The 5 December SAT is the last one of 2026. Nobody knows its questions in advance, and anyone selling them is selling a fake or a stolen form. What you can predict is the shape of the test. College Board publishes how many questions of each type appear, how long each module runs and how the second module is chosen. None of that changes between dates, so 5 December will look exactly like 7 November did.
What 5 December will look like
| Section | Questions | Modules | Time per module |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | 54 | 2 × 27 | 32 minutes |
| Math | 44 | 2 × 22 | 35 minutes |
| 10-minute break between the sections. 2 hours 14 minutes of testing in all. | |||
That works out to about 71 seconds per Reading and Writing question and about 95 seconds per Math question. Those are the only two pacing numbers worth learning. The Math pacing and Reading and Writing pacing guides show how to hold them.
How many questions of each type you will get
College Board's specifications give each content domain a share of its section. Scaled to the 44 Math and 54 Reading and Writing questions, this is what to expect on 5 December:
| Math domain | Share | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Algebra | ~35% | 14 to 17 |
| Advanced Math | ~35% | 14 to 17 |
| Problem-Solving and Data Analysis | ~15% | 6 to 8 |
| Geometry and Trigonometry | ~15% | 6 to 8 |
| Reading and Writing domain | Share | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Craft and Structure | ~28% | 14 to 16 |
| Information and Ideas | ~26% | 13 to 15 |
| Standard English Conventions | ~26% | 12 to 16 |
| Expression of Ideas | ~20% | 9 to 13 |
The Math table is the most useful prediction there is. Algebra and Advanced Math make up about 70% of the section. Geometry and trigonometry, where many students spend their last weeks, is six to eight questions. About a quarter of Math questions are grid-ins with no answer choices. In our own bank, 421 of 1,756 Math questions are grid-ins (24%), so expect around 11.
The September predictions explain where these numbers come from. Our question bank breakdown shows how 3,444 tagged questions compare with them.
Is the December SAT harder than other dates?
There is no published evidence that it is. Every form is scaled so that the same score means the same thing on any date. A harder form needs fewer correct answers for the same score, which is why the SAT isn't curved against the other students in your room.
The same goes for Module 2. It is chosen from how you did in Module 1, but neither version is all hard or all easy. A Module 2 that feels easy is not proof you were routed down, so don't let it change how you answer the rest.
Students outside the US sit a different form on the same day. The structure and the timing are the same. So a "leak" from one region doesn't describe the test in another, even if it were real. International vs US SAT explains the differences that do exist.
Use your November score as the prediction
If you sat on 7 November, your scores come out on Friday 20 November. That report predicts your December result better than anything else, because it shows which skills cost you points. Pick the two weakest and spend most of the time left on them. How to read your SAT score report shows where to look.
20 November is also the registration deadline for 5 December, with late registration open to 24 November for $38 more. The December deadline guide has the times for India, the UAE and Singapore. If you aren't sure a retake is worth it, the free SAT Retake Check compares your score with your colleges' ranges.
A plan for the weeks left
- Take one full timed test, not three. Use Bluebook or another adaptive test, then spend longer reviewing it than you spent taking it. Our review method is the version that works.
- Split your Math time like the test does. About 70% on algebra and advanced math, the rest on data and geometry.
- Fix the two skills your score report flags. Drill those question types until you get them right on time, not just right.
- Check your device now. Bluebook's device check takes ten minutes. The rules changed this year, and the deadline to borrow a laptop from College Board passed on 5 November. See SAT device requirements.
- Ease off in the last week. Short sets and sleep, not new topics. The week before the SAT and what to expect on test day cover the details.
Our SAT students regularly score 1500 and above. On the 12 September SAT, two of them scored 1590. None of them knew a single question beforehand. They knew the structure on this page and practised the question types that cost them points.
What changes after December
The next SAT is 6 March 2027, which is too late for most 1 January application deadlines. Scores from 5 December come out on Friday 18 December, in time for those deadlines.
From spring 2027, College Board's score report data layout adds a Science Practices and Foundations score, reported on a 65 to 95 scale. It measures how well a student applies common science practices and the maths that science relies on. It starts with the spring 2027 tests, so your 5 December report won't have it.
Frequently asked questions
Can anyone predict the questions on the December 2026 SAT?
No. The questions are secure until the test is given, and anything claiming otherwise is invented or stolen. What you can predict is the structure: 54 Reading and Writing and 44 Math questions, the number in each content domain, the time per module and how the second module is chosen.
Is the December SAT harder than other test dates?
There is no published evidence that it is. Each form is scaled so that the same score means the same on any date, and a harder form needs fewer correct answers for the same score.
How many algebra questions are on the 5 December 2026 SAT?
About 14 to 17 of the 44 Math questions. Advanced Math has a similar share, so the two together are about 70% of the Math section. Geometry and Trigonometry and Problem-Solving and Data Analysis are six to eight questions each.
When do 5 December 2026 SAT scores come out?
Friday 18 December 2026. That is in time for most 1 January application deadlines.
Is the December SAT the same in India and the US?
The date, structure and timing are the same, but students outside the US sit a different form. A question reported from one region doesn't tell you what the other will see.
Will the December 2026 SAT include the new science score?
No. College Board says the Science Practices and Foundations score, on a 65 to 95 scale, starts with spring 2027 administrations. The 5 December report has the usual total and section scores.