The Ultimate SAT Summer Study Guide (2025)
- Laura (Heslin) Whitmore
- Jun 18
- 4 min read
By Laura Whitmore
Summer is the best time to study for the SAT. Without daily schoolwork and packed schedules, students have the chance to significantly improve their SAT score before fall. But effective prep needs structure — not random videos or last-minute cramming. Here’s a simple week-by-week SAT study guide I use with my own students to help them feel confident and ready on test day!
Want a break from reading? Watch my YouTube video now!
💡 Step 1: Schedule — Structure Your SAT Study Time
First things first: decide when you’ll study. I recommend picking four days per week for SAT prep. There’s no need to study every single day — balance is important! Four focused days a week builds steady progress without burning out.
✅ How long? Plan for 90 minutes to 2 hours each SAT study day.
✅ What subjects? Alternate days between SAT English and SAT Math. For example, Monday and Wednesday for English; Tuesday and Thursday for Math. If you’re focusing on just one section to boost a superscore, it’s fine to dedicate all days to that section.
🏆 Bonus Tip: Do some light exercise before studying to feel focused and upbeat. After your session, plan a small reward — meet up with friends, play a game, or grab an ice cream. This helps keep motivation high.
💡 Step 2: Week-by-Week Focus
Here’s how to break down your summer, week by week:
📅 Week 1 👉 Take Two Diagnostic SAT Tests
Kick off your prep by finding your baseline. Take two full-length diagnostic tests using College Board's Bluebook app. I recommend practice tests 4 and 5.
These scores show where you’re starting and help pinpoint areas of weaknesses. Afterward, plug your results into our free SAT Student Answer Analysis (a detailed Google Sheet we made for students). It breaks down exactly which question types need work — far clearer than the basic College Board report.
📅 Weeks 2–3 👉 Drill Your Weaknesses
With your score breakdown in hand, make a list of topics (i.e. logically completes the text or command of evidence) where you scored below 70%. This list will guide your focused practice.
Use the College Board Question Bank to pull extra practice sets for each weak area. Be smart about the difficulty:
Below a 550? Stick to easy and medium questions.
Above 700? Challenge yourself with harder ones.
550-700? Start with mediums, then work your way up to hards.
🏆 Pro Tip: Always exclude active questions so you don’t spoil any for future full-length tests.
📅 Weeks 4–6 👉 Take Full-Length Practice Tests
By now, you’re ready to build stamina and refine test-taking timing. Plan for two full-length practice tests per week. For example, in Week 4, do Test 6 early in the week, review every mistake, then take Test 7 a few days later and apply what you learned.
After each test, analyze:
Which questions ate up time?
Where did you second-guess?
Did you rush near the end?
🏆 The goal is to spot habits and tweak them while you still have time.
📅 Weeks 7–8 👉 Refine Your Strategy
You’re almost there! These weeks leading up to your scheduled SAT test date are for fine-tuning.
Review ALL mistakes/errors you logged since Week 1. Redo missed questions to confirm you truly know how to solve them now. Look at your practice test patterns and decide:
Will you start reading modules from the end and work backward?
Will you skip certain tricky questions (like geometry) and return later?
🏆 Lock in the game plan that works best for you.
📅 Final Week 👉 Take One More Practice Test
Wrap up your prep strong with one final test. By now, you’ve likely finished all Bluebook tests. You have two good options:
Retake Test 5 (your first diagnostic) to see your score jump.
Try PSAT Test 2, an extra practice test with fresh questions. It’s tough but realistic — I used it before my own November test and found it matched SAT difficulty well.
🏆 Keep up healthy habits this week: sleep well, eat balanced meals, and stay active. Feeling good physically helps you think clearly on test day.
💡 Step 3: Tools & Recommended Resources
Here’s what I recommend using alongside your plan:
✅ College Board Bluebook App
Your official source for practice tests and question bank. Take all tests here and use the question bank to drill weaknesses.
✅ Strategic Test Prep’s Self-Paced Courses
These courses teach proven methods for each question type — perfect if you want expert strategies without private tutoring.
✅ Preptly App
Keep practicing on the go! Preptly is our mobile app with over 1,000 realistic English and Math questions. Practice in line at the store, on vacation, or while waiting for practice to start.
✅ 1:1 Tutoring and Live Classes
If you want extra guidance, personal coaching can save time and help you reach your goal faster. Our team of expert tutors is available for one-on-one sessions or small-group live classes this summer — book a free consultation.
💡 Final Thoughts
With a structured summer plan and the right tools, the SAT doesn’t have to be stressful. Stick to your schedule, review your mistakes, and keep showing up. You’ll build confidence and see real results by test day.
Wishing you a productive and balanced summer — happy prepping!
