The SAT is a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States. It is administered by the College Board, a non-profit organization that provides a variety of educational services and resources to students, educators, and schools.

The SAT consists of three main sections: Critical Reading, Math, and Writing. The test is designed to measure critical thinking skills and the ability to apply knowledge, rather than factual knowledge itself.

The Critical Reading section consists of two 25-minute sections and one 20-minute section, which include sentence completions and short and long reading passages. The Math section consists of two 25-minute sections and one 20-minute section, which include multiple choice and student-produced response questions. The Writing section consists of one 25-minute section and one 10-minute section, which include multiple choice questions and an essay.

The SAT is offered several times a year at testing centers around the world. The test is usually taken by high school juniors and seniors, although some colleges may also require the SAT for transfer or graduate students.

Scores on the SAT range from 600 to 2400, with each section (Critical Reading, Math, and Writing) scored on a scale of 200 to 800. Many colleges use SAT scores as one factor in their admissions process, along with other factors such as high school grades, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation.

The COVID-19 pandemic’s postponement of SAT and ACT testing dates encouraged a movement among universities to reevaluate the significance of these exams in the admissions process. Student participation in the SAT and ACT is starting to increase, despite the fact that many schools are now test-optional.

The number of high school students in the class of 2022 who took the SAT at least once increased from 1.5 million to 1.7 million, according to the College Board. In addition, approximately 1.35 million students in the class of 2022 took the ACT, up about 55,000 from the year before, even if that number is still well below pre-pandemic levels.

The average composite ACT score for the class of 2022, which fell from 20.3 for the class of 2021 to 19.8 out of 36, was the lowest in 30 years. SAT scores also decreased. The average grade for the class of 2022 was 1050 out of 1600 as opposed to 1060 for the class of 2021.