Format and timing
Can you use scratch paper on the SAT?
Yes. Testing staff provide scratch paper for both Reading and Writing and Math. You may not bring your own paper; ask the proctor if you need more, and leave all scratch paper with testing staff afterward.
Do proctors hand it out?
The paper comes from testing staff, not from a notebook you bring. Follow the proctor’s instructions for distribution and requesting another sheet. You cannot take the scratch paper out after testing.
Bring a permitted pen or pencil for scratch work. A stylus or electronic writing device is not a substitute for allowed paper-and-pencil materials under the testing rules.
Can I use it in Reading and Writing?
Yes. Scratch paper is not limited to Math. It can help you separate a claim from a result in a data question or note the relationship needed for a transition. Keep the note shorter than the passage; copying the passage uses time without adding a new check.
Make flagged Math questions easy to find
Label work with the module and question number before calculating. Write the requested quantity near the final value: “radius,” “percent,” or “x-coordinate,” for example.
If your graph gives but the question asks for , record 3, not 9. Before returning to a flagged question, locate its numbered work instead of trying to recreate what an unlabeled calculation meant.