Taking the SAT is a critical stepping-stone on a student’s path toward college and career success. SAT School Day is an opportunity for all NYCDOE 11th grade students to take the SAT free of charge during a regular school day.
The citywide SAT School Day removes a number of barriers to SAT participation for students: individually registering for the test; requesting a fee waiver; traveling to an unfamiliar location; and having to take the test on a Saturday, when students and families may have other obligations. Incorporating the SAT as a school activity also promotes a strong college and career culture – students envisioning and thinking about college and career planning throughout their high school career.
5 Things Students and Families Can Do to Prepare for SAT School Day
- Create a College Board(Open external link) account and explore Big Future(Open external link) for college planning resources. Use the Make a Plan tool to get a step-by-step road map for applying to college.
- Create a Khan Academy(Open external link) account and link it to your College Board account (Open external link) to use your PSAT scores for personalized official SAT practice. Bluebook is the testing platform that students will use for the PSAT and SAT exams. Students can download the Bluebook app and take practice exams. Test during SAT School Day will be done on NYCPS managed devices.
- Students requiring testing accommodations should submit consent forms to school counselor well in advance of test day. New for the spring school day administration, students with approved extra time accommodation(s) do not have to wait until the extra time is over in order to move forward to the next section of the test. Learn more about accommodation details including universal tools available to all students here.
- Familiarize yourself with the Digital SAT Structure and download the Bluebook testing application to prepare for testing day.
- Learn how to understand your scores and determine the best-fit colleges to send your scores to using your 4 free score sends(Open external link) from SAT School Day. Students will be prompted to choose four institutions as part of their exam set-up. The 4 free score sends can be changed by the student up - to 3 days after the student has tested in Bluebook. Students will need their School Day sign-in ticket credentials to access Bluebook after their testing has been completed to change score send requests.
- All NYCPS students will receive their scores within 4 weeks post-administration. Schools should receive scores on a rolling basis and based on 2 weeks after their students’ test date. Students who choose to opt-in to the Big Future app will have access to their scores and other resources.
Tips for Students Taking the Exam
- Get a good night’s sleep and eat a healthy breakfast.
- Pack your backpack with a calculator, water and snacks the night before.
- Do not leave any answers blank, there are no penalties for wrong answers.
- Trust yourself and stay positive, you got this!