SAT Exam

Hi Anand,

As a student in the Indian education system, you will not need to do much preparation for the Math section of the SAT. The verbal section is essentially a vocabulary test, so the quick way to prepare is to buy vocabulary books and start enhancing your vocabulary. You must do practice tests as well.

In terms of "getting through", there are no specific cutoffs. Depending on the kind of program you are interested in, the schools you're looking at and your financial need situation, you may need scores in a certain range.

The reason most students do not bother taking the SAT is that education in the US is prohibitively expensive. Private schools can cost up to Rs. 1 crore if you don't receive any aid. Public schools are cheaper, but still on a similar order of magnitude. If you think you can afford education in the US, or believe that you are good enough to get a fair amount of financial aid, you should give the SAT. If not, it may be best to concentrate on exams in India.

Best,
Rahul