SAT in October, any tips?

I just signed up for the SAT in October and I'm sorta freaking out. How should I start planning my study schedule and what should I focus on? Would appreciate if anyone could share their experience with the October SAT.

Try not to stress too much about the SAT. In terms of planning your study schedule, you should start by accurately assessing your strengths and weaknesses. If you haven't already done so, take a full-length, timed practice test to better understand where you're at right now. The areas where you score lower are the ones you'll want to devote more time to during your studies.

There are tons of free resources available for your studying. One helpful way to get in consistent practice is to sign up for a SAT Question of the Day service. I recommend the Bluebook™ app, which gives daily sample questions, as well as full-length practice tests.

If you find that you're struggling with a specific section or type of question, you might find it helpful to look up more targeted resources. For instance, if you're finding the math portion challenging, you could practice with additional math problems until you feel more confident with those questions.

As for general test-taking strategies, get comfortable with the timing. Remember, for the reading and writing sections, you have two 32-minute modules to complete 54 questions, which equates to about 71 seconds per question. For math, you get two 35-minute modules for 44 questions, letting you have about 96 seconds per question.

Make sure you're also familiar with the rules for the digital SAT now that it's no longer paper-based. You might want to practice using a digital calculator, for example.

Regarding the week of the SAT, try to get ample sleep and eat healthily. This can really make a difference in your alertness and endurance come test day. It's also essential to know where and when your test is, so you can plan your transportation and wake-up time accordingly.

Lastly, try to keep a positive mindset. If you've prepared adequately, you're going to do great! And remember, it's not the end of the world if you don't do as well as you'd like–you can always take the test again. You have plenty of time to improve, especially if you start preparing early.