Digital SAT 30-Day Study Guide: Balance Your Schoolwork and Ace the Exam

Are you juggling homework, extracurriculars, and preparation for the new Digital SAT? Don’t sweat it—you’re not alone.

At SAT Insiders, we’ve got your back with a 30-day plan that tackles the Digital SAT without demanding every spare minute of your day. Here’s exactly how to structure your prep for the next month so you can stay on top of your high school commitments and get the scores you deserve.

Why a 30-Day Digital SAT Plan?

If you’re reading this, you probably have limited free time. You have schoolwork, perhaps part-time jobs, or other responsibilities. This 30-day schedule is designed to:

• Minimize stress by breaking large tasks into bite-size pieces.
• Optimize practice using official Bluebook digital practice tests and curated resources.
• Focus on efficiency so you can still manage daily school assignments, after-school clubs, or sports.
• Build stamina for test day, ensuring you’re ready for both the Reading & Writing and Math sections.

Remember: The Digital SAT measures the same core skills as the traditional version—critical reading, logical reasoning, grammar, and the math you need for college. But it’s now adaptive, meaning you’ll see question modules that adjust to your performance.

Your 30-Day Comprehensive Timeline

Week 1: Diagnostic & Digital Familiarity

Day 1: Take a Baseline Test

• Hop onto the Bluebook App and complete a full-length practice test.
• Mark down your initial scores in Reading & Writing and Math.
• Jot notes on how you felt about pacing, question difficulty, and any content gaps.

Day 2: Review the Digital SAT Format

• Learn the structure of the exam. Understand how the adaptive modules work and what the question types are.
• Review questions you missed from the first baseline test.

Day 3: Dive into Reading & Writing Essentials

• Skim passages in literature, history/social studies, humanities, and science to practice reading quickly and actively.
• Explore common SAT grammar issues. If you’re unsure where to start, learn the grammar cheat sheet so you can avoid making silly mistakes on test day.

Day 4: Dive into Math Essentials

• Break down the Math section:
  • Algebra (linear equations, systems)
  • Advanced Math (quadratics, polynomials)
  • Problem-Solving & Data Analysis (ratios, data interpretation)
  • Geometry & Trigonometry (
• Familiarize yourself with the built-in Desmos graphing calculator on Bluebook.

These articles will help you get prepared for utilizing the Desmos calculator:

• Desmos usage guide, including hidden functions
• how you can use a calculator for most of the Math section.

Day 5: Master Test-Taking Strategies

• Practice time management—for instance, 1 minute per question, with leftover minutes to review.
• Use process of elimination, especially on tricky multiple-choice questions.

Day 6: Focus on Calculator Skills

• Practice with the official Desmos calculator.
• Remember the articles on Desmos you got earlier? Learn quick commands and graphing hacks for linear, quadratic, and exponential functions.

Day 7: Mini-Practice Run

• Take half a Reading & Writing practice section and half a Math practice section under timed conditions.
• Immediately review mistakes and note if you struggled with pacing, question difficulty, or content knowledge.

Pro Tip: Unless taking a test, keep your daily study sessions to about 45–60 minutes. That’s enough to be productive but short enough that it doesn’t interfere with your school day routine.

Week 2: Building Strength in Reading & Writing

Day 8: Focus on Craft & Structure

• Work on identifying the purpose, tone, and structure of the passage.
• Practice with short passages—this helps you get comfortable with the Digital SAT’s smaller reading chunks.
• Refer to the Question Bank to find problems within specific skillsets

Day 9: Information & Ideas

• Hone your skills at extracting main ideas and making inferences.
• Try reading comprehension exercises focusing on primary arguments and supporting details in short passages.

Day 10: Grammar & Standard English Conventions

• Review parts of speech, subject-verb agreement, pronoun clarity, and punctuation.
• Incorporate an analysis session: choose a random sentence from any book and analyze its grammatical structure.

Day 11: Expression of Ideas

• Practice revising paragraphs for clarity, style, and logical flow.
• Emphasize transitions (e.g., “however,” “therefore,” “meanwhile”) to connect ideas smoothly.

Day 12: RW Timed Mini-Test

• Set aside 30–40 minutes to do a chunk of Reading & Writing questions, focusing on time efficiency.
• Immediately review your answers. Find patterns in your mistakes.

Day 13: Targeted Review

• Identify the subtopics you missed most (maybe command of evidence or inferences).
• Use Khan Academy’s SAT Reading & Writing modules for targeted drills.

Day 14: Full RW Section Practice

• Simulate test conditions for the entire Reading & Writing portion.
• Keep track of time and use only the Bluebook tools.
• Revisit missed questions the same day to reinforce learning.

Week 3: Building Strength in Math

Day 15: Algebra Day

• Practice linear equations, inequality solving, and function interpretation.
• Integrate quick mental math to cut down on calculator reliance.

Day 16: Advanced Math

• Tackle nonlinear functions, systems of equations, probabilities, and equivalent expressions.
• If you’re stumbling on algebraic manipulations, do some step-by-step problem breakdowns using the question bank.

Day 17: Problem-Solving & Data Analysis

• Interpret charts, graphs, and tables, and solve ratio/percentage questions.
• Add some personal touch into it: check real-world contexts like sports stats, population growth, and budgets.

Day 18: Geometry & Trigonometry

• Focus on volume, angles, triangles, circles, and basic trig.
• Master circle theorems or special right triangles to speed up question-solving. Most of the circle questions appear on hard difficulties, so make sure to practice these diligently.

Day 19: Math Timed Mini-Test

• Choose 10–15 questions spanning different topics.
• Work under timed conditions, about 1.5 minutes per question.

Day 20: Targeted Math Review

• Identify recurring errors: sign mistakes, misread graphs, confusion on geometry concepts.
• Practice systematically in those areas.

Day 21: Full Math Section Practice

• Complete an entire Math section with your graphing calculator.
• Review your solutions thoroughly—especially the missed questions.

Week 4: Final Stretch & Full Mock Exams

Day 22: Full-Length Practice Test

• Time yourself exactly as on test day—64 minutes for Reading & Writing, 70 minutes for Math (plus breaks).
• Use only the official Bluebook or an official linear practice PDF if you’re testing with accommodations.

Day 23: Deep Dive into Mistakes

• Re-check every incorrect answer.
• Pinpoint patterns: Did you miss more geometry questions? Or struggle with reading in a certain subject area (like science)?

Day 24: RW Focused Review

• Revisit the grammar, reading strategies, or rhetorical skills you found most challenging.
• Try advanced passages to practice text complexity.

Day 25: Math Focused Review

• Drill the toughest question types—maybe advanced algebra or multi-step data analysis. This is necessary to get through the hard questions appearing towards the end of module 2.
• Keep your technique consistent: underline key data, watch out for sign errors.

Day 26: Adaptive Practice Sections

• Use a Bluebook or Khan Academy adaptive quiz set.
• This simulates the real “multistage” format where the second module is harder or easier based on your performance.

Day 27: Strategy & Endurance

• Work on pacing. Plan how you’ll handle the final 5 minutes of each module.
• Remind yourself: “No question left unanswered.” Guessing is better than leaving it blank.

Day 28: Second Full-Length Test

• Replicate Day 22 under timed conditions, focusing on consistent pacing.
• Compare your score to your previous practice test. Are you improving?

Day 29: Light Review & Relaxation

• Skim through final notes, key formulas, and grammar rules.
• Don’t overdo it—burnout lowers performance.

Day 30: Final Prep Day

• Charge your device, check your testing location, and prep any allowed materials.
• Relax. Watch a movie, go for a walk—just keep your stress levels low.

Bonus Tips for Your 30-Day Journey

1. Stay Consistent: Carve out the same 45–60 minutes every day to form a habit.
2. Leverage Free Tools: College Board’s Bluebook Testing App, Question Bank, and Khan Academy are gold mines for official practice.
3. Review Often: Every missed question is a clue to skill gaps. Fix them quickly!
4. Plan for Technicalities: Download Bluebook ahead of time and practice with the exact device you’ll use. If you lack a device, you can request to borrow one (especially relevant in certain states or if you’re testing internationally).
5. Mind the Time Zone & Location: If you’re taking the test abroad, be sure to confirm the local test center rules.

Next Steps: Keep Exploring SAT Insiders!

• Struggling with advanced math? Dive into 5 Complex Math Topics You Must Master.
• Want more strategies for reading passages? Head over to Improving Your Reading Speed.

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At SAT Insiders, we believe every high school student can master the Digital SAT—without sacrificing their entire schedule. Follow this 30-day plan, tweak it to suit your personal workflow, and you’ll walk into test day confident, prepared, and ready to crush your goals.

Happy studying, and remember: steady progress beats last-minute cramming any day. Good luck on your Digital SAT journey!