<p>My son is in 11th grade and just took the test. His scores were 630 reading, 600 math, and 500 writing. I think these are OK grades, but not nearly where they should be, and he is usually excellent at standardized tests.</p>
<p>He wants to go to one of the moderate state schools and the guidance counselor said these scores will get him in. </p>
<p>From what I've heard, a private tutor is the best way to go. My son absolutely refuses. But I know for certain he'll never read a book or do an online course. </p>
<p>I'm just confused. I want to give him the best chance possible and have him see that he can improve/excel with hard work. But maybe I should let him alone and let him take the test again to see if he improves on his own.</p>
<p>Has anyone else had this experience? Does anyone have advice on the best way to improve the SAT scores and/or find a tutor?</p>
<p>The only way for him to improve individually is intensive self-study. Personally, I had similar scores on my PSATs and improved to over a 2300+. He needs the motivation first, then read the Grubers, Barrons, and the Blue Book, memorize the rules/words he doesn't know in it, and do all the practice tests and exercises. </p>
<p>I believe even a tutor would not help him if he does not have the motivation. Tell your son that he has the time and potential to aim higher than his goal of moderate state schools.</p>
<p>Thanks. My brother is the one pushing the hardest about the tutor. His three kids graduated from Duke and two went on to Harvard. I am sad to say that I know you are right. I also know that a tutor could really help him because he'd get personalized help. But there's no way to force someone to become motivated.</p>
<p>Self studying may not be the way to go with your son since he'd need to be highly motivated and disciplined. He may be adverse to a tutor since it implies extra homework and the one on one thing might feel too "constricting" to him. </p>
<p>Can you perhaps put him in a course over the summer? It may be more "fun" for him as there is interaction with other kids in the class and the actual instruction during the class might be more palatable to him than the drudgery of working on his own, even with the tutor.</p>
<p>Improving the SAT score has a lot to do with strategies learned that you'd otherwise not know about. Knowing the strategies alone can substantially increase a score, particularly in Math. </p>
<p>My D had no use for studying on her own though she did a little here and there.... then took a structured course over the summer and raised her score by 250 points. It was well worth it.</p>
<p>The CR is usually the most difficult but that's your son's highest score. It seems to me he could very well improve the two others, especially the writing.</p>
<p>My daughter won't open the Barrons book on her own. The parents at her school mostly swear by a couple highly regarded and high priced tutors; and supposedly the second-best thing is the course that she's in now which is smaller classes than the well known prep courses so harder to sit there doodling and spacing out the whole time.</p>
<p>I totally agree w/ sequioia re: stragegies. The better test prep classes give "pretests" and group the kids as to whether they need to learn material, strategies or both. And practice practice practice taking the three hour test is a must. BTW - has your son taken the ACT? My son bombed the SAT after hours of tutoring, but his ACT score, with very little prep, was amazing!</p>
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He wants to go to one of the moderate state schools and the guidance counselor said these scores will get him in. </p>
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<p>Did you mean to write these scores won't get him in? If they will get him in, why stress over this anymore? I think the hard work lesson is much more easily applied to his actual school work than the SAT.</p>
<p>If the math score is low because he doesn't have understanding of all the topics tested, then that needs to be addressed. However, if he just needs more practice at timed testing conditions then you can administer practice tests at home that are timed. One strategy that worked well for my son was to sign up for an ACT that was given the week before the SAT. We already knew that the ACT was not the right test for him, but it gave him a real run through of test day ie get up early, find calculator, find id, eat breakfast, drive to school. There is a chance your son could do better on the ACT than the SAT but in any case no college has to ever see a bad score on the ACT because they give you score choice. The outcome for my son was Math score increased from 650 to 750.</p>
<p>Search CC for the phrase "xiggi method". Xiggi is a college student who is a frequent poster, and who has an exceptionally well thought-through program for SAT I self-study. It has been detailed numerous times, and has accumulated many encomiums from kids who have used it with success. But the bottom line is: practice using the real SAT tests that College Board publishes, pay systematic attention to your mistakes, and work on correcting them.</p>
<p>Boy, I really appreciate everyone taking the time to help. The guidance counselor can "say" my son will get in, but he certainly can't guarantee it. He does have to raise the overall by 30 points to get the full State scholarship we could really use. He is great at math, so I agree with a lot said in your responses and on this Board that it has to do with strategy as well as knowledge. Though, mostly it has to do with a child having self-motivation to accomplish more and doing some short-term hard work to achieve it. </p>
<p>I certainly don't expect a 98% score, but since he will take the test again in May, I feel strongly that there should be some amount of help or why bother?</p>
<p>Thanks again. I really need the help and support of other parents going through this. I'll look up Xiggi now.</p>
<p>If there's money involved--a scholarship you need--I think you need to point out to your son that he will have a choice: get the scholarship now or get a job later to make up the same money.</p>
<p>The SAT has a practice effect: more practice is definitely better.</p>
<p>The GC says that his current scores are sufficient for the college he aspires to. </p>
<p>So why worry about the SAT? Perhaps your son would be better off consulting with the GC to see whether all other aspects of his record (GPA, ECs, etc.) are suitable for admission to the college he wants to go to.</p>
<p>Edited to add: Oops, I just saw the financial issue mentioned above. If 30 points would do it, a course would probably help. Tell your son that the purpose of the course is to "beat the system" by psyching out the test so he can get his extra 30 points and his money. Most kids like the idea of outsmarting the system.</p>
<p>"He does have to raise the overall by 30 points to get the full State scholarship we could really use.". </p>
<p>Are you sure about this? 30 points more will only give it a 1760 out of 2400. May be it will reach the bare minimum requirement for a scholarship? I just can't image any school gives out a full ride at that level.</p>
<p>Hmmm, paid to study. Well, money does move him :), but I doubt that even that will be enough to get him motivated. He did take the ACT, but I think the SAT is a better test for him. As for the scholarship, Florida does have a program that will do this for a state school. </p>
<p>Does anyone know if Xigge is still around? I have really gotten a lot from his posts, but don't see anything much in the past year or so. I just wondered if the test has changed and his philosophy altered a bit? Wondering if the College Board testing, books, etc., are still the best source. Can't hurt to present my son with his plan. </p>
<p>Yes. That's what I read. It's great, but seems to be from 2005. So I wondered if things were different a few years later. But maybe the principles are still the same. Thanks for the link.</p>
<p>Tell him that the amount you'll pay for his college education is the amount of tuition minus the merit scholarship money that you know he's capable of earning. If he doesn't get the required SAT score for the merit scholarship, he can take out a loan or go to a cheaper school.</p>
<p>And mean what you say.</p>
<p>I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that your son will do his best to boost his scores another 30 points. He's being unreasonable and very lazy to expect you to dish out bucks to pay for something that with a little effort he might be able to earn on his own.</p>
<p>I also suggest leaving it up to him signing up for the SAT, etc. You could tell him, however, that if he signs up for it and takes the test, you'll pay for the test.</p>
<p>I also suggest telling him that if he loses his scholarship due to grades or other problems, you'll expect him to work, take out loans, etc. to make up te difference.</p>