An effective 4-week schedule typically involves 5-7 hours of focused studying per week, spread across 4-5 sessions. Rather than cramming, consistency matters more—studying the same topic multiple days helps your brain retain concepts through spaced repetition and practice testing, which research shows are among the most effective study methods.

A typical week might look like: two targeted skills sessions (focusing on one weak area), one full practice test, one review and strategy session, and daily 20-30 minute drill practice on your problem areas. Starting with a diagnostic test helps identify exactly which sections and question types to prioritize, so you're not wasting time on topics you already know well.

Absolutely—they require very different approaches. The math section is about mastering specific formulas, concepts, and recognizing question patterns. Many students benefit from drilling problem types systematically: algebra, geometry, word problems, and grid-ins all have patterns you can learn and practice. Pacing is crucial since you have roughly 1.5 minutes per question.

The reading section requires active comprehension and strategic note-taking while reading under time pressure. Strong readers often need to adjust their pace—skimming some passages efficiently while slowing down for dense passages with detail-heavy questions. Understanding question types (main idea versus specific detail versus inference) helps you know exactly where to look in the passage rather than re-reading everything.

Both sections benefit from timed practice, but the way you practice matters. Math rewards drilling individual question types; reading rewards full passages under timed conditions so you build stamina and accuracy together.

Test anxiety often comes from two things: feeling unprepared and not knowing what to expect. A 4-week prep program addresses both. Practicing full-length tests under real timing conditions builds familiarity and confidence—you're literally training your brain for the experience, so test day feels less overwhelming.

During the actual test, practical strategies help: slow breathing between sections, positive self-talk, and remembering that one difficult question doesn't define your score. It's also important to know that the SAT is designed so most students don't finish every question perfectly—missing some is normal. Many students boost their scores by skipping difficult questions strategically and coming back if time allows, rather than getting stuck and panicked.

For a focused 4-week program, taking 2-3 full-length practice tests is ideal. The first one early in your prep (ideally a diagnostic) shows you exactly where you stand and what to prioritize. A mid-program test checks your progress and reveals whether your weak areas are improving. A final test closer to your exam date builds confidence and helps you practice pacing and stamina.

What matters more than volume is how you use them: review every single question you missed, understand why you got it wrong (was it a concept gap, a careless mistake, or a timing issue?), and drill similar questions afterward. This reflection-and-drill cycle is what actually boosts your score.

Start with a full diagnostic test taken under real timing conditions. Score it carefully, breaking down your results by section (reading, writing and language, math) and further by topic (algebra, geometry, vocabulary, grammar, etc.). This shows you exactly where your points are coming from—or not coming from.

Look for patterns: Are you missing questions because you don't know the concept, or because you're rushing and making careless mistakes? Are certain question types consistently tricky for you? This diagnosis is crucial because it tells you whether to spend your 4 weeks on conceptual review or on building speed and accuracy through timed practice. For Detroit students, connecting with a tutor who can analyze your results and create a targeted plan is a smart way to make sure your prep time counts.

The SAT uses specific question types, and learning to recognize and attack them strategically saves you time and prevents mistakes. For example, math "grid-in" questions format answers differently than multiple choice, which changes how you work the problem. Reading questions ask different things—some want the main idea, others want a specific detail, and inference questions require you to think beyond what's explicitly stated.

Once you understand these patterns, you can develop a strategy for each type. You'll know exactly where to look in a passage, which answer choices are distractors, and how to check your work efficiently. Practice tests help you internalize these patterns until spotting and solving them becomes second nature—which is exactly what you need under timed pressure.