| Officially the dreaded SAT experimental section is | | | | Don’t panic. Stay positive. Just tell yourself |
| called the variable section. The first section is going | | | | it’s the experimental one and move on. |
| to have essays that are 25 minutes long. The essay | | | | Now, if you get three 25 minute critical reading |
| will then be followed by another six 25 minute | | | | sections, one of them will have been the |
| sections. There are then two 20 minute sections and | | | | experimental one. If you get three 25 minute math |
| one 10 minute section. | | | | sections, one of them will be the experimental one. |
| One of those multiple choice 25 minute sections is | | | | And if you get two 25 minute writing sections, |
| going to be an experimental one. The people who | | | | you’ll know one of those will be the |
| administer the SAT need to test questions for future | | | | experimental section. |
| exams. This is to see if enough people get them right | | | | So it’s kind of hard to tell which one it is until |
| and/or wrong. So they use you as guinea pigs! | | | | you’re almost finished, but if you get to one |
| Since one of those sections is going to be | | | | that’s weird and totally throws you off, |
| experimental, it does not count toward your grade. | | | | don’t think “Oh my gosh, the whole |
| It’s very difficult to pick out the experimental | | | | thing’s going down the tube now!” Tell |
| section, but I’ll give you a little bit of a tip: | | | | yourself “You know what, that one was |
| If you get to a section that seems really weird or | | | | weird, that one was harder than I expected. |
| has questions that you haven’t seen before | | | | It’s probably the experimental one”. |
| and it’s somehow different from the rest, | | | | Stay positive. Keep moving. That’s the way |
| it’s probably the experimental one. | | | | you maximize your SAT score. |