Booking a train.
My SAT is in Jan.
If it starts around 8, and lasts 3hr 45mins. Should my train leave at 12:30 local time, would that be okay?
THanks
One time I took the SAT and it didn’t get out until past 1:30. Some testing centers have long lines and are crowded and disorganized while you are waiting to get put in a classroom. 1:00 or 1:15 is probably a safer bet.
^45 minutes - too tight. How long it will take you from the school to the train station?
@Studious99 omg really lol, I assume mine is quiter since there are still seats open. Is this in an international center? Thanks I will book it around 1:15 ish 
@4kidsdad google maps approximates 13mins ish walk
Would it be okay booking at about 1ish guys?
bump
I’m the type who gets to the airport uber early and is happy to sit around waiting for my flight. Are you in snow land? There could be delays and the LAST thing you want is to worry about catching your train. I would not book earlier than 2, but that’s me. What happens if you run late? Is the ticket usable on a later train?
@AboutTheSame is the test 3 hour 45mins long including breaks?
I need to get home before 4 ideally. And train ride is about 2 hours.
Thanks for the advice.
If you have given SAT before, what time did you finish?
@AboutTheSame omg I thought your were being sarcastic with the snow land xD
No I live in UK, just rainy and cloudy.
I thought maybe you were an east coast US person. Well, as long as you’re not up in Cumbria or York, I guess you don’t need to worry about floods. You have a generally great train system. If you can make a 1:30 reservation but catch a later train (big deal if you don’t have a reserved seat,. which is all you’re talking about, right?), you’ll be fine. I would not want to go into a big test worrying about finishing in time to catch a certain train home. I have no idea what the total elapsed time for the test is. I last took the SAT in 1968, and D’s last was 2007 or thereabouts.
@AboutTheSame oh right thank you. Around 1:15 - 1:30 I will look for then. Thank you very much for your help. All the best in the new year.
I am of the same view as @AboutTheSame - better early than sorry.
Under the normal circumstances (starting on time, no interruptions) the test should end between 12:30 and 1 pm (it’s not just test alone: proctor’s checking admission tickets, reading the instructions, and distributing the test booklets and answer sheets; filling out the front sheet, copying the certification statement; add to that three breaks).
Now, why not consider the possibility of Murphy’s law’s activation? Fire alarm going off, waiting for the late arrival of some VIP’s daughter, somebody puking/fainting/not holding “it”, even a fight (all true stories, by the way); typo in a booklet (June of 2015), etc, etc. Booking a 2 pm train seems to be quite a prudent idea.
Ideally making it to the train beats not getting home before 4 o’clock any day in my books. 
@gcf101 ah I have already done it for 1:30. The centre is 10 mins from the train station. I think it will all go fine, and even if it doesn’t I will catch a later train, I suppose. As long as I give the exam, which I will stay at a hotel for it should be fine.
Thank you for your help. How long are the breaks btw, are students separated from eachother?
You are welcome.
Most likely you’ll be fine (and I wish you that).
Breaks are supposed to be 5 minutes each; they may vary depending on a proctor. Usually everybody is allowed to leave the room during the first two breaks, sometimes - during the third one as well. A proctor may actually suggest to cut the last break short against the rules (s/he wants to get home early too).
I’ve heard of proctors who would allow only one student at a time to leave the room during a break; it’s not prescribed in their manuals, so I would object to such a restriction vociferously. But: talking to each other during breaks is highly discouraged.
American English:
“take” the exam, not “give” the exam.
North Indian English: “to give an exam”. British English: “to sit an exam”. Australian English: “to sit for an exam”. South African English: “to write an exam”.
“Ah, isn’t diversity the spice of life?!” (Brian Galvin)
ETA: removed the link.
^^ english language diversity will hurt you on the SAT if your english isn’t American.
@gcf101 Thank you a lot for your help.
@GMTplus7 internationals use that terminology a lot. Sorry. I am sure “give” is still viable, no? Only in US do they use terminolgy “take”
My written english is from the dialect of England, as in donut in US in doughnut as from UK. So I spell as a UK person not a US, can I penalized for this?
@NearMello : I don’t believe you’re allowed to go back a rebubble a section that has been completed, so there’s not really a need to separate the students. That said, there is not much to be gained by talking about the test while it’s in progress.
I seriously doubt that whoever reviews the essays would hold “authorise” versus “authorize” against you, or the use of English idioms, but the multiple choice sections will be testing American English. At least, I am not aware of a different test being given overseas.