Preparing for SAT in 2026: The Essential Smart Guide with 8-Week Study Plan
April 30, 2026 No Comments
Preparing for the SAT: The Smart Student’s Complete 2026 Guide
SAT Subject Tests were multiple-choice standardized tests by the College Board based on individual subjects. They were taken by students to strengthen their college admissions credentials in the United States and were a prerequisite for many U.S. universities, especially for international applicants.
Yes — SAT Subject Tests were permanently discontinued by the College Board on January 19, 2021. No further Subject SAT exams will be offered. Some colleges may still consider scores from tests taken before the cancellation, at their own discretion — always check the individual college’s website for the most current policy.
The landscape around standardised testing has changed dramatically since 2021. Six of the eight Ivy League schools now require SAT or ACT scores for students applying in the 2026–27 admissions cycle. The table below reflects the last known Subject SAT policies before the tests were cancelled, for historical reference. For current SAT/ACT requirements, always verify directly on each college’s official admissions page.
| University | Subject SAT Status (at time of cancellation, 2021) |
|---|---|
| Brown University | Not required, Can be considered |
| California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | Not required |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Not required, Not considered |
| Cooper Union | Math and Science considered for engineering applicants |
| Cornell University | Not required, Not considered |
| Dartmouth College | Not required, Can be considered |
| Duke University | Not required |
| George Washington University | Required for B.A./M.D., Can be considered |
| Harvard University | 2 test scores recommended |
| Harvey Mudd College | Not required |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | Not required, Not considered |
| New York University (NYU) | 3 subject SATs or SAT/ACT/AP Exams required |
| Princeton University | Recommended, Not Required |
| Tufts University | Not required, Not considered |
| University of Pennsylvania | Recommended |
| Wellesley College | Not required, Can be considered |
| Yale University | Recommended, Not required |
2026 Update: Testing policies at many of these institutions have changed significantly. Beginning with the 2025–2026 application cycle, Brown reinstated its standardised testing requirement for all first-year applicants. Similarly, UPenn also reinstated standardised test score requirements. Always confirm current policies at each college’s official admissions page before applying.
In 2020, the College Board offered 20 different Subject SATs across five subcategories: English, History, Math, Science, and Language. These tests are no longer available.
The following is a historical reference list of all Subject SATs that were once offered, along with their last available average scores:
| Subcategory | Test | Average Score (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| English Literature | SAT Test in Literature | 599 |
| History | SAT Test in United States History | 624 |
| History | SAT Test in World History | 615 |
| Math | SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 1 | 599 |
| Math | SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 2 | 690 |
| Science | SAT Subject Test in Biology (Ecological) | 616 |
| Science | SAT Subject Test in Biology (Molecular) | 647 |
| Science | SAT Subject Test in Chemistry | 668 |
| Science | SAT Subject Test in Physics | 667 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in Chinese with Listening | 761 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in French | 634 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in French with Listening | 664 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in German | 636 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in German with Listening | 629 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in Modern Hebrew | 614 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in Italian | 677 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in Japanese with Listening | 704 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in Korean with Listening | 764 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in Latin | 632 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in Spanish with Listening | 660 |
SAT Subject Tests are no longer offered, so no registration fees apply. For reference, the original baseline fee was $26, plus $22 per subject test and $26 per test with a listening section. Fee waivers covered up to 6 subject fees.
For the current Digital SAT, the registration fee as of August 2025 is $68, with fee waivers available for eligible students. International students pay an additional $43 regional fee on top of the base rate.
All SAT Subject Test dates were cancelled after June 2021. There are no upcoming dates for the Subject SAT.
The regular SAT is still very much active and is now administered fully digitally, scored on a 400–1600 scale. Upcoming 2026 test dates (always verify at collegeboard.org):
| SAT Test Date | Registration Deadline (Approx.) |
|---|---|
| March 14, 2026 | February 27, 2026 |
| May 2, 2026 | April 17, 2026 |
| June 6, 2026 | May 22, 2026 |
| August 23, 2026 | ~July 25, 2026 |
| October 4, 2026 | ~September 5, 2026 |
| November 7, 2026 | ~October 17, 2026 |
| December 5, 2026 | ~November 7, 2026 |
Always confirm dates and deadlines at the official College Board SAT registration page (satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/registration), as schedules may change.
The SAT Subject Tests no longer exist. The comparison below reflects the original differences, updated to reflect the current Digital SAT format:
| Criteria | Subject SAT (Discontinued) | SAT (Digital, Active) |
|---|---|---|
| What is it for? | College admissions & scholarships | College admissions & placements |
| Format | Paper-based, multiple choice | Fully digital, adaptive |
| Duration | 1 hour per subject | 2 hours 14 minutes |
| How often offered per year? | Was offered 6–7 times | 7–8 times |
| Topics covered | 20 individual subjects | Reading & Writing, Math |
| Scored out of | 800 | 1600 |
| Penalty for wrong answer | Yes (fraction of a point) | No penalty |
The Digital SAT lasts about 2 hours and 14 minutes — significantly shorter than the old 3-hour paper version. Students answer about 98 questions total, compared to 154 in the old SAT. Each section uses an adaptive format where the difficulty of the second module adjusts based on performance in the first.
Now that SAT Subject Tests are permanently cancelled, students often ask: How can I demonstrate subject-specific knowledge for college applications?
The good news is there are strong alternatives:
A program that could benefit you in this quest is Clever Harvey’s JuniorMBA. With courses in Marketing, Strategy and Technology amongst others, you can test drive a career in your dream field and prove to your university that you have what it takes to make it on site. A combined learning-working experience, you’ll learn degree level theory at a high school level understanding and work on projects for industry leaders like PUMA and Samsonite. The exposure is great for your own growth and understanding as well as for your CV when applying for colleges! Check out Clever Harvey here.
Preparing for the SAT: The Smart Student’s Complete 2026 Guide
Do you have the required Harvard SAT scores to get into the Ivy League institute? What other things do you need to apply to Harvard? Learn all about it in this article.
SAT Subject Tests: Everything You Need to Know (2025–26 Update)
SAT Subject Tests were multiple-choice standardized tests by the College Board based on individual subjects. They were taken by students to strengthen their college admissions credentials in the United States and were a prerequisite for many U.S. universities, especially for international applicants.
Yes — SAT Subject Tests were permanently discontinued by the College Board on January 19, 2021. No further Subject SAT exams will be offered. Some colleges may still consider scores from tests taken before the cancellation, at their own discretion — always check the individual college’s website for the most current policy.
The landscape around standardised testing has changed dramatically since 2021. Six of the eight Ivy League schools now require SAT or ACT scores for students applying in the 2026–27 admissions cycle. The table below reflects the last known Subject SAT policies before the tests were cancelled, for historical reference. For current SAT/ACT requirements, always verify directly on each college’s official admissions page.
| University | Subject SAT Status (at time of cancellation, 2021) |
|---|---|
| Brown University | Not required, Can be considered |
| California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | Not required |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Not required, Not considered |
| Cooper Union | Math and Science considered for engineering applicants |
| Cornell University | Not required, Not considered |
| Dartmouth College | Not required, Can be considered |
| Duke University | Not required |
| George Washington University | Required for B.A./M.D., Can be considered |
| Harvard University | 2 test scores recommended |
| Harvey Mudd College | Not required |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | Not required, Not considered |
| New York University (NYU) | 3 subject SATs or SAT/ACT/AP Exams required |
| Princeton University | Recommended, Not Required |
| Tufts University | Not required, Not considered |
| University of Pennsylvania | Recommended |
| Wellesley College | Not required, Can be considered |
| Yale University | Recommended, Not required |
2026 Update: Testing policies at many of these institutions have changed significantly. Beginning with the 2025–2026 application cycle, Brown reinstated its standardised testing requirement for all first-year applicants. Similarly, UPenn also reinstated standardised test score requirements. Always confirm current policies at each college’s official admissions page before applying.
In 2020, the College Board offered 20 different Subject SATs across five subcategories: English, History, Math, Science, and Language. These tests are no longer available.
The following is a historical reference list of all Subject SATs that were once offered, along with their last available average scores:
| Subcategory | Test | Average Score (2016) |
|---|---|---|
| English Literature | SAT Test in Literature | 599 |
| History | SAT Test in United States History | 624 |
| History | SAT Test in World History | 615 |
| Math | SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 1 | 599 |
| Math | SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 2 | 690 |
| Science | SAT Subject Test in Biology (Ecological) | 616 |
| Science | SAT Subject Test in Biology (Molecular) | 647 |
| Science | SAT Subject Test in Chemistry | 668 |
| Science | SAT Subject Test in Physics | 667 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in Chinese with Listening | 761 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in French | 634 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in French with Listening | 664 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in German | 636 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in German with Listening | 629 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in Modern Hebrew | 614 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in Italian | 677 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in Japanese with Listening | 704 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in Korean with Listening | 764 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in Latin | 632 |
| Language | SAT Subject Test in Spanish with Listening | 660 |
SAT Subject Tests are no longer offered, so no registration fees apply. For reference, the original baseline fee was $26, plus $22 per subject test and $26 per test with a listening section. Fee waivers covered up to 6 subject fees.
For the current Digital SAT, the registration fee as of August 2025 is $68, with fee waivers available for eligible students. International students pay an additional $43 regional fee on top of the base rate.
All SAT Subject Test dates were cancelled after June 2021. There are no upcoming dates for the Subject SAT.
The regular SAT is still very much active and is now administered fully digitally, scored on a 400–1600 scale. Upcoming 2026 test dates (always verify at collegeboard.org):
| SAT Test Date | Registration Deadline (Approx.) |
|---|---|
| March 14, 2026 | February 27, 2026 |
| May 2, 2026 | April 17, 2026 |
| June 6, 2026 | May 22, 2026 |
| August 23, 2026 | ~July 25, 2026 |
| October 4, 2026 | ~September 5, 2026 |
| November 7, 2026 | ~October 17, 2026 |
| December 5, 2026 | ~November 7, 2026 |
Always confirm dates and deadlines at the official College Board SAT registration page (satsuite.collegeboard.org/sat/registration), as schedules may change.
The SAT Subject Tests no longer exist. The comparison below reflects the original differences, updated to reflect the current Digital SAT format:
| Criteria | Subject SAT (Discontinued) | SAT (Digital, Active) |
|---|---|---|
| What is it for? | College admissions & scholarships | College admissions & placements |
| Format | Paper-based, multiple choice | Fully digital, adaptive |
| Duration | 1 hour per subject | 2 hours 14 minutes |
| How often offered per year? | Was offered 6–7 times | 7–8 times |
| Topics covered | 20 individual subjects | Reading & Writing, Math |
| Scored out of | 800 | 1600 |
| Penalty for wrong answer | Yes (fraction of a point) | No penalty |
The Digital SAT lasts about 2 hours and 14 minutes — significantly shorter than the old 3-hour paper version. Students answer about 98 questions total, compared to 154 in the old SAT. Each section uses an adaptive format where the difficulty of the second module adjusts based on performance in the first.
Now that SAT Subject Tests are permanently cancelled, students often ask: How can I demonstrate subject-specific knowledge for college applications?
The good news is there are strong alternatives:
A program that could benefit you in this quest is Clever Harvey’s JuniorMBA. With courses in Marketing, Strategy and Technology amongst others, you can test drive a career in your dream field and prove to your university that you have what it takes to make it on site. A combined learning-working experience, you’ll learn degree level theory at a high school level understanding and work on projects for industry leaders like PUMA and Samsonite. The exposure is great for your own growth and understanding as well as for your CV when applying for colleges! Check out Clever Harvey here.
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