The test, in one page
Two sections, four modules, 2h14m, 400–1600. Everything structural, in one place.
2 min read
The whole shape of the digital SAT, so you never have to look it up again.
| Reading and Writing | Math | |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 54 | 44 |
| Time | 64 min | 70 min |
| Modules | 2 × 27 questions, 32 min each | 2 × 22 questions, 35 min each |
| Per question | ~71 seconds | ~95 seconds |
| Score | 200–800 | 200–800 |
Total testing time is 2 hours 14 minutes, with a 10-minute break between the two sections. Reading and Writing comes first. It's taken in Bluebook, College Board's own app, on a laptop or tablet.
Section-adaptive
Each section is two modules, and the second module's difficulty depends on how you did on the first. Module 1 is a broad mix of easy, medium, and hard. Do well and Module 2 is the harder form; do poorly and it's the easier one.
This matters more than any other structural fact about the test, because the two forms don't lead to the same place. The harder Module 2 is what opens the top of the scale. Widely-circulated tutor estimates put the easier form's ceiling somewhere around the low 600s for that section — College Board doesn't publish the routing table, so treat the exact number as folklore, but the direction is not in doubt: Module 1 decides the range you're competing in, and Module 2 decides where in that range you land.
The practical consequence is in Two modules, one gate.
What's in each section
Reading and Writing — one short passage per question (25–150 words), each with a single question attached. Four domains, and the questions are grouped by domain:
- Craft and Structure — about 28%
- Information and Ideas — about 26%
- Standard English Conventions — about 26%
- Expression of Ideas — about 20%
Math — roughly 75% multiple choice, 25% student-produced response (you type the answer). Four domains:
- Algebra — about 35%
- Advanced Math — about 35%
- Problem-Solving and Data Analysis — about 15%
- Geometry and Trigonometry — about 15%
The Desmos graphing calculator is built into Bluebook and allowed on every math question. A reference sheet of formulas sits one click away, all the time.
Things that are true and worth knowing
- No penalty for a wrong answer. Never leave a question blank. Not one.
- You can move freely within a module — flag, skip, come back. You cannot go back to a module you've finished.
- A countdown clock runs in the corner and can be hidden. Hide it until the last five minutes if it makes you rush.
- Annotation is built in: you can highlight passage text and leave a note.