A bit of advice for future SAT takers

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
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<p>When I left the test-center, I knew I did not do too well, but I always comforted myself
with the idea that the lowest I could ever get was 2000. </p>

<p>My blue book practice tests averaged around 2200 and the lowest I've ever gotten was 2040. Additionally, writing and was always my strong point, with scores in the range of 750-800 most of the time.</p>

<p>Come May 23, SAT scores are released, and fate, the ever annoying troll that it is, might as well have said this:</p>

<p>"The lowest score you could ever get is 2000 huh? Well, guess what, I'll give you 1990 for kicks."</p>

<p>1990: 660 CR; 720 M; 610 W (6 Essay)</p>

<p>UChicago, Penn, and Colgate U will have to go to the bin for now.</p>

<p>Now, the more important question: How did I end up getting that score?</p>

<ol>
<li>Essay: </li>
</ol>

<p>NEVER, EVER DO PRACTICE TESTS WITHOUT IT, and without reading the helpful essay writing guides scattered in CC. Going with pretty and creative writing will kill you.</p>

<p>Practice writing a structured, coherent essay with a clear point and contrasting views in less than 25 minutes again and again.</p>

<p>Imagine if I wrote a 12, even a 10 essay.
It would have been something like 2100, and that looks very different from 1990 at first glance.</p>

<ol>
<li>Vocab:</li>
</ol>

<p>Remember those vocab words in the blue book? </p>

<p>Some of you might just look at the definition, then tuck it away, like it won't really matter so much, like it won't come out in the real SAT.</p>

<p>Guess what? A good number of it probably will, and you will regret the 3 or 4 points you lost because of it.</p>

<ol>
<li>Don't be cocky in the Math section.</li>
</ol>

<p>I seriously felt like I was going to get an 800 when I took it. I knew how to solve all the items, but as most of you would have found out by now in your practice tests, careless mistakes will ruin you in math.</p>

<p>720 was likely just 3 or 4 errors, and this may have been the result of staring blankly into nowhere when you finish the math sections 5 minutes ahead of time.</p>

<p>Develop your own pacing well, whether its taking it slowly or rushing through the section and going back to the answers.</p>

<p>I'll be retaking in October, and hopefully I have learned my lesson by then. I don't want to hand over another $80 to the College Board.</p>

<p>I hope you guys picked up just a bit of knowledge to arm yourselves with in the SAT from my experience.</p>

<p>Good luck to everyone!</p>

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<p>I heavily agree with the maths part … I myself was expecting a 750+ in the maths section … Ended up with a 670 on that section (Total : 1960)</p>

<p>Also depending on your country and ethnicity you could get into UChicago … I know people from my school who got in with a 1900.
However it must also be noted that my country uses the British Education System (which is very different from the SAT making it very tough for us).</p>

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<p>Hi shujew!</p>

<p>I’m an international too, and I understand how the differences in the educational systems could make it a bit harder for us too. I had to do some extra reading and research to make up for any shortcomings in my ed system.</p>

<p>Can you tell me how the students from your school got into UChicago though? It really is my dream school, and naturally, my top choice until this SAT score came in and made me reassess my objectives.</p>

<p>Right now, given these scores, my targets are UMinn, SLU, ConColl and Gettysburg. </p>

<p>These are pretty good schools, but UChicago, Penn, and Colgate are clearly a step above these colleges in a lot of departments including “prestige,” which is on top of the list of wants for Asian parents like mine.</p>