How to Study for the SAT With One Week Left (If You Haven’t Started Studying)
This guide is for students who haven’t started studying yet and have just one week left. If you’ve already been preparing, your strategy for your final week should look different.
Set Realistic Expectations
If you have one week left before the SAT and haven’t studied yet, here’s the truth: you’re not going to transform your score in just a few days.
That might be perfectly fine depending on your goals and where you are starting from. You might walk out of the testing room with a score you’re happy with. But don’t expect to go from a 1250 to a 1500 in a week.
The SAT rewards long-term skill development, not last-minute cramming. However, even in one week, there are a few smart steps you can take to walk into the testing center feeling more confident and prepared to perform at your best.
If You Only Do One Thing This Week: Download the Bluebook App and Take a Full-Length Practice Test
Bluebook is the official testing platform used for the SAT, and becoming familiar with it before test day can make a big difference. Download the app, make sure it works on your device, and take one of the practice tests.
The practice test will help you:
- Get comfortable with the digital format and interface
- See how the computer adaptive format works
- Practice using the built-in Desmos calculator
- Familiarize yourself with the question types
The practice test will show you where you’re most likely to lose points. That information will help you decide where to focus the rest of your limited study time.
If You Have Time for Two Things: Take One Practice Test and Do Targeted Practice
After taking the practice test, review your results and identify where you’re losing points.
With only a week left, you won’t be able to fix everything. Instead, choose one or two question types where improvement is realistic in a short amount of time. A few hours of focused practice can make a difference if you concentrate on the right areas.
Once you identify your priorities, focus your practice there rather than jumping between unrelated topics.
To make the most of your remaining time, consider the Test Innovators Scholar Package. It provides a full-length practice test and 1,700+ targeted questions, an ideal combination for focused, last-minute prep.
Focus on the Fastest Score Gains
When time is limited, it helps to focus on areas where improvement tends to happen quickly.
Reading & Writing: Prioritize Standard English Conventions and Transitions
Standard English Conventions questions test grammar and punctuation rules that can be reviewed relatively quickly. Similarly, Transitions questions depend on knowing a limited set of transition words.
Reviewing these areas is one of the fastest ways to gain points.
For a deeper breakdown, see our guides to SAT Grammar and Punctuation and SAT Transitions.
Math: Get Comfortable Using Desmos
During the math section, you’ll have access to the Desmos graphing calculator. Learning how to use it effectively can save significant time on the test.
The more comfortable you are with Desmos before test day, the more efficiently you’ll be able to work through the Math section.
What Not to Do This Week
With only a week left, it’s important to avoid panic and stress. At this point, it’s about doing the best you can based on where you are right now. Remember, you can take the test again if you don’t get the score you want. Giving yourself more time to prepare next time can make a real difference. So this week:
- Don’t try to fix everything. The SAT tests a wide range of skills built over many years. Instead of trying to review everything, focus on a small number of areas where improvement is realistic in a short time.
- Don’t take practice tests every day. Practice tests are extremely valuable, but they’re also mentally demanding. Taking multiple full-length tests in a short period of time often leads to burnout rather than improvement. Limit yourself to one or two practice tests during the week before the test. Use the rest of your study time for targeted practice and review.
- Don’t stay up late cramming. Sleep matters. A tired brain makes more careless mistakes, struggles with reading comprehension, and processes information more slowly. Getting enough rest in the days leading up to the SAT is more important than that late-night study session.
The Night Before the Test
The night before the SAT, your focus should shift away from studying. Take a few simple steps to make the next morning go smoothly:
- Get a good night’s sleep. A rested brain performs better than a tired one.
- Pack what you need. Make sure you have your ID, admission ticket, and testing device ready.
- Know your route. Check where the testing center is and how long it will take to get there.
- Eat normally. Stick with foods you’re used to rather than trying something new.
Then relax. Read a book or watch a movie, and go to bed.
You can’t change everything in a week. But you can familiarize yourself with the test format and reduce surprises on test day. Showing up calm, rested, and prepared will help you perform at your best.
Have more than a week before the SAT?
Give yourself time to build skills and confidence.
Sara Laszlo
Sara Laszlo has nearly ten years of experience in private tutoring. An opera singer by training, Sara is especially interested in exploring better ways to practice and improve skills, whether musical or test-related. She holds a B.A. in Classical Civilization from Duke University and a Certificate of Merit in Voice from the New England Conservatory of Music.
