<p>I missed the SAT today, couldn't sleep until it was time to leave for the test center and I was exhausted (I know, stupid). I am definitely going to take it in October, whatever it takes. And since I won't have time to retake it before I apply EA to colleges, I really want my score to reflect my potential.
Up until now, I have read the blue book. I did 7 of the practice tests and my last practice scores were around 1800. Writing is easier for me than M or CR (ironic since I'm ESL). Math is specially hard for me, which is disappointing since I always considered it to be one of my best subjects. I am absolutely terrible with graphs. Statistical graphs are not the problem, I'm actually pretty good at those. But those linear graphs with the equations and slopes and coordinates, I just don't get them. I really need to review all that.
As far as CR goes, since I am ESL I don't know the meaning of many of those complex and rare words that appear in the CR sections.
I have less than 4 months to prepare for the SAT. I don't really need stellar scores, just a 2000 (most schools I'm applying to have averages of 2050 or less).
What kind of study plan would you recommend? I already have a Barron's, but its practice tests were so difficult I gave up on reading them, but I think I'll read it sometime before October. Besides Barron's, which is the best book to review basic math concepts? Which is the best book for CR words?
I am a bit of a procrastinator when it comes to the SAT. I postponed taking practice tests until last week, when I realized the test day was really close. So I think an SAT course would be helpful since I'd have a strict schedule. Which one would you recommend? Perhaps Kaplan, Princeton Review?
Thank you!</p>
<p>Have you gone through the pinned topics? Silverturtle’s SAT prep guide has excellent advice for the Math/CR sections. For the CR words, Direct Hits vocab is the best resource. I don’t think the courses will be very useful - it’s best to just work through real exams from the blue book. Go through the pinned topics and you should improve a lot. </p>
<p>Your problem will NOT be solved by getting more books, including Direct Hits. Your problem, based on your post, is not a lack of vocabulary. Your basic problem is the lack of dedicated and repetitive practice. Stick to official tests and work through them until you understand ALL the fundamental issues. Read the posts of the math gurus here on CC and check the videos of Sat Quantum. READ as many past tests as you can … You will not run out of them. There is a long summer ahead of you. Make it count. </p>
<p>xiggi is wrong to a certain degree.
First I would need the breakdown of your scores. But since you are ESL, then you MUST get a vocab book. Without a good foundation of vocabulary, you won’t do well on the CR.
The 2 best vocab books are: Direct Hits (2 books) and Princeton Review Wordsmart.
Also, go to critical reader website by Erica Meltzer. Lots of great info on how to attack the CR and Writing portions of the SAT. She also has 2 highly recommended study guides.
If you need foundational work on Math, check out Khan Academy or Reason Prep or SAT Quantum websites.
Sounds like you may need to work on some foundational type stuff before doing “test prep”. You have already done some practice tests, so you need to figure out what you are missing and work on those foundational issues before doing more practice tests.</p>
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<p>What does it mean to be wrong to a , certain degree? Fwiw, the OP believes that his relatively low scores are based on a lacking vocabulary. This is the perennial (and faulty) appraisal that is shared by many. The reality is that the OP, and this based on his (or her) post has a very good command of English but a lacking knowledge of the fundamentals of the SAT. This is confirmed by his low score on the math section. </p>
<p>Spending a lot of time of the study of vocabulary WITHOUT context is mostly a waste of time. Plenty of students have done ad nauseam with poor results. On the other hand, a proactive review of the official test and a correct approach does boost scores. There is no magic in the Direct Hits series … all the writers have done is reducing the method of using past tests in a shorter version. They rely on past released tests and offer a shortcut to the explanations. And, that is exactly what one could do with the added benefit of actually using the correct format and scope of existing texts. </p>
<p>In the end, everything is a matter of finding the right balance between time and efforts. One can decide to waste his time and money in the illusory pursuit of shortcuts and spend more money on books that are mostly ineffective in terms of preparation. </p>
<p>Lastly, there are no substitutes to using practice tests to build the necessary blocks of knowledge aka the foundational “type of stuff” Only people with a lacking understanding of prepararion believe otherwise! </p>
<p>xiggi,
You obviously never opened the Direct Hits books or PR wordsmart.
They teach you vocabulary in context.
Not a waste of time. All you need to know is 500-1000 key words.<br>
All the students cite both DH and PR for helping them improve their CR score.
What I do agree with is flashcards don’t work… and you don’t need those 3500 word lists.</p>
<p>Practice tests are good but only after you built a strong foundation.</p>
<p>Someone defined insanity of doing something over and over again expecting a different result.
That is the advice you are providing.</p>
<p>Bottom line… you are WRONG.</p>
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<p>Are you trying to be facetious? I am eminently familiar with the contents of DH, and the process used to develop the series of books. I would not be talking about the series without having taken the time to evaluate them when they showed up. Inasmuch as the books might be quite good in a sea of worthless books, it remains that they are neither optimal nor better than much simpler alternatives. Everyone looks for quick fixes and the Holy Grail of test preparation. It is a futile quest, and one fueled by people without knowledge or experience. </p>
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All the students? Seriously? How would you know? There is simply no possible evidence to support such claim! </p>
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<p>Before calling someone wrong, you might want to invest some time in learning about the issues discussed, and develop a modicum of knowledge. </p>
<p>Speaking about obvious, you obviously demonstrate to either not understanding very much about the SAT, and especially not understanding HOW to use the practice tests correctly. Building what you call a strong foundation HAS to be directly relevant to the test itself, both in scope and format. Most people have learned the basic foundation but either forgotten a lot of it or never had to use in the context of relying on logic versus rote memorization. </p>
<p>What students do --or should do-- is rebuilt their library of blocks on knowledge as it … relates to the test. One does NOT embark on trying to memorize irrelevant masses of words that have been culled from poor sources. Mindlessly “learning” 500 or 1000 words is hardly a solution that will make much difference. One is MUCH better off to work through the same sources used by Larry Krieger! Again, there are no secrets about what those sources were! And no real science behind the predictive power of a few hundred words. </p>
<p>try to use princeton for math will help you to improve 
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<p>^Really? What do you like about it? I’ve heard nothing positive at all.</p>
<p>buy black book and be done with it</p>
<p>Building what you call a strong foundation HAS to be directly relevant to the test itself, both in scope and format. Most people have learned the basic foundation but either forgotten a lot of it or never had to use in the context of relying on logic versus rote memorization.</p>
<p>I studied with princeton and didn’t help. official guide is best</p>