Time pressure can bring out your worst instincts as an SAT test-taker. After all, how often on a high school English or Math test do you have one minute or less to answer a question?
Learn how to budget your time on each section of the SAT, and get the pacing tips you need for the score of your dreams.
How Long Does the SAT Take?
The SAT clocks in at 134 minutes (144 minutes with breaks).
SAT Test Length by Section
How will you spend that time on the test?
| Section | Time | Number of Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 64 min | 54 |
| Math | 70 min | 44 |
| TOTAL | 134 min | 98 |
Tips for SAT Pacing
As your SAT date approaches, make sure that you stay in a positive frame of mind and focus on the pacing steps you can take to help improve your score.
1. Slow Down, Score More
You’re not scored on how many questions you do. You’re scored on how many questions you answer correctly. Doing fewer questions can mean more correct answers overall! Unless you're currently scoring in the 700+ range, you shouldn't be working all of the questions.
2. Mimic the Real Thing
When you take practice tests, time yourself exactly as you will be timed on the real SAT. Develop a sense of how long 35 minutes is, for example, and how much time you can afford to spend on cracking difficult problems. If you know ahead of time what to expect, you won’t be as nervous.
3. Don’t Get Bogged Down on the Tough Questions
The beauty of the digital SAT is that you can answer questions in any order you like, and the question that takes you 25 seconds is worth just as much as one that takes you 4 or 5 minutes. On your first pass, skip early and skip often, answering the questions that seem easy to you. Then, go back through the test and focus on any other questions you can solve. Stop the part of your brain that says, “But I’ve already spent so much time working on this question . . . I know I can finish it!” and just guess and move on. Learn more SAT tips for completing questions out of order.
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