SAT Admission Ticket: How To Get Your Ticket

You may have heard that a great SAT score is the ticket to an excellent college. However, there's a not-so-metaphorical ticket that you should know about as well: your SAT admission ticket. Without this little piece of paper, you cannot get into the testing room.

Don't find yourself in a panic on SAT day looking for this ticket. The night before your exam, you should pack your bag, print your SAT ticket and get a good night's sleep knowing that you'll be allowed to test.

What Is the SAT Admission Ticket?

Your ticket is the form that the SAT board makes for you to prove that you are who you say you are. It's the form that the test's proctor uses to stop cheating and to ensure the accuracy of test results. In many ways, it's a secondary form of identification that includes your:

• Photo
• Name
• Address
• Gender
• Birth date
• High school
• Testing center and date

The ticket may also include information on parking, special instructions for finding your testing room and other important details. The board also prints the words, "Bring this ticket to the test center" in bold in the center of the form.

How to Print Your Ticket

When you're ready to print your SAT ticket, head to the College Board website and click where it says "SAT." You can then log in with your existing SAT account or create a new one. Be sure to use the email address that you used during registration or else you will not gain access to your ticket.

If you have not yet registered for your exam, click "SAT Registration" and complete the form. If you have already registered and just need your ticket, look under the "My Test Registrations" section of the website.

Find the exam time in question and click "Print Admission Ticket." Be sure that you do not print the ticket from a previous exam you took. You will not be let into the classroom to take the test unless all of the information on the ticket is correct.

Reasons Proctors Reject Tickets

Even if you come with your ticket in hand, you could get turned away on SAT day. For example, if your ticket is hard to read because of wear and tear or spills, the proctor could turn you away. This would mean reregistering and even paying for the test again.

Some other common problems with SAT tickets include:

• Photos that do not meet College Board standards
• Names that do not match the student's full and legal name
• Mismatched IDs and tickets
• Tickets with the wrong testing date or place

Choosing a Photo for Your Ticket

If the College Board does not already have a photo of you from a previous registration, it may prompt you to upload an image of yourself. While you may be tempted to use your latest Instagram picture with a filter, this is not always the best option. Be sure that your photo:

• Clearly shows you from the shoulders up
• Is in focus with no shadows over your face
• Shows you looking at the camera with your eyes open

Your photo should not include any of the following:

• Sunglasses
• Hats unless worn for religious purposes
• Nudity or other obscene content
• Other people
• Filters or digital altering of any kind

SAT Checklist for Test Day

Before you leave the house to take your test, make sure you have everything you need on SAT day:

• SAT admission ticket
• Photo ID
• At least two #2 pencils and erasers
• A calculator that meets the College Board's standards

If you want to have the most comfortable experience possible, you should also bring:

• Snacks and water for break times
• A jacket
• An extra calculator and pencils

If you know how to access the admission ticket, and you print it out on time, you are one step closer to doing well on the SAT and fulfilling your college dreams.