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The Best Private SAT Tutoring

What sets our SAT prep apart from everyone else’s?

Completely risk free. Try out a session online or in-person, and, if it does not meet or exceed your expectations, then that first session is free.

Average score increase of 210 points on the SAT, even when a student worked with a different company before coming to tutor with us.

Curriculum is 100% sourced from the real tests (by far the best quality content available) and customized for each student.

The best test prep experts: each applicant goes through a rigorous interviewing process (applicants sourced nationally, not just from NJ), and each new hire goes through a minimum of 160 hours of specialized training specifically on the SAT and ACT before they meet with their first student.

We retain the best tutors: our SAT and ACT tutors are full-time and on salary with health, dental, vision, long and short-term disability, life insurance, and retirement benefits. They are career, not side hustle, SAT and ACT experts.

We are experts at both in-person and online tutoring.

over 99% five-star reviews

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Molly and Neve talk about their experience at Summit Prep:

Frequently Asked Questions

Preparing for the SAT

What are the SAT dates for 2022?

How long is the SAT with breaks included?

Without essay: 3 hours and 15 minutes (+ 20 minute “experimental section” given at the end of the test that does not count toward your score)
With essay: 4 hours and 7 minutes (+ 20 minute “experimental section” given at the end of the test that does not count toward your score)

How should a student prepare for the SAT?

First, establish a baseline by taking a real past SAT (we also recommend taking a real past ACT as well to determine which test fits you best). You can find 10 official SATs here. (Technically the first four were never administered, so the curves are not completely accurate. Take any of tests #5-10 to establish an accurate baseline.) Make sure to simulate the real test: print the test and take it all at once with the appropriate breaks. Or, reach out to us, and we can schedule you to take a practice test with us.
Now that you have a baseline score, you need to evaluate how far you are from your score goal. The farther you are, the more work you will need to put in to hit your score goal — but the work you put in will also help you excel in college as well (see here). Here’s the work you need to put in:
- Take real practice tests (both to identify weaknesses but also to practice test-taking stamina)
- Not only go over the questions you got wrong on the practice tests but look up how to do those topics and do additional questions on those topics so that you eliminate any weaknesses on the tested topics (our tutors, for instance, identify the topic of any questions missed and give students additional questions on those topics from the real past tests so that students will get any questions on those topics correct the next time they see them).
Take the real test multiple times. Most students get nervous the first time they take any test, so almost all students will score better after taking the SAT a few times (and there is natural variability in scores — see here — so re-taking the SAT increases a student’s chances of a higher score, particularly of a higher superscore).

What are some advanced strategies for students to prepare for the SAT?

Get calculator programs that will solve distance, midpoint, slope, the quadratic formula, etc for you so that you spend less time on these questions and so that you do not make a silly mistake in your calculations. (We have a suite of calculator programs that are custom made to help students on the SAT.)
Learn the “tricks” to the exam. The fastest way to do so is to work with a tutor who knows the strategies to help beat the test. But, if you practice long enough, you might figure out those tricks too, such as knowing that the word “being” in an answer choice on the grammar section (the “Writing Section”) of the SAT almost guarantees that the answer is incorrect.
Discover the optimal ways to approach different question types. For example, on the “Reading Section,” students should never look at the answer choices before looking back to the passage for a “vocabulary in context” question because the meaning of the word in context will always have a different meaning than the standard definition of the given word. Looking at the answer choices first will just throw a student off. So students should go straight to the context, treat the given word as a “blank” in the sentence, make up their own definition for the “blank” based on the context, and then compare this definition to the answer choices. This approach almost guarantees that they will get all “vocabulary in context” questions correct.

What kind of Math is on the SAT?

Algebra: particularly functions, manipulating equations, quadratics, and equations of lines (lots of questions on equations of lines).
Algebra 2: particularly exponents, radicals, probability, polynomials, and imaginary numbers.
Geometry: particularly triangles, perimeter and area of rectangles and circles, volume of cylinders, and equations of circles in an x,y coordinate plane.
Trigonometry: only a few questions, particularly converting degrees to radians and vice versa.

Taking the SAT

Where can I take the SAT in New Jersey?

Test site locations can vary by test date (not all schools give the test on every SAT test date). You can check for which test sites are offering the SAT on a given test date here. But, better (since those test sites might be filled) is to simply go through the process of registering for the SAT. At the end of the registration process, you will be prompted to select a test date and then you can choose from the available test locations.

What is the sequence of sections and breaks?

Check in and fill out scantron cards (30 minutes)
Reading section (65 minutes)
10 minute break: This is the longest break of the test, so students need to prioritize eating during this break.
Writing and Language section (35 minutes) — despite the name of this section, it only tests students on grammar and punctuation.
No-calculator Math section (25 minutes)
5 minute break: This is really only enough time for a bathroom break.
Calculator Math section (55 minutes)
Experimental section (20 minutes) — this section is probably just for the SAT to test out content and probably does not count toward your score (the reason I say “probably” is because the SAT has refused to confirm or deny whether the fifth section counts; to be on the safe side, take it as seriously as the other sections).
2 minute break (assuming students are taking the optional essay next): Students are not even allowed to leave the classroom for this one. It’s just enough time to basically drink water, stretch, and then get back to work.
Optional essay (50 minutes)
Freedom! (and probably a nap)

Should I guess if I do not know an answer?

Yes. There are no penalties for wrong answers, so answer every question (on the grid-in section, if you’re unsure on an answer, just bubble-in the number “2” — that is the most common answer in the grid-ins).

What should I eat before and during the test?

Here’s a link to a blog post on what to eat. Please bring a snack — it will help give you an edge for the last half of the test. As part of your snack, bring water or another drink to keep yourself hydrated — hydration is key for avoiding a foggy brain.

What should I wear on test day?

Dress comfortably. Wear a sweater and a T-shirt underneath. Who knows what the temperature will be in the classroom, so students will want to have options to make themselves comfortable.

After the SAT

How is the SAT scored?

The composite score is out of 1600.

The Reading + Writing section scores are combined to get a score out of 800.
The no-calculator and the calculator Math section scores are combined to get a score out of 800.
The optional essay is scored separately, and its score (out of 24) is not included in the SAT composite score.

Percentiles of SAT Test Takers by Score

Total Score	Percentile of SAT Test Takers
1600	99+
1590	99+
1580	99+
1570	99+
1560	99+
1550	99
1540	99
1530	99
1520	99
1510	98
1500	98
1490	98
1480	97
1470	97
1460	97
1450	96
1440	96
1430	95
1420	95
1410	94
1400	94
1390	93
1380	92
1370	92
1360	91
1350	90
1340	89
1330	89
1320	88
1310	87
1300	86
1290	85
1280	84
1270	83
1260	82
1250	81
1240	80
1230	78
1220	77
1210	76
1200	74
1190	73
1180	72
1170	70
1160	69
1150	67
1140	66
1130	64
1120	62
1110	61
1100	59
1090	57
1080	55
1070	54
1060	52
1050	50
1040	48
1030	46
1020	45
1010	43
1000	41
990	39
980	38
970	36
960	34
950	33
940	31
930	29
920	28
910	26
900	25
890	23
880	22
870	20
860	19
850	18
840	16
830	15
820	14
810	12
800	11
790	10
780	9
770	8
760	7
750	6
740	5
730	5
720	4
710	3
700	3
690	2
680	2
670	1
660	1
650	1
640	1
630	1
620	0
610	0
600	0
590	0
580	0
570	0
560	0
550	0
540	0
530	0
520	0
510	0
500	0
490	0
480	0
470	0
460	0
450	0
440	0
430	0
420	0
410	0
400	0

Source: CollegeBoard 2021

How long does the SAT take to grade?

Usually about 2 weeks. Check here for the scheduled score release date for your test.

Information about the SAT

For more info on the SAT, check out our blog posts here about the test and how to best take and prep for it.

The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT Test) is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The test is designed to measure a student’s preparedness for colleges and universities by testing skills in three core areas: Critical Reading, Writing, and Mathematics.

The SAT is a significant determinant in college admission and scholarship decisions. Whether your child struggles with the fundamentals, the “tricks” and testing strategy, the most advanced topics, or simply a lack of testing confidence, our instructors will identify and amend any areas of weakness and enhance areas of strength.

Instead of SAT scores being a soft spot on your child’s academic resume, we will help ensure that these scores reflect and amplify your child’s potential.

SAT Format

The new 2016 SAT is composed of 4 sections (with an optional essay):

65 minute Reading section
35 minute Writing and Language section
25 minute no calculator Math section
55 minute with calculator Math section

The optional essay takes 50 minutes. Total testing time is 3 hours without the essay and 3 hours and 50 minutes with the essay. Total testing time is 3 hours without the essay and 3 hours and 50 minutes with the essay. The breakdown of each section is below:

Section	# of Questions	Time	Content
Reading	52 multiple choice questions	65 min	Reading comprehension and analysis
Writing	44 multiple choice questions	35 min	Grammar and Rhetorical skills: punctuation, sentence structure, and essay organization
Math - No Calculator	20 questions: 15 multiple choice and 5 grid-ins	25 min	Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, and Trigonometry
Math - With Calculator	38 questions: 30 multiple choice and 8 grid-ins	55 min	Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, and Trigonometry
Optional Essay	1	50 min	Write an analytical essay exploring what strategies the author used to persuade the reader

A few tips for test day

Be organized and remember to bring at least two #2 pencils, calculator, identification, admission ticket, fresh batteries, a watch, and a high energy snack (see here for what to eat on test day to maximize mental energy).

Get a good night rest and, in the morning, eat a hearty breakfast and double-check that you have everything.

Take the test just like you did practice tests: don’t double-check your answers until you have finished a section (unless you normally do so as you go along, which is rare) and don’t get stuck on difficult questions. If you would skip a question on a practice test, skip it (put down your best guess) on the real test.

Don’t rush. Remember: You’ve prepared for this. You’ve got this.

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Contact us for a free strategy consultation

If you’re interested, we would love to give you a complimentary strategy consultation over the phone or online to discuss the best plan for your child’s educational goals: which test to take, when to take them, what scores are needed for admission, and any other questions you have.

It is our privilege and pleasure to serve you and to help empower your children to succeed in life.

Important information
about our intake process

After you submit the form, we will:

Contact you to schedule an introductory call.
If needed, administer a mock exam to establish a baseline score.
Use the results of the mock exam to create the roadmap we’ll use to guide you or your child to your goal.

The cost of tutoring will vary depending on the number of sessions needed to hit a student’s score goal.

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The Best SAT Tutoring

What sets our SAT prep apart from everyone else’s?

over 99% five-star reviews