Averaging 740s on SAT Math - would like a second opinion on my habits

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
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Hey all,

A few days ago I posted on here asking if running out of tests is an issue, and it doesn’t seem to be so I started devouring some SATs, and after about 7 (of which I only did the 3 math sections) - I can see some trends. My scores are: 2 740s, 2 750s, a 760, a 730, and one which didn’t have a scoring table, but the raw was 51. Here’s how, on average, it goes down.

  1. I'll go through the section, I'll generally skip 1 or 2 problems, and I'll be finished with the hardest ones in about 16 minutes for the 25 min sections, or 12ish for the 20 minute sections.
  2. Here, if I think I'm close to figuring out or solving the ones I skipped, I'll go do those and then I'll go back and check. If not, I leave them and just go straight to checking, hopefully I'll have some extra time.
  3. I go back through the section, re-reading the questions and re-doing the math for every question. I call this process 'micro-checking' and I make sure to read the directions very carefully and to do the math very carefully. At some point in the prep process I realized that all problems are made up of steps. For example: 1. Solve for variable, 2. Plug variable in, solve for second variable, 3. Add two variables together. I then understood that each of these steps contained processes (such as adding, subtracting, distributing, carrying minuses, etc) which held a potential for having a mistake be made. Through the tests that I did, I got decent at being able to bullet (for lack of a better word) in my head these steps, and then to check them. This pretty much guarantees that your checking over a problem will spot errors, UNLESS you have errors in your initial reasoning (for example: you didn't take something into account. I call those content errors, as opposed to careless errors, which is what we're checking for) and you solved the problem wrong. In general, this checking is what takes up the remaining 8 or 9 minutes.

My consistent problem that I’m seeing is that in general, I’ll leave around 3 problems blank for the test, or around 1 problem per section (giving me a raw of 51 - sometimes, I’ll miss 1 or 2, sometimes I’ll leave 2 blank on a section, but my raw averages 51/52). The reason I’m leaving these blank is because I don’t see the quick solution I’m supposed to see for them. Basically, on these problems, I’ll start plugging in, or doing some form of long mathematics which will still get me to the answer, but I simply don’t have time for them.

Now, obviously, this sounds like a content weakness, but the problem is, it happens on so many diverse types of problems that I don’t know what to study, and a lot of times, that same area of math (be it exponent rules, or combinations, or listing or whatever) I will have done well on in other tests - ergo I’m not necessarily bad at that… I just… I don’t know, that’s the thing, I don’t know why I’m seeing this pattern and what I can do to fix it. If it helps, this generally happens on the medium or harder problems.

Any advice you guys have would be greatly appreciated. Here’s a tip I gathered from my own introspection and watching of this problem:

  1. It SEEMS like they're content weaknesses. For example, I noticed that if I'm given a geometry problem (be it area, perimeter, shaded region, pretty much anything geometry-related, not including right triangles) I'm super fast on it, If that's a number 20, I can do that in 45 seconds. Now, where does this ability with geometry come from? That, I don't know, it just makes sense to me, I remember when I was in those classes, for some reason, that particular area of math I was really good at. Maybe the key is achieving a similar level of competence with the other concepts? How can I do that? Perhaps through enough drills? But they have to be SAT questions, don't they, I don't have access to 200 SAT questions of a specific type to practice with...

One last thing (Sorry for the massive post, I really do appreciate all of your help) - I’m not necessarily going for an 800, but I’m trying to eliminate weakness patterns that I see. If I’m constantly doing 770-790s and what I mess up is just the odd weird problem that I didn’t see, then that’s cool, I’ll settle with that, that has no pattern, but here I’m seeing something, which is why I feel like there’s a targeted way to fix it.

Thank you so much, looking forward to your comments!

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^^

Again, I would highly suggest to rely on this site. Post your question AND search for the same question in previous tests. Chances are that the problems that puzzle you now were addressed previously. Make sure to show what you did and look for suggestions from others here. It really is the best way.

Another suggestion would be to look up the members who have written great material about the SAT. At the risk of forgetting someone, here are a few names: pckeller, drsteve, satquantum, MITer94 – with apologies if I skipped someone. Beyond the books, you might find the full videos by Satquantum helful. He has covered many released tests.

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@xiggi I appreciate you taking the time to comment! See, here’s the thing, once I see the correct answer (like if I marked B but it’s actually C) I usually understand what I did wrong, if not, a simple google search gets me there. My problem isn’t with any specific type of question, that’s the thing, I understand pretty much all of them, it’s just that I can’t complete them in the allotted time - which is why I decided to post because that seems like a different problem than the particular questions.

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Take the test and see your actual score. If you get a 740 consider yourself done and move on!

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@am9799 - but how do people get consistent 780s+?? What do they have that I don’t?

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Sometimes just one mistake can drop you down to 760. The math curve is harsh. To score really high you have to pretty much make no mistake at all. Sometimes is luck, other times nerves or whatever. There are students that score 800s in their practice tests yet do not get 800 on the actual test and vice versa. You can not quantify everything. Why do you care so much? As long as you score in the 700s you are good to go. Just keep practicing to solidify your skills and then give it a try. If you get a score close to 750 I say good for you and move on to other parts of your application.

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@am9799 I don’t know, it’s not really that I need it exactly… I’m trying to get into Clemson University - a 700 is already above the 75th percentile - but I guess it’s the principle of the thing. I appreciate your help.

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Some of the books like PWN, Dr Steves , Barons , Panda etc have special chapters for students that aim for an 800. You could take a look on those and do the hard problems. However, you should never underestimate the easy part of the test and get sloppy habits. You do not want to find out that your score is lower than expected because although you answered all the hard questions you made careless mistakes all around. Some students are too focused on the last few questions and they harry through the test to give themselves more time. Usually that is not a good strategy. You should make sure you do a very good job through out the test and if you left with one question unanswered that will still bring you a better score than the plague of the careless mistakes.

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I would do as many hard problems as possible. I would just do the hard problems at the ends of sections from real test available online and the Red Book. I would go through the sections in Barrons SAT and Dr. Chungs on the different types of math on the test: make sure you know all the math on the test, and can do all the illustrative problems. There are also books of hard problems, such as Chungs, Math SAT Prep 800, Math SAT 800, and Crush the Math SAT: I know they aren’t well regarded here, but IMO they are useful if you have time and are already scoring at your level. I would work on the problems you miss, make sure you can do those and understand the concepts behind them.

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Thanks guys, I appreciate it

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How many mistakes are you making in total?

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@am9799 Mistakes are a rarity, that’s why I try to check my work so much. Usually I only make one per test in the multiple choice section, sometimes I make a mistake in the fill-in-the-blank, but that doesn’t matter. If it’s one or two mistakes, they don’t bring down your score because they round up. I’ve never had mistakes pull me down a point, I only lose points for not getting the problems right.

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what I mean is what is your raw score otherwise how many questions do you miss.

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51 or 52

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This is a good row score. Try not to jeopardize it when you actually take the SAT. I mean the first time you take the test don’t get too frustrated or obsessed about the few hard/tricky questions you find. Some times is best to even leave a couple blank if that will secure you peace of mind and the 740!.
Now about the hard questions. Do the hard/ tricky sections of the books mentioned above and see if it helps. Some of the hard problems can be solved by trying up numbers totally bypassing lengthy equations. Especially if the question involves number n. True you can write an equation with n but it will take much time. Also hard questions with functions can be solved with equations or sometimes recognizing a tip bit that simplifies things for example the function is symmetric to the axes so you can use some simple reasoning. Always ask yourself if there is something else you can use apart brute force and too much algebra. You should have a “list” of methods already in you head and run the question though that list before you commit to the solution. You will find out that the list is not infinite. Usually a small number of ideas can be applied to a lot of questions. In other words, there are patterns and what in the beginning looks random in the end falls in a “category” of problems. I think if you dig there are enough real test around for practice. But again, most important of all at test day is to secure the best score you can. I know students that got 700 first time they took the test and 650 the second time because they focused exclusively on the hard questions and got sloppy / run out of time etc.

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I absolutely agree that the first time you take it, you should just take it slow and try to have a good day.

But I disagree with the previous posts that suggest you focus your practice only on the harder problems. Here’s why:

There are only a couple of raw points separating you from your goal of an 800. Those points are often locked up in sneaky problems that require a flash of insight. If you are more experienced at the easy and medium questions, you will finish them faster – without ever trying to rush. That will give you more time to puzzle out the one or two hard ones at the end.

My point is that you should be looking over entire sections of real tests, making sure that you are familiar with the basics and that you recognize opportunities to find shortcuts that save the time you need for later. You don’t jump from 740 to 800 just by getting better at the hard ones. You jump by getting better at ALL of them.

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Have you taken the PSAT or SAT before? What did you score on the math section?

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I’ve taken it before, yes. In fact, I did a practice round of a full one this Saturday. I didn’t do well at all, I don’t know what happened. I got a raw 48 - but I think it’s something I can work through by consistently practicing full length tests (running out of tests is another question though). Before I studied for it though, when I

However, concerning breaking 51, @pckeller put my problem perfectly! “Flash of insight” it’s exactly those flashes of insight that I’m lacking and are causing me to lose my points. It’s not that I’m not familiar with the material, I just didn’t see that I could use what I knew in THAT SPECIFIC WAY in my 2 minutes that I had for that problem.

This is my problem - these flashes of insight. Is this something I can train?

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"This is my problem - these flashes of insight. Is this something I can train? "

Yes and no. I do think there is a certain degree to which raw talent makes it easier or harder. But practice and a good memory can do a lot to help. So keep up the practice. Also, some students find it helpful to make a journal where they keep a record of the problems that stumped them, writing down what did the trick. Was it a reading error? A silly math blunder? Or was there a connection that you didn’t see? Describe it! Own it. Don’t miss it the next time. And there will be a next time – the SAT revisits the same set of ideas again and again.

Do this with as many REAL tests as you have time for. And then, finally, just go take this thing. You will know that you did all you could.

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@pckeller - that’s the plan, get as close to the testing environment as I can (early mornings, full tests) when I practice so I can train a consistent decent score and the do it on the real test. Thanks!