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Wondering whether to take the SAT Math Level I exam or SAT Math Level II exam? Here’s a useful breakdown.

Similarities:

Both the SAT Math Level I and SAT Math Level II exams consist of 50 multiple choice questions that you have just one hour to complete. You get one point for every correct answer and lose a quarter of a point for every incorrect answer. If you choose not to answer a question, you get zero points. The total raw score is converted into a scaled score between 200 and 800.

The vast majority of universities accept scores from both exams. Even MIT is not finicky about which one you take! We recommend, however, that if your academic background allows it, you sit for the Level II exam.

Differences:

The SAT Math Level II exam is more advanced than the SAT Math Level I exam.

The Level I exam covers algebra, geometry, basic trigonometry and statistics, and some miscellaneous math topics. The majority of the exam is focused on algebra, functions, and geometry (including trigonometry). The College Board, the administrators for the SAT exams, recommends that students complete three years of high school math before attempting the exam (“high school” means Secondary 3 – Junior College 2 in Singapore). You’ll need two years of algebra and one year of geometry.

To the topics covered in the Level I exam, the Level II exam adds pre-calculus. About half the exam focuses on algebra and functions; approximately a third on geometry; and the rest on numbers, operations, data analysis, statistics, and probability. The College Board suggests you prepare for this test with four years of high school mathematics, including two years of algebra, one of geometry, and one of pre-calculus and/or trigonometry.

Good luck, whichever exam you decide to take!