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“How To Score 1450+ On The SAT Even Without Studying”
Disclaimer (Please Read)
As of the time that I’m currently writing this, there are only weeks left before testing commences. Achieving such a high (relative to many) in such little time is a very difficult feat to accomplish. It will likely be impossible for the majority.
Entering into such an exam without any preparation (or even very little of it), and expecting a good score is unreasonable. You will have to prepare, and dedicate as many hours as there are available in order to make it possible. Unless the last score that you’ve received on a practice test was similar, only then might you be fine.
Otherwise, this recommendation is only for the ones willing to take this very seriously.
Introduction
The SAT is arguably the most important test that you will ever take in your life. For many, it’s the test that will determine whether or not they end up with the job they love, or the job they hate. For others, it’s just a test, but it still matters. These people, and just like everyone else, it impacts the school they get into, and whether or not they seem like a suitable and worthy candidate for applying.
Yet, there are a small handful that could care less. Nonetheless, they still want a good future, and see the SAT as nothing but an academic measurement of how school measures and sees them, not what their value is in the actual job market.
It’s really a mess when you think about it. People think this, others don’t think at all, and a majority (unfortunately) only begin to think when the clock reaches the time of inevitability – test day.
Don’t worry if that reminds you of yourself. I was just like that too. In this post, I’ll share with you what I would do if I was in the same position again, and how I would optimize every minute towards getting a higher score.
It’s Not Too Late
Too many people think pessimistically. They think, “oh, there’s no way I can get a good score now.”
After all, who in the world, with just a few weeks of studying, is going to be able to get such a high score in such a short amount of time?
Let me tell you something: if you took a look at other countries, and saw their exams, you might think differently. Countries like China, Germany, or India, along with a bunch of others, would be so grateful to take the test that you’re about to take. The SAT covers lots of math concepts, and when you think about it, everything you’ve learned in the last 5 entire years of your life. Yet, it’s not actually as hard as you feel it might be.
Literally speaking, the SAT could cover branches of Calculus and Advanced Trigonometry, but it doesn’t; it completely skips it.
I recommend that you, right now, research what their exams look like. In the next few short sections, I’ll cover what a few of these exams look like, and why, if you were in there shoes, you would have every reason to be scared.
The Gaokao (高考)
The Gaokao is China’s national college entrance exam, and is a high-stakes standardized test that serves as the primary piece of criteria for admission into Chinese universities.
It usually takes place, every year, from June 7-9, lasting 2-4 days depending on the subjects tested. The exam generally covers Chinese literature, math, and a foreign language (usually ends up being English). Some provinces (you might also recognize them as “departments”) may include additional subjects like physics, chemistry, biology, geography, history, and politics.
Most students that take the test are between 17 and 19 years old, with no strict age limit. Candidates must have a high school diploma or something equivalent to take the exam.
Why It Matters
Just like the SAT, but also not, the students that take this exam will ultimately be confronted with either of two realities: poverty or enthusiasm
The gaokao is usually described as a “single log bridge” that millions of students must cross, emphasizing its ultimate role in determining a student’s academic and work market career. Students that take this exam end up spending their entire final year of high school preparing for the exam. The exam is so important that flights are redirected and police roadblocks are set up just to minimize distractions.
Unlike the SAT, this exam has far higher stakes. How you do on this exam legitimately determines how you will do for the rest of your life in China. Unless you move to another residence outside of the country, there is no reversing the effect of receiving a bad score. In that situation, there is nothing you can do. Although the SAT and ACT is also high-stakes, it doesn’t determine the job you will get in the US, or even in other countries. Don’t get me wrong, it will almost definitely impact the perspective in which schools see you; however, you get the point.
IIT-JEE
The IIT-JEE, also known as the JEE, or the Joint Entrance Exam, is a very highly competitive national-level entrance exam in India for admission to undergraduate engineering programs, typically into prestigious technology institutes (or IITs; Indian Institutes of Technology).
What makes the exam especially hard is its acceptance rate (to IITs, not to pass the exam), being at an extreme low of 0.5%. In 2025, just this year (at the time of which this post is being written), for JEE-Advanced exam, only 180,200 out of the millions of potential students took the exam, with 48,248 students qualifying. For the JEE-Main exam, a common 1-1.2 million students take it every year. The low acceptance rate to IITs is as a result of the exam’s complex nature, high competition, limited attempts, and prestige.
This exam is one of the hardest in the world, with students usually spending years in preparation for the exam.
Compared to the Gaokao
Compared to the gaokao, the IIT-JEE is recognized as the less challenging exam (not saying it’s not difficult), with the gaokao requiring more intense memorization, endurance, and in-depth knowledge across multiple subjects.
The acceptance rate to top universities through the JEE is around 1%, while the Gaokao being around 0.1%. Additionally, it’s worth noting that the JEE lasts around 3 hours, and focuses primarily on STEM; while the Gaokao tests on a more general range of subjects, spanning Chinese, a foreign language, and optional Science or Arts subjects.
CSAT
South Korea’s CSAT, or College Scholastic Ability Test, or the Suneung, is considered as one of the hardest high school exit exams in the world. It consists of six sections, with them covering Korean, Math, English, Korean history, and optional subjects in Social science, Natural science, and vocational education.
Just like the Gaokao and JEE, students typically spend years preparing for the exam.
Why Any Of This Matters
You might look at the SAT, and the amount of time you have, and think: “there’s no way I can study for this in time!”
Well, I’m here to tell you one thing in particular: sure, it probably wasn’t the best of ideas to leave studying for the last moment, but here you are regardless. It wasn’t a good idea, yet you’re here anyways. Your best option is to just study with the time you have left – making the most of it as much as you can. It matters how you move forwards, not what you did before.
Look at the exams we talked about previously. There were so many that we didn’t cover, yet all of these exams have one thing in common: they are ridiculously difficult. Compared to the SAT, they look like towering volcanos ready to erupt at any minute, if you make the wrong move and disturb it.
I’m not saying that this should influence you to look at the SAT, and think that no studying is necessary. No, no, absolutely not. Rather, I’m saying that when you look at the SAT, don’t feel like studying and getting a good score as late as it is is impossible. It’s not. You need to reframe your mind to understand that.
My Full Plan
Step #1: Where Are You Now?
Take a starting practice test. Make sure to take a full-length practice SAT; this way, you assess your current level and to identify what you’re strong at, and what you’re weak at. If you’re generally the same on everything, don’t worry, we’ll combat that too.
You can go on the official CollegeBoard website, and look for a practice test, or use the Bluebook application (software; requires downloading), and take one from their via your school administered account. If that doesn’t work, or you prefer not to follow that method, KhanAcademy also offers free practice tests through their official resources.
From here, take note of your current progress. I recommend you create a small spreadsheet documenting your records across everything. Remember that there are four different sections:
- Math (no calculator)
- Math (with calculator)
- Reading
- Writing & Language
Per section, record what type of question it is. This means:
- passage type for reading
- grammar rule for writing
- algebra/geometry/trigonometry for math
Next, note why you missed that hint:
- careless error
- time pressure
- concept gap
- misunderstood question
Step 2: Where Will You Go?
With the limited amount of time you have, every hour counts. I know I said “every minute” earlier, but now that I think about, I don’t think US high school students are at the level yet where they need to value every minute. Back to the point: to accomplish this, we’re gonna need to make sure that we adapt our schedule (yes, we’re doing that) to our needs.
You can create a basic schedule like this:
| Day | Focus |
| Monday-Friday | Weaknesses only |
| Saturday & Sunday | Strengths & Practice Assessments (again) |
If you had lots of time on your hands, this schedule might work perfectly fine. Crazy enough, it might actually being overdoing what you need in order to achieve a high score. If anything, only a monthly test would be necessary (or two per month).
But, you don’t have lots of time, and therefore, we need to create a schedule that’s efficient, effective, and relatively simple. Easy, right?
Before we create a full-on schedule however, we need to break down how you might optimally spend your day completely, from start to finish, optimizing for effectiveness. (schedules found far below)
Weekly Framework
- Monday-Friday: 1-3 hours of everyday practice, spread across your weak areas ONLY
- Saturday(s): Full-length practice test
- Sunday(s): Go over the full practice test from yesterday. Do targeted drills on what you did poorly (or could’ve done better at), and then re-study concepts that you’re strong at. Feel free to give yourself mental rest if ultimately needed, however, you might not want to take breaks this far in.
Daily Breakdown (Sample)
If you wanted a schedule that was short, quick, and probably the easiest thing that there is to follow, you might want to try out the schedule that follows:
- Reading (30-45 minutes):
- Timed passage practice (1-2 passages)
- Active reading strategies (annotating main idea, tone, author’s purpose, you get it)
- Review missed questions in-depth
- Writing & Language (30 minutes):
- Practice common grammar rules (subject-verb agreement, pronoun usage, punctuation)
- Practice 1 writing passage with time constraints (9-10 minutes)
- Keep a “grammar log” of key rules that you missed
- Math (60-90 minutes):
- Start with the mini-concepts that you’re weakest at. Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry are individually their own self-beasts, yet, there are smaller concepts (that, relative to math, are still large) within those subjects that might be difficult to understand.
- For example, a general difficult might be word problems for you. Another might be piecewise functions, or potentially even law of sines. Target what you’re weak at, or simply have forgotten.
- Practice a set of targeted problems.
- Review mistakes thoroughly.
- End with 1 timed section (calc/no calc) if possible.
- Start with the mini-concepts that you’re weakest at. Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry are individually their own self-beasts, yet, there are smaller concepts (that, relative to math, are still large) within those subjects that might be difficult to understand.
- Optional: Strategy + Vocabulary (15 minutes+)
- If you have extra time on your hands, you might want to spend that time reviewing test-taking strategies, or learning 5-10 new high-frequency SAT words everyday.
Step #3: High-Yield Strategies Per Section
Reading:
- Actively Read. This means quickly skimming the passage for the main idea and structure. Take brief notes on the passage’s main argument or narrative arc. For example, if something is talking about the effects of pollution, or a study done on middle-aged adults and how frequently they spend time with family, note that, and even personal outside things you might remember in the real-world. Use your brain, and actively think about what you’re reading. Read with purpose.
- Eliminate obvious choices.
- Aim to spend 1 minute per question, plus 3-4 minutes per passage. Remember that you should only be skimming every passage. You’re being tested on how effectively you can retain information, and how quickly.
Writing & Language
- Familiarize yourself with the common rules. This includes subject-verb agreement, pronoun clarity, punctuation (commas, semicolons, colons), parallel structure, verb tenses, and sentence boundaries (run-ons, fragments).
- Maximize upon context provided. Some questions ask about the fitting of a word in a sentence, so be able to read the sentence before and after to ensure a coherent understanding.
- When in doubt, read the sentence in your head, or very faintly whisper it.
Math:
- Focus on the core topics. This includes Algebra (linear equations, systems), problem-solving and data analysis (ratios, percentages, data interpretation), advanced math (functions), and geometry/trigonometry basics.
- Master all formulas. No matter what.
- For word problems, translate them into equations. Learn to do this, it’ll help immensely.
- For the calculator section, learn how to use it without letting it slow you down.
Step #4: Sacrifice Everything
If you want to REALLY improve your score, and I mean, really improve it, I suggest that you write, carve, and laser this understanding into your brain:
- If you’re reading this within the days that this is posted, you only have a few weeks left to study. Chances are, you might even have days to study. For those that are lucky, you’ll have a month or more. The point is, you’ll need to make sacrifices. Lots of them.
- This means no videogames, virtually no free time, less time spent eating, less time spent on homework, and overall less time spent doing anything besides studying. Forget talking with friends, because if you do everything accordingly, you shouldn’t have any time to talk with them at all.
I’m not saying to give up your GPA and grades, and throw it all away; no no no. Please don’t do that. Rather, I’m saying that you should just kick in this realization as soon as you can: if you don’t lock into your studying now, none of it will matter. You could have all the time in the world, and you will still do poorly on the SAT, relative to your standards.
If you can make the sacrifice for just a few weeks, then you can get the score you want.
Basic Study Schedule (Limited Time Inc.)
Limited timeframe is included. Time set to 3 weeks.
| Day | 1st Week Focus | 2nd Week Focus | 3rd Week Focus |
| Monday | – Reading (1 hr): 2-3 timed passages + review – Math (1 hr): Algebra + easy geometry drills – Writing (30 mins): Grammar rules overview | – Reading (1 hr): 2 timed passages, focus on inferencing & vocab – Math (1 hr): Advanced algebra/tricky geometry – Writing (30 mins): Punctuation/log review | – Reading (1 hr): Mixed passage practice, focus on pacing – Math (1 hr): Mixed problem set – Writing (30 mins): Quick drills & final tips |
| Tuesday | – Reading (1 hr): 2-3 times passaged + focus on main idea – Math (1 hr): Word problems – Writing (30 mins): Verb tense rules | – Reading (1 hr): Focus on science/historical passages – Math (1 hr): Functions or data analysis – Writing (30 mins): Sentence structure | – Reading (1 hr): Paired passages practice – Math (1.5 hrs): High-yield problem sets (algebra, geometry) |
| Wednesday | – Reading (1 hr): 2-3 timed passages + annotation practice – Math (1 hr): Mixed review – Writing (30 mins): Transition words & final grammar tuning | – Reading (1 hr): Timed passages + main idea – Math (1 hr): More advanced topics (logarithms if relevant, complex problems) – Writing (30 mins): Practice test-like drills | – Reading (1.5 hrs): Continue timed sets, focusing on consistent pacing – Math (1.5 hrs): Final practice on major weaknesses |
| Thursday | – Reading (1 hr): 2-3 timed passages + thorough review – Math (1 hr): More geometry/trigonometry drills – Writing (30 mins): Parallel structure | – Reading (1 hr): Reinforce problem-solving approach for complex passages – Math (2 hrs): Revisit missed topics from previous tests | – Reading (1 hr): Final reading strategies – Math (1 hr): Full timed section practice – Writing (30 mins): Confidence-building final checks |
| Friday | – Reading (1 hr): 2-3 timed passages + quick vocab – Math (3 hrs): Timed practice section (no calc or calc) – Writing (1 hr): Grammar log | – Reading (2 hrs): Timed passage sets – Math (3 hrs): Timed no-calc + review – Writing (1.5 hrs): Timed passage practice | – Reading (2 hrs): Final timed passages – Math (2.5 hrs): Mixed timed sections – Writing (2 hrs): Final quick drills |
| Saturday | Full-length practice test (test #1, timed) –> review missed questions in the afternoon | Another Full-length practice test (test #2, timed) –> review missed questions in the afternoon | Yet Another Full-length practice test (test #3, timed) –> review missed questions in the afternoon |
| Sunday | – Review Day: Analyze mistakes from test #1 – Targeted drills for problem areas – Some rest in the evening | – Analyze mistakes from test #2 – Targeted drills for problematic areas – short breaks for mental recharge | – Analyze mistakes from test #3 – Final targeted drills, focusing on absolutely anything that needs work – Light study + rest (if needed; else, continue) |
Tip: Each day’s total study time is between (on average) 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Some days, it is longer. If time allows, you can add a short vocabulary or test strategy segment, dedicating an extra (only) 15-20 minutes everyday.
Advanced Daily Schedule (Time-Block Template)
The schedule below is a day-by-day, to-the-hour template that you can replicate or adjust throughout your study period. The time set is 3 weeks, just like the schedule above.
No-School, Completely Free
| Time | Activity |
| 6:30 am – 7:00 am | Wake up, hydrate, quick breakfast, morning routine |
| 7:00 am – 7:30 am | Quick review of yesterday’s error log (5-10 vocab words or grammar flashcards) |
| 7:30 am – 8:30 am | – Math Focus (Session 1): Target major weak areas – Do 5-10 practice problems – Immediately review mistakes |
| 8:30 am – 9:45 am | – Reading Practice: 2 timed passages (~13 mins per passage + 4 min review) – Focus on reading strategy (annotation, main idea, question approach) |
| 9:45 -9:55 am | Quick break. Do not use your phone. Recommended to drink water, juice, eat a quick packaged snack, use the bathroom, etc. |
| 9:55 am – 11:00 am | – Writing Language: Work on grammar rule drills (subject-verb, punctuation, …) – Complete 1 timed writing passage (9-10 min) + review |
| 11:00 am – 1:30 pm | – Math Focus (Session 2): Timed practice section (no calc or calc; only one) – Review answers carefully |
| 1:30 pm – 1:45 pm | Lunch, or eat something alike. Do not exceed a 15 minute break to prevent losing too much concentration/potential momentum. |
| 1:45 pm – 2:05 pm | – Go over mistakes from the morning sessions – Update your error log: note question types or subjects |
| 2:05 pm – 3:05 pm | – Vocabulary: Review high-frequency SAT words or short grammar rules – Practice a quick reading passage if motivated |
| 3:05 pm – 3:30 pm | – NOT SAT: Read something. Anything. Read something news-related, and recent if you’d like. |
| 3:30 pm – 4:20 pm | – Address a major weakness, and develop a mini-plan to combat it (should take no longer than 5 mins) |
| 4:20 pm – 5:50 pm | – Reading: 1 timed passage + immediate review |
| 5:50 pm – 6:00 pm | – Break |
| 6:00 pm – 8:45 pm | – Your Choice: Go all in on a subject that you feel still needs very noticeable improvement, even if it’s on something small – Recommendation: Perform research, watch videos on X concept, then take a mini-assessment on that or look for questions online. Then, analyze how bad you are really at it. If really bad, re-do tomorrow. If not too bad, spend more time throughout the week (not a good enough reason to dedicate a lot of tomorrow on it) |
| 8:45 pm – 9:15 pm | This is your first 30 minute, and only, 30 minute break. Use it accordingly. Eat dinner, have a little personal time. |
| 9:15 pm – 10:15 pm | – Watch short explanatory videos on tough concepts (short-form, 60 second videos, actually work surprisingly well) |
| 10:15 pm – 10:30 pm | – Get ready for bed |
| 10:30 pm | Sleep. Prepare for tomorrow. |
However, if you do have school, completely forget the morning portion, and solely focus on the time from the minute you get back home from school, to the time you go to sleep. Other general recommendations include:
- Incorporating less breaks (not enough time for that; good sleep should do the trick)
- Focusing faster, using any methods required.
- Spending consecutive time blocks ONLY: 1) taking a short X subject section, 2) analyzing errors and what went wrong, and 3) watching how other people solve problems
- A really big tip is to watch other people solve problems. Crazy as it is, but also not, we learn really well from people that can explain something so well that it turns something really complicated into something that looks so easy to do. Follow those people.
Saturday (Full Practice Test Day)
| Time | Activity |
| 8:30 am | Wake up + morning routine |
| 9:00 am – 1:15 pm | Full-Length Practice Test (follow all official timing across all sections). Take short breaks as you would in a real SAT. |
| 1:15 pm – 1:45 pm | Lunch or light snack |
| 1:45 pm – 2:30 pm | Go over the test, check scoring, and note all missed questions. |
| 2:30 pm – 5:00 pm | Deep Error Analysis. Pick 10-15 missed questions to analyze in detail. Answer: why did you miss them? Which concepts were tested? |
| 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm | Break. |
| 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm | Hyperlearning period. Choose something at which you could be significantly better at, and spend these two whole hours and a half studying that, and that only. |
| 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm | Go back to the questions from your error analysis not too long ago. Learn new aspects of those concepts if necessary. Re-attempt those same questions, with fresh problem sets. |
| 9:30 pm – 10:00 pm | Finish off with a few videos on concepts that needed work. |
| 10:00 pm – 12:00 am | Enjoy this time. Have fun. |
For Sunday, spend it the same way, but incorporating more relaxing and light practice. Take more breaks. (maximum of 3 mini-ones, 2 decent ones)
Conclusion
There will probably be another SAT post in the next few days, covering the important writing tips, structures, and reading details that you need to know for an even higher score. Thanks for reading.
