your response time and get the highest score possible with test-taking strategies specific to the SAT.

Week 2

Week 2 looks similar to week 1, but you’re fine-tuning your approach.

• Take a practice test. As with week 1, you’ll want to start week 2 with a practice test, applying what you learned.
• Review your results. Score your practice test as you did in the previous week. Compare the results of each. Did you improve in any areas? Did you do worse in others?
• With your new results in mind, devote study time to your weaknesses, strengths, and time management skills.

If you met your original SAT goal, set a higher one.

Week 3

Week 3 should follow the same timeline as week 2. If you’re doing well in the sections themselves but having trouble taking the SAT within the time limits, take two practice exams this week instead of just one. Becoming more familiar with the format and types of questions you’ll see can help you speed up your reading and response time.

Week 4

During week 4, you’re going to want to follow a slightly different schedule. If your SAT test date is on Saturday, this is what your last week of SAT prep might look like:

You can’t cram for the SAT – it’s not that type of test. Taking at least one full break day just before your test day will help you relax and refresh your mind. One extra day of studying is not going to make or break you. It’s better to walk into the test day fresh.

On the day prior to your SAT, make sure you gather everything you need, including your approved device, scrap paper, admissions ticket, photo ID, and snacks, among other items. You don’t want to be searching for them minutes before you have to leave for your test time. Set aside comfortable clothes and go to bed at your normal time.

The morning of the exam, eat a good breakfast – an empty and growling stomach would certainly be distracting! Arrive early to the SAT testing center. Turn off your phone, smart watches, and alarms. Then… ace the test!

Consider Retaking the SAT

It’s generally recommended that you start studying for the SAT two or three months before your scheduled test date. If you only had a month to prepare, you likely didn’t score as well as you would have with extra time.

Most high school seniors can take the SAT in December and have time to get the results to their colleges before application deadlines. Students applying to colleges with later deadlines or rolling admission might even be able to take the SAT between January and June. Always check your schools’ application deadlines before registering for the exam.

If your one-month-prep SAT was earlier in the academic year, you should have plenty of time to retake the test. With more practice under your belt, including the real deal, you stand to score even higher.

SAT Prep Tips

Try out these tips to make SAT studying even easier:

• Use study materials. There are plenty of SAT study materials, online and off – and some are free. You can find official practice material through the College Board, buy practice test books, download flash card and SAT prep apps, take an online SAT course, watch YouTube videos, and more.
• Study in your free time. Not all of your SAT studying has to be done during your allotted study times. If you have a few minutes on the bus or before bed, tackle a single practice question. You can even make it a part of your morning or evening routine. Fit studying in where you can.
• Ask for help. High schools often have after-school study groups for SAT and ACT prep. You can also find a study buddy that helps keep you accountable. You may want to hire a tutor, but they can be expensive for some.

While preparing for the SAT in a month or less isn’t ideal, it can be done! It’s all about setting and sticking to a schedule over the next few weeks. Create goals for yourself to keep up motivation, and make sure to reward yourself after the SAT for a job well done!

Want to learn more about what schools are looking for in students? Discover your acceptance chances to thousands of schools with College Match.