Read more in your spare time. Any dense reading that interests you will help improve reading a lot - I read some philosophy and it boosted my reading comprehension skills.
Try to alternate betweeen RW and math. I did one day of AP calculus questions and then a day of humanities stuff
Do the Bluebook practice exams + question bank on the CB site. you'll get better with practice. if you struggle with time, then time yourself. if not, then don't, but try to fully focus either way. i would often redo the questions i got wrong after a few days. focus on concepts. don't overthink it. i studied less than ~25 hours. the SAT wasn't my priority so there wasn't much pressure. that allowed me to stay calm and focused for most of the exam, which imo is very important. no pressure.
Some guy suggested to read, which i don't think is a good idea. doing the q bank on the cb site i'd say counts as reading. if you read other shit, like philosophy, yes, you'll develop better reading skills, but it doesn't directly target the SAT. iirc there are a lot of questions in the q bank so you'll likely never finish it (i didn't even come close). you're better off focusing on actual SAT reading passages imo
got a 36 ACT so perhaps can give some advice.
when you are taking the exam, put yourself in the mindset of the exam writer or a teacher explaining the material. literally think, if I wrote this exam, here’s how I would explain this. this slows you down while forcing you to explain each step in the process. do this for 2-3 mock exams and see your scores jump
hey, scoring 1500+ on your first SAT is tough but totally doable if you've got a strong foundation already (like good math/reading skills from school). most people who pull it off in one go aren't superhuman – they just prep smart and consistently for those 2 months. since you’ve got school ending soon and 2 full months after, that's actually a good window – way better than cramming last-minute.
here's what worked for a lot of folks who hit 1500+ first try (pulled from real experiences on reddit/forums + solid prep advice):
1. start with a real baseline right away
download the Bluebook app (official from College Board) and take one full-length digital practice test day 1. simulate test conditions: timed, no distractions, quiet room. this shows your real starting point (many "first-timers" were already 1350-1450 naturally from school). if you're below 1300, 1500+ in 2 months is a stretch – but if you're 1350+, it's realistic with focused work.
2. use the official free stuff – it's the best
Khan Academy's Official SAT Prep is linked directly to Bluebook – after your practice test, it gives you a personalized plan with lessons, videos, and targeted questions. do this daily: 1-2 hours on weak areas (most people say reading/writing needs the most grind for vocab/grammar passages). bluebook has 7 full official tests – take one every 1-2 weeks. review every single missed question deeply – understand why you got it wrong, not just what the answer was.
3. focus on high-yield habits
reading/writing: read daily (articles from nyt, scientific american, or sat-like passages). practice skimming passages first, then questions. learn grammar rules cold (Khan has good modules). aim to miss <5-6 total in RW for 750+.
math: master desmos (graphing calculator on the test) – watch youtube tutorials for shortcuts. drill algebra, geometry, advanced math (quadratics, functions). no-calculator section needs speed/mental math.
general: time management is key – don't overthink easy questions. guess if stuck (no penalty). practice under time pressure.
4. 2-month rough plan
week 1-2: baseline test + diagnose weaknesses. daily Khan lessons + 30-60 min targeted practice.
week 3-6: full practice tests every 10-14 days + deep review of errors. alternate between RW and math focus days.
last 2 weeks: 1-2 full tests/week, light review only, no new content. rest day before test.
5. mindset/real talk from people who did it
a ton who hit 1500+ first try say they had strong school foundations (good english/math classes), read a lot naturally, and treated practice tests like the real thing. many studied 1-3 hours/day consistently, not 10-hour marathons. avoid burnout – sleep well, eat decent, move around. one guy said he got 1570 first try with "zero formal prep" because he just had a solid base from school + read constantly. another said 1500 from 1 month of Khan + official tests.
if your current practice is already 1350+, 2 months of smart work can push you to 1500+. if lower, it might take more, but still aim high. take that first bluebook test this week to know where you stand.
you got this – 2 months is enough if you stay consistent. what's your rough current level (from a practice test or guess)? might help refine tips. good luck!!
Read more in your spare time. Any dense reading that interests you will help improve reading a lot - I read some philosophy and it boosted my reading comprehension skills.
Try to alternate betweeen RW and math. I did one day of AP calculus questions and then a day of humanities stuff
Do the Bluebook practice exams + question bank on the CB site. you'll get better with practice. if you struggle with time, then time yourself. if not, then don't, but try to fully focus either way. i would often redo the questions i got wrong after a few days. focus on concepts. don't overthink it. i studied less than ~25 hours. the SAT wasn't my priority so there wasn't much pressure. that allowed me to stay calm and focused for most of the exam, which imo is very important. no pressure.
Some guy suggested to read, which i don't think is a good idea. doing the q bank on the cb site i'd say counts as reading. if you read other shit, like philosophy, yes, you'll develop better reading skills, but it doesn't directly target the SAT. iirc there are a lot of questions in the q bank so you'll likely never finish it (i didn't even come close). you're better off focusing on actual SAT reading passages imo
This plus Erica meltzer books for verbal and after finishing math question bank do the prep pros 150 advanced questions.
got a 36 ACT so perhaps can give some advice. when you are taking the exam, put yourself in the mindset of the exam writer or a teacher explaining the material. literally think, if I wrote this exam, here’s how I would explain this. this slows you down while forcing you to explain each step in the process. do this for 2-3 mock exams and see your scores jump
I don’t know if slowing down on the sat is a good idea.
maybe improve ur reading comp
hey, scoring 1500+ on your first SAT is tough but totally doable if you've got a strong foundation already (like good math/reading skills from school). most people who pull it off in one go aren't superhuman – they just prep smart and consistently for those 2 months. since you’ve got school ending soon and 2 full months after, that's actually a good window – way better than cramming last-minute.
here's what worked for a lot of folks who hit 1500+ first try (pulled from real experiences on reddit/forums + solid prep advice):
1. start with a real baseline right away
download the Bluebook app (official from College Board) and take one full-length digital practice test day 1. simulate test conditions: timed, no distractions, quiet room. this shows your real starting point (many "first-timers" were already 1350-1450 naturally from school). if you're below 1300, 1500+ in 2 months is a stretch – but if you're 1350+, it's realistic with focused work.
2. use the official free stuff – it's the best
Khan Academy's Official SAT Prep is linked directly to Bluebook – after your practice test, it gives you a personalized plan with lessons, videos, and targeted questions. do this daily: 1-2 hours on weak areas (most people say reading/writing needs the most grind for vocab/grammar passages). bluebook has 7 full official tests – take one every 1-2 weeks. review every single missed question deeply – understand why you got it wrong, not just what the answer was.
3. focus on high-yield habits
4. 2-month rough plan
week 1-2: baseline test + diagnose weaknesses. daily Khan lessons + 30-60 min targeted practice.
week 3-6: full practice tests every 10-14 days + deep review of errors. alternate between RW and math focus days.
last 2 weeks: 1-2 full tests/week, light review only, no new content. rest day before test.
5. mindset/real talk from people who did it
a ton who hit 1500+ first try say they had strong school foundations (good english/math classes), read a lot naturally, and treated practice tests like the real thing. many studied 1-3 hours/day consistently, not 10-hour marathons. avoid burnout – sleep well, eat decent, move around. one guy said he got 1570 first try with "zero formal prep" because he just had a solid base from school + read constantly. another said 1500 from 1 month of Khan + official tests.
if your current practice is already 1350+, 2 months of smart work can push you to 1500+. if lower, it might take more, but still aim high. take that first bluebook test this week to know where you stand.
you got this – 2 months is enough if you stay consistent. what's your rough current level (from a practice test or guess)? might help refine tips. good luck!!