September SAT Last-Minute Tips (2025): 8 Strategies You Need to Know
- Laura (Heslin) Whitmore
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Laura Whitmore
With the September SAT just around the corner, you might be feeling nervous, rushed, or unsure about how to make the most of the final days before test day. Don’t worry—you’re not alone, and you’re not out of time. In this post, I’m sharing 8 powerful last-minute SAT tips (straight from my YouTube video) that can help you boost your score fast.
👉 Don't feel like reading? Watch the full video here.
⭐️ College Board just released brand-new questions to their question bank this week! They’re tricky to find since you can’t filter by “new,” so I pulled them together for you in one place. If you’d like free access, just subscribe to our newsletter and we’ll email you the complete set.
💡 Tip 1: Start at the End of the English Modules
Instead of starting at question #1, go straight to question #27 and work backwards. The last questions are typically easier, while the early vocabulary and reading passage questions can take more time. By starting at the back, you can pick up easier points quickly and reduce test-day stress.
💡 Tip 2: Use Positive/Negative Trick for Words in Context
If you hit a tough words-in-context question and don’t recognize every word, don’t panic. First, decide if the missing word needs to be positive or negative based on the tone of the passage. Then, eliminate any options that don’t fit that “vibe.” This simple strategy keeps you from getting stuck.
💡 Tip 3: Use Extra Time Strategically
In Module 1 (both English and Math), most students finish with 5–15 minutes to spare. Don’t just sit there. Go back to the beginning and re-do every question. On math, this helps catch careless errors; on English, it helps you spot small details like missed commas or wording nuances.
💡 Tip 4: Use Your Scrap Paper
Don’t let your scrap paper sit blank! It’s a powerful tool for organizing your work, avoiding mistakes, and staying focused. Sketch out math diagrams, jot down key points from passages, or write reminders to yourself. The more actively you use it, the less likely you are to make preventable mistakes.
💡 Tip 5: Look for 3 Wrong Answers Instead of 1 Right Answer
On SAT Reading questions, don’t waste time hunting for the “perfect” answer. Instead, focus on eliminating the three wrong ones. The SAT often gives you tempting but incorrect distractors, so ruling those out is the fastest way to arrive at the correct choice. This mindset shift makes the section feel much more manageable.
💡 Tip 6: What to Do When Running Out of Time
If you’re running low on time with too many questions to go, don’t leave questions blank. Pick a single letter — we recommend D — and fill it in consistently. This “Pick D and move on” approach tricks the algorithm into thinking you attempted the question, and you’re statistically guaranteed to pick up a few points. Just make sure you count to 10 between each selection; if you select answers too quickly, the algorithm will determine you are randomly guessing and will mark all of your answers as incorrect.
💡 Tip 7: Master Time Management
Skip questions that eat up too much time. On English, that means the “logically completes the text” and graph questions in the middle. On Math, it’s the geometry questions toward the end of Module 2. Save them for last so you can maximize points on faster, higher-probability problems.
💡 Tip 8: Sign Up for Another SAT
If possible, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Register for both the September and October SATs. This hedges your bets — if one test feels harder in English or Math, the next one might feel easier. Plus, the College Board often reuses questions across tests, which can give you a subtle advantage.
⏰ Final Thoughts
These eight last-minute strategies are simple, but they can make a huge difference on test day. Remember: the SAT isn’t just about what you know — it’s about how you take the test.
And if you want expert guidance to make sure you’re ready, our team of tutors is here to help. We’ve helped hundreds of students boost their scores, and we’d love to do the same for you. Book a consultation here.
👉 Get extra SAT practice anytime with the Preptly app. It’s packed with 1,500+ unique SAT questions, including hundreds of new ones for 2025, and has built-in features to track your progress.
Good luck—you’ve got this! 💪
