The SAT is a pacing test as much as a knowledge test. Most students who have never sat one under real timing discover that on the day, when the clock runs out on a section they actually knew how to do. Al Khawarizmi Institute has prepared students in Lebanon for university entrance exams since 2011, and our SAT course is built around mock exams under real conditions rather than around theory.
What is on the SAT
The SAT is now a digital, adaptive test taken on a laptop or tablet through the College Board’s Bluebook application. It runs about two hours and fourteen minutes and has two sections, each split into two modules.
- Reading and Writing — two modules of 27 questions, 32 minutes each. Short passages, one question per passage, covering comprehension, vocabulary in context, sentence structure, punctuation and the logic that joins ideas together.
- Math — two modules of 22 questions, 35 minutes each. Algebra, problem solving and data analysis, some advanced algebra, and a smaller share of geometry and trigonometry. A calculator is allowed throughout, and one is built into the application.
Adaptive matters more than most students expect. Your performance on the first module of a section decides whether the second module is the harder or the easier version, and the harder version is what gives access to the top of the scoring range. In practice this means the opening module is not the place to warm up. We train for that specifically.
How the SAT is scored
Each section is scored from 200 to 800, for a total between 400 and 1600. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so a blank is always worth less than a guess — leaving a question empty is the one mistake on the SAT that has no upside at all.
Scores are also reported as percentiles, which is what universities actually read. A percentile says how you did against everyone else who sat the test, and it is the reason a fifty-point gain matters much more in some parts of the range than in others. When you tell us your target university, we work back from the score band that university publishes rather than from a round number.
What the course covers
- Full preparation structured around the exam’s own sections and modules
- Timed mock exams in the digital format, so the pacing and the application both become routine before test day
- Question-type strategy — recognising what is being tested, and knowing which questions to leave until the end
- Review of every mock, so the next attempt fixes something specific rather than repeating the same run
- Adaptive-module training: treating the first module as the one that sets your ceiling
How we work
We start by checking your English level. The SAT rewards reading speed and precision, so if your base needs strengthening first we will tell you before you spend money on exam coaching, and route you through our General and Academic English course first. Students who are already comfortable in English go straight into exam work.
Course length depends on your starting level and your target score, and we confirm it with you directly rather than publishing a number that would not apply to you. A student moving from the middle of the range to the top needs a different plan than one sitting the test for the first time.
Who it is for
School students applying to universities that ask for the SAT, including Lebanese students applying abroad and to the universities here that accept it. Students retaking to lift a score that fell short of a programme’s threshold. And students deciding between this test and the ACT, who are welcome to read our guide to choosing between the SAT and the ACT before they commit to either.
Parents planning a year ahead are welcome to talk to us before the student starts. The most common mistake we see is not weak preparation but late preparation — booking a course close enough to the test date that there is no room to act on what the first mock reveals.
Where classes run
Classes run at our three branches — Beirut (Mar Elias), the Chouf (Simkanieh) and Choueifat (Saida Old Street) — and as live Zoom groups for students elsewhere in Lebanon or abroad. Same teachers, same materials, same certificate either way.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the SAT preparation course?
It depends on your current level and the score you are aiming for, so we confirm it with you after the level check rather than publishing a fixed number. Tell us your test date and we will work backwards from it.
How is the digital SAT scored?
From 400 to 1600 in total: 200 to 800 for Reading and Writing, and 200 to 800 for Math. There is no penalty for a wrong answer, so you should never leave a question blank.
What does it mean that the SAT is adaptive?
Each section has two modules. How you perform on the first module decides whether the second is the harder or the easier version, and the harder version is the one that reaches the top of the score range. That makes the first module unusually important, and we train for it directly.
When should a student start preparing for the SAT?
Early enough to sit at least one full mock exam and still have time to act on the result. Tell us your test date and we will work backwards from it.
Do you run mock SAT exams?
Yes. Mock exams are the core of the course, taken in the digital format under timed conditions, because the first time a student meets the real pacing should not be on test day.
Can I prepare for the SAT online?
Yes. The course runs as live Zoom classes with the same teachers as our in-person groups, for students elsewhere in Lebanon or abroad. The test itself is digital, so online preparation matches the real format closely.
Related courses
- ACT Preparation — the other university entrance test, if you have not yet chosen
- TOEFL Preparation — English proficiency for university admission
- IELTS Preparation — for university admission, work visas and migration
- English Language Courses — all levels, placement exam first
Start preparing
Send us your test date and your target score and we will tell you honestly how much preparation the jump usually takes, with the next group dates and fees. Call 00961 71 27 67 13 or message us on WhatsApp.