700+ on Critical reading

<p>So took the SAT twice, 2160 1st time and 2150 2nd time, but what was disappointing was that my CR score stayed the same at a 620 :( even tho I tried to prepare rigorously by doing all the Blue book tests and Online course tests. I need a 2200+ to be competitive in bs md programs and getting it mainly has to do with me getting a 700+ score on CR. I looked at my - score report from the 2nd time had only 2 vocab qs wrong but 10 passage qs wrong- all medium level qs and didnt miss any hard level qs. Its frustrating but will definitely give it my last shot in october as a senior. So what can I do this summer, considering Ive taken almost all the prac tests, to prepare for it so that I can almost guarantee getting a 700+ on the CR. Help or advice will be greatly appreciated! Want to reach 2200 badly</p>

<p>Bump! Need help guys</p>

<p>i myself is not so good at CR, but i believe you should always keep asking yourself why answers are wrong. just do it. gradually you should be able to quickly detect wrong (even tricky) ones at first sight. cross them all out and you get the right ones.</p>

<p>keep in mind that practice makes perfect. and after all, you get bad CR scores just because of wrong judgement. from now on try to judge everything carefully. good luck.</p>

<p>I agree with PP. It’s all about seeing why an answer is wrong and learning to recognize those error patterns. Remember that there is only one right answer. Something makes the other four answer choices wrong, whether it be a simple word or a complex idea. Try to prephrase an answer to the question before you ever look at the answer choices. Then, avoid answers that are the opposite of your prephrase; these answers often use the same words that were used in the passage, while the right answer relies on more synonyms. For example if the text uses the phrase “ferocious antagonism,” the wrong, opposite answer will likely use either “ferocious,”“antagonism,” or “ferocious antagonism.” The right answer will use synonyms like “savage opposition,” or “merciless dissension.” Also avoid those answers that use extreme words like “never,” “only,” and “always.” It’s much easier to defend an answer choice that uses “some” than an answer that uses “most.” Other extreme words include adjectives like “hostile,” “dismayed,” and “absurd.” </p>

<p>When I miss CR questions, it’s usually because I read the question too quickly and failed to read one little word. Good luck!</p>

<p>I got 740 on CR.My advice is to read the passage and go with your gut on the answers. it works for me</p>

<p>^well not everyone’s “gut” can be right.</p>

<p>^^ I wish my gut was that good too.</p>

<p>But if you know you are bad at the passages, check them even more rigorously than before on the actual test. Since you know that is your weakness, maybe buy a book speacializing in CR and do practice questions on those passages.</p>

<p>Read books. I received a 740 just as Aj1993 did, and essentially the only thing I did to “prepare” for the SAT was read a bunch books. In the days preceding the SAT, I think I tackled Gogol’s Dead Souls – it doesn’t matter what you read, so much that you <em>are</em> reading. </p>

<p>It’s pretty straightforward. I’m sure there are quick fix methods to achieving a marginally better CR score, but with the time you have in the summer, I see no reason why you can’t dedicate yourself to a handful of challenging novels. I’d wager that just reading an hour before bed each night will dramatically improve your score.</p>