In this article, I'll tell you where to find all official, printable SAT practice tests and answer keys. This comprehensive guide gives you access to more SAT practice tests than any other online guide. In addition, you'll learn key strategies that'll help you make big improvements on SAT practice tests you can print out.
Feature image source: The Digital Artist/Pixabay
College Board Switches to Fully Digital SAT
In spring 2023, the College Board began making its transition to a fully digital version of the SAT—they began this launch with students taking the test internationally. Students taking the test in the U.S. saw this same transition in spring 2024, when the SAT officially completed its launch of the Digital SAT Suite of Assessments.
Therefore, the official digital SAT practice tests are the most relevant—you want to practice in the same format you’ll take the official test to best prepare for realistic testing conditions. This will give you the most authentic test experience and prepare you for what you’ll see and do on test day.
Nothing in life is free...except these practice tests!
Free Digital SAT Practice Tests (Current 1600 Format, 2023-Present)
There are currently 6 full-length digital adaptive tests available that use the same interface, format, and scoring that you’ll see on the real digital SAT. To access these digital tests you’ll first need to download Bluebook, the app where you will register and take the digital SAT. There, you will find not just practice tests, but additional resources that will help you prepare for this new format.
Free Printable SAT Practice Tests with the New Digital Format (Current 1600 Format, 2023-Present)
Now that the SAT is fully digital, only students with approved accommodations will be able to take the test in paper form. If you’ll be taking a paper and pencil version of the SAT, then, you’ll want to start with their most recent practice tests that match the new digital SAT format. The College Board currently offers 6 official, printable practice tests that model the new digital SAT format.
Full-Length Linear Practice Test 1: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Full-Length Linear Practice Test 2: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Full-Length Linear Practice Test 3: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Full-Length Linear Practice Test 4: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Full-Length Linear Practice Test 5: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Full-Length Linear Practice Test 6: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Free Printable SAT Tests (Past 1600 Format, 2016-2023)
Currently, there are 8 available practice tests for the redesigned SAT, all of which have been provided by the maker of the SAT itself, the College Board.
Note that some official practice SATs still include an essay. The essay was previously an optional part of the SAT. Skip over any practice SAT Essays you come across and focus your studying on the remaining sections of the exam (Math, Reading, and Writing and Language). You can also learn more about the ending of the SAT Essay here.
Practice Test 1: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Practice Test 3: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Practice Test 5: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Practice Test 6: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Practice Test 7: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Practice Test 8: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Practice Test 9: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Practice Test 10: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Don't forget to fill in your answers with the SAT answer sheet.
If you would like to get a jump start on practicing for the digital SAT debuting in fall, 2024, you can access what you need at the College Board website. You will first need to download Bluebook, the app where you will register and take the digital SAT. There, you will find not just practice tests, but additional resources that will help you prepare for this new format.
Where Are Practice Tests 2 and 4?
You probably noticed that Practice Test 2 and Practice Test 4 are missing from the section above. That's because the College Board has removed them from their list of officially available practice tests.
If you've already worked through the first eight official practice tests and want to keep working on test-taking skills like time management and strategy, then these exams are a great option!
Practice Test 2: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Practice Test 4: Questions | Answers | Answer Explanations
Free Printable SAT Tests (Old 2400 Format, 2005-2016)
These next tests follow the old 2400 format of the SAT, with separate Critical Reading, Math, and Writing sections. (By contrast, on the current SAT, your Reading and Writing scores are combined for a total Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score.)
Despite their somewhat out-of-date structure, these tests can be useful for your studying. Just keep in mind all the major differences between the old and current SAT. I recommend using these tests more as training sessions than as full-on practice for the SAT.
Official SAT Printable Practice Test 2013-14: Questions | Answers
Official SAT Printable Practice Test 2012-13: Questions | Answers
Official SAT Printable Practice Test 2007-08: Questions | Answers
Official SAT Printable Practice Test 2004-05: Questions | Answers
It might look as though I've skipped a few years here, but I actually haven't: all the tests for the years not listed are repeats of those above, including the 2011-12, 2010-11, 2009-10, 2008-09, 2006-07, and 2005-06 practice tests. So if you find these tests on other forums or websites, don't waste your time taking them since they're the exact same as the ones already listed.
We're going way back into the past for this next set of SAT tests.
Free Printable SAT Tests (Very Old 1600 Format, Pre-2005)
Before the SAT underwent a redesign in 2016, the last time it had changed was in 2005, back when it jumped from a 1600-point scale to a 2400-point scale.
Despite this massive shift in scoring, only a few major differences could be found between the very old 1600 SAT and the old 2400 SAT. Other than those, most of the test remained the same.
As a result, these very old SAT practice tests are a hidden gold mine that few students know of. By taking these tests, then, you'll have that much more of an edge over other test takers.
Before I give you the links, though, note a few important caveats:
- You can skip the analogies questions on Reading. These are the questions that look like "CAR : ENGINE ::." Since they're no longer on the SAT, there's no point in studying them.
- You can skip the comparison questions on Math. This question type presents two boxes and asks you to decide whether A or B is greater. Again, these aren't on the current SAT, so you don't need to worry about these.
- There is no Writing section on these tests. Therefore, make sure you use supplementary prep materials to study the grammar and question types you'll need to know for the current SAT's Writing and Language section.
Be grateful you don't need to answer some of these old-format questions—analogies were the primary reason that the SAT had a bad reputation for forcing students to memorize vocab!
Official SAT Test 2004-05: Questions | Answers
Official SAT Test 2003-04: Questions | Answers
Official SAT Test 2002: Questions + Answers
Official SAT Test 2001: Questions + Answers
6 Tips for Getting the Most Out of SAT Practice Tests
Each SAT practice test requires over three hours of intense focus, so it's important to utilize them effectively. Below are six critical strategies to follow each time you take a practice test.
#1: Take Practice Tests in the Same Format That You’ll Take the Real SAT
Since the SAT is now fully digital, most students should take their practice tests in the Bluebook app. But the bottom line is you want to choose the same format and delivery for your practice tests as for the real thing.
As such, if you have accommodations for taking the SAT on paper, start by taking the official, printable practice tests with the new digital SAT format.
#2: Use Strict Timing on Each Section
Although time pressure can be intimidating, it's important to follow official SAT time limits as closely as possible on practice tests.
Why? If, for example, you spend just two extra minutes on a section, this could raise your score by hundreds of points, since the extra time allowed you to answer more questions than you would've been able to within the actual time limit. As a result, your practice SAT score becomes inflated and doesn't give you an accurate indicator of your actual scoring ability.
On the digital SAT, there are two sections with two modules each:
Reading and Writing
- Time per module: 32 min
- Questions per module: 27
- Time per question: 71 sec
Math
- Time per module: 35 min
- Questions per module: 22
- Time per question: 95 sec
Make sure to give yourself breaks, too!
#3: Take the Test in One Sitting
The digital SAT is shorter than older versions of the exam but it still lasts over two hours on an early Saturday morning. Many of my students have told me how difficult it was to stay focused the entire time and keep themselves from making careless mistakes at the end.
Preparing for the SAT is like training for a marathon: you need to ensure you have enough stamina to make it through the test. And the best way to do this is to take each practice test in one sitting, as if you were taking the actual SAT.
If it's too difficult for you to find the time to take a practice test in one sitting, go ahead and split it up over several days—just make sure you adhere to the time limits for each section. Ultimately, it's better to do some SAT practice than none at all!
#4: Review Your Mistakes (and Your Correct Answers, Too)
Practice tests aren't just good for getting to know the SAT format and sections—they're also great for learning from your mistakes.
For every practice SAT test you take, spend time reviewing both questions you got wrong and questions you got right. If you don't know why you missed a question, don't just skip it and move on; doing this means you won't learn what kind of mistake you made, which increases your risk of making it over and over again. This habit can affect your score pretty drastically.
So make sure to approach your SAT prep with this in mind: quality over quantity. I'd rather have you take three practice tests with detailed review than six practice tests with no review.
#5: Take At Least 4 Practice Tests Before the Actual SAT
From my experience with thousands of students, this magic number works best at getting students really comfortable with the SAT in all major respects, including timing and endurance.
If you want to take more than four tests, go ahead and try it out—just make sure that you balance your prep with some focused studying on your weaknesses so that you can make faster progress.
#6: Use Supplemental Resources If Necessary
Some students are great at learning the ins and outs of the SAT through practice tests alone—they recognize their mistakes, understand why they made them, and avoid making them in the future.
But most students need additional help to pinpoint their weaknesses and teach them the skills and strategies needed for success on the SAT. If practice tests aren't enough for you, download our free guide to help you figure out which SAT prep method works best for you.
What's Next?
Want to get a perfect SAT score? Take a look at our famous guide to a 1600, written by an expert SAT perfect-scorer.
Aiming high on each SAT section? Then read our individual, in-depth strategy guides to help you reach an 800 on SAT Reading, SAT Math, and SAT Writing.
Looking for expert strategies that can help you ace the exam? No problem. Check out our six expert tips that can help you boost your score.
