The SAT is a multiple-choice test. It has six timed sections, three of which cover math and three that cover verbal skills. Two of the math sections contain only multiple-choice questions, while the third is made up of quantitative comparison questions and grid-in questions. One of the verbal sections contains only reading comprehension questions, while the other two contain separate groups of sentence completions, analogies, and reading comprehension questions. In general, questions increase in difficulty as you progress through a group of same-type questions. All questions are worth the same number of points, and for all questions except grid-ins, there are penalties for wrong answers. In this chapter, we will show you that the structure of the SAT is very important to your success.

Imagine two children playing tag in the forest. Who will win—the girl who never stumbles because she knows the placement of every tree and all the twists, turns, and hiding spots, or the kid who keeps falling down and tripping over roots because he does not pay any attention to the landscape? The answer is obvious. Even if the other kid is faster and more athletic, the girl will still win because she knows how to navigate the landscape and use it to her advantage.

This example of tag in the forest is extreme, but it illustrates the point. The structure of the SAT is the forest. Taking the test is the game of tag.