I’m planning to do the May SAT for the first time, I know that each university has their different codes, etc 1234. Do I need to enter this code when I pay/register my SAT or can I enter that code after?
And any general tips on the SAT? thanks!
You can enter your codes after. If you enter your codes beforehand, your results will automatically be sent to the universities in your list. This is risky, if you are uncertain whether or not you’ll get a good score.
GENERAL TIPS
As you’re probably aware the SAT was redesigned last year. Now out of 1600, the redesigned SAT is a much more prepable test; you can do well on it without memorizing tricks and words you won’t ever use again. A lot of the ways that you can prepare are also good life-habits; getting good at critical reading and mental math will serve you well in the long run. Here are our top three ways you can start preparing for the new SAT in your day-to-day.
Tip #1:
Read more. The new SAT reading section includes a passage from classic or contemporary literature, a passage from or about a U.S founding document, a section about a social science topic and two science passages. This is a very wide range of topics so you will benefit from reading a diverse caste of articles at a fairly sophisticated level. Most importantly, it isn’t enough to skim passages. You need to start digesting what you are reading thoroughly and critically. Discuss what you have read with your friends and family. Reflect on the author’s meaning and main points. This level of analysis will help you answer questions with ease on the Reading and Writing sections of the new SAT. In addition, and importantly, it will broaden your vocabulary - an important factor, as they are prone to using very difficult words.
Tip #2:
Write more. On the SAT you will have 50 minutes to complete the optional essay (I say optional, but you should always do it!). With a few minutes of thinking, outlining and editing, that leaves about 35 minutes of writing by hand. For those of you accustomed to typing nearly everything, that may leave your hand cramped and make the essay more of a physical struggle than you may have envisioned. Fortunately, the remedy for this is simple: Write by hand more often. You can journal about your day, your thoughts about what you have read (above) or any topic that you can write passionately about for 30+ minutes. Once your hand muscles are up for the challenge, you can turn your attention to how to craft a compelling essay.
Tip #3:
Put away the calculator. Getting good at mental math is simply a matter of learning (or relearning) some simple building blocks. Next time you see a number, think about its multiples and what it is divisible by. Learning multiples by counting (13, 26, 39, 52, 65, etc.) helps your brain add quickly and also helps you notice these numbers (“hey look, it’s 65–it’s divisible by 13”). Try to integrate mental math into your everyday: Calculate your average grade on math quizzes without using your calculator. If you’re splitting a pizza between friends, do the division in your head. Whenever you find yourself reaching for your phone or calculator to do a simple calculation, stop, and do it in your head instead. Developing this level of familiarity and comfort with numbers will alleviate some of the stress and foreignness of doing mental math on the test.
Hope this helps 
and good luck!