SAT Test Day Checklist: What to Bring for Success
Being well-prepared for test day can set students up for greater SAT success and less stress. Knowing exactly what to bring, and what to leave at home, can significantly contribute to a smoother, more focused testing experience. This article provides a comprehensive checklist of items to bring to the SAT, along with essential preparation tips to ensure you're ready to perform your best.
Essential Items for SAT Test Day
There are only a few things you really need to bring on test day, and a lot of things you'll be better off leaving at home. Here's a breakdown of the essential items:
Fully Charged Testing Device with Bluebook Installed: This is crucial since the SAT is administered digitally. Your fully charged device is essential. If you’re approved to use a screen reader or other assistive technology due to a disability, make sure that the technology is configured for Bluebook before test day. Some schools or testing centers might provide the devices themselves.
Admission Ticket (Printed or Digital): Your admission ticket is required for entry into the testing center, and you may not be allowed to sit the exam without it! If possible, print out your admission ticket and bring it to the testing center. A paper copy of your ticket is strongly preferred for admission. To print an SAT admission ticket, you must sign in to the My SAT portal. You should have created an account on the portal when you signed up to take the exam, so use the same login information. From there, you will see a drop-down menu that says “Print Admission Ticket.” This will open a new PDF window and allow you to print the ticket. It's a good idea to print out a few copies of your SAT admission ticket, just in case. If you don’t have a printer, you can get this taken care of at school, your local library, or another printing center such as Staples. As mentioned above, don’t wait until the morning of or late the night before the SAT to print out your ticket. It’s a strange and inexplicable rule of printers that they tend to malfunction right before a big test or due date.
Acceptable Photo ID: An acceptable photo ID is mandatory to verify your identity at the testing center. Without your photo ID, admission ticket, and College Board username and password, you may be denied entry to the testing center and not allowed to take the exam. Acceptable forms of ID include a driver’s license, passport, or school ID, among others. According to the Digital SAT policy, carrying a valid photo ID on test day is mandatory. Identity documents that do not meet the Digital SAT test day requirements mentioned above are unacceptable. You need to keep a few additional things about IDs in mind. Student ID Forms are not valid for the Digital SAT if you are 21 or older. If you do not have an acceptable ID for the Digital SAT, the Student ID Form may be used. If you are homeschooled, this form must be prepared and authenticated by your current school or a notary. You must attach your current photo to the form before getting it notarized.
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No. 2 Pencils: Bring a few pencils or pens to use for scratch work during the test. While the SAT is digital, you may need to jot down notes or solve problems on paper. Only No. 2 pencils are allowed, meaning students should not bring highlighters, pens, mechanical pencils, or any type of colored writing device.
Acceptable Calculator: You’re allowed to use an acceptable calculator for the Math section of the SAT. While the Bluebook application provides an embedded graphing calculator, bringing your own can be beneficial. Acceptable calculators include graphing calculators, scientific calculators, and basic four-function calculators.
Optional Items to Consider
While not mandatory, these items can enhance your comfort and focus during the test:
Snacks and Drinks: You’ll get a 15-minute break after the math test. Use this time to stretch and have an energizing snack. A drink and snacks for your breaks. These will likely have to stay in your bag, in a locker, or up at the test administrator’s desk and will have to be consumed outside of the testing room. A balanced breakfast with protein, carbs, and healthy fats can help students start their morning right by providing the fuel needed to power through a three-hour exam. Some examples include oatmeal, yogurt with berries, and eggs and toast. It’s also a good idea to drink water and stay hydrated.
Portable Charger: A power cord and/or a portable charger. We cannot guarantee you'll have access to an outlet during testing.
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Extra Batteries: Extra batteries for your calculator and backup equipment-you'll have to ask for permission to access them.
Watch: A watch, as long as it doesn’t have any audible alarms or noises. If it'll help you keep track of time, bring one along. If you just find it distracting, though, leave it at home! Because smartwatches and phones are not allowed, a watch can help you keep track of time.
Bag: Taking a bag or backpack allows students to supply personal belongings and SAT materials.
Epinephrine Auto-Injectors (EpiPens): If you require an epinephrine auto-injector (like an EpiPen), you can bring it without needing special accommodations. Epinephrine auto-injectors (for example, EpiPens) are permitted without the need for accommodations. They must be placed in a clear bag and stored under your desk during testing. Optional: Epinephrine auto-injectors like EpiPens, if needed. Students may carry them in a clear bag without needing accommodation and keep them under their desks during the test.
Prohibited Items: What NOT to Bring
There are lots of prohibited items when it comes to SAT test day. To avoid any issues, leave these items at home:
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Mobile Phones and Electronic Devices: Mobile phones are allowed only for presenting the admission ticket at check-in. Don't bring smartwatches, fitness trackers, or other wearable technology. The College Board does not allow mobile phones into the testing center, and students cannot use them during breaks either. That said, test-takers can bring their phone in their bag as part of their personal belongings. It must stay securely locked for the entire exam. Students caught with a smartphone during the test or break period may be asked to leave, and their tests will be voided. They will need to resit for the exam to receive a score. Any technology besides approved devices, especially anything with communication or recording capabilities. This means no cell phones, laptops, tablets, timers, cameras, or audio recorders. To reiterate, if you must bring your cell phone, turn it off well before the test.
Audio and Recording Devices: Don't bring audio players, recorders, Bluetooth devices like wireless earbuds or headphones, or any personal computing devices that are not your testing device.
Timers: Separate timers of any type are not allowed.
Cameras: Cameras or any other photographic equipment are not permitted in the testing area.
Writing Instruments (Other than No. 2 Pencils): Highlighters or colored pencils are not allowed.
Books and Reference Materials: Books or any reference materials are not permitted unless specifically approved as an English language learner support for in-school administrations. They also cannot bring textbooks or reference materials, compasses or rulers, or any type of paper.
Tools and Rulers: Compasses, rulers, protractors, or any cutting devices are not allowed in the testing center.
Papers: Do not bring any papers, including scratch paper, as they are not permitted. Proctors will provide scratch paper as needed.
Earplugs: Additionally, earplugs are not allowed.
Prohibited Calculators: Calculators that have computer-style (QWERTY) keyboards, use paper tape, make noise, or use a power cord are not allowed.
Privacy Screens: Privacy screens for your testing device are not allowed.
Accommodations for Documented Disabilities
If you have a documented disability, you can request exceptional accommodations in advance. Upon approval, you’ll be able to bring items not on the standard list.
Preparing the Night Before the SAT
Following these tips can help examinees adequately prepare for the SAT the night before:
Don’t Overstudy (or Study at All): Trying to cram the night before the SAT may feel like a worthwhile, last-ditch effort, but it can make it more difficult to remember information and perform well on the exam. Try to avoid studying the night before and prioritize resting your brain instead.
Check for Test Center Closings: Given the challenges COVID-19 has caused to academia, it’s a good idea to make sure your test center doesn’t have any unexpected closings the night before the big test. The College Board provides a list of centers so students can make sure their testing center is open.
Gather Your Materials and Plan Your Morning: Because you may be busy and nervous the morning of your test, it’s a good idea to pack your backpack with personal belongings and SAT materials the night before. Get all your materials gathered and packed the day before your test. You definitely don’t want to be scrambling in the morning trying to track down your tablet. This would cause a whole lot of unnecessary anxiety and could make you late (and therefore ineligible) for the test! By getting this done ahead of time, you’ll have one less thing to worry about when you wake up. Make a checklist and double-check your bag one last time before you head to your testing center. After all your preparation, your focus should be wholly on the SAT.
Get Plenty of Rest: A good night’s sleep is your best friend before test day. It helps you stay sharp and focused. Try to go to sleep at your normal bedtime and wake up at your usual time. Aim to get at least eight hours of rest. Taking a big exam with a foggy brain can impact your ability to do your best, making it important to get a full night’s rest the night before.
What to Do the Morning of the SAT
What you do in the morning can set the tone for how the test day goes. Follow these steps to limit your stress the morning of the SAT.
Eat a Balanced Breakfast and Drink Water: A balanced breakfast with protein, carbs, and healthy fats can help students start their morning right by providing the fuel needed to power through a three-hour exam. Some examples include oatmeal, yogurt with berries, and eggs and toast. It’s also a good idea to drink water and stay hydrated.
Follow Your Normal Morning Routine: Consistency is key when it comes to keeping calm and limiting anxiety, and following your normal morning routine can help a lot. If you usually drink a cup of coffee and walk your pet, stick with that. Just make sure you leave plenty of time to get to the testing center.
Wear Comfortable Clothes: Dress comfortably, in layers, so you can adjust if it’s too hot or cold. Because you’ll be sitting at a table taking an exam for three hours, comfort is key. Wear pants and a shirt that are loose, soft, and comfortable. Bring a jacket, too, in case it’s chilly at the testing center.
Leave for the Test Center Early: Arrive by the test time! (plan to arrive twenty minutes early for good measure). Failing to arrive at the test center early can result in being turned away, as doors close at least 15 minutes before the exam starts. You should also leave time to account for traffic and to find the testing site if it’s in an unfamiliar location. Do a practice run to the test center beforehand if you’re unsure of the location. Before the day of your Digital SAT test, sign into your College Board® account to ensure that there are no changes to your test center.
Additional Tips for Success
- Check Your Device: Before the SAT, check that the device you're using to take the test is working properly.
- Stay Calm: While every student is different, the number one cause of test anxiety is not knowing what to expect.
- Practice: The best test prep is customized to your individual strengths and goals.
- Understand the Digital SAT: Learn the ins and outs of the digital SAT. This guide includes everything you need to know about the digital SAT, including an overview of the structure and content, an explanation of computer adaptive testing, and tips on how to practice for a digital test. Wondering how it works? The digital SAT is an adaptive test, which means that scoring is a lot more complicated than it used to be.
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