<p>I agree, although it would be hard to verify the scores people post. We could make it possible to rate the usefulness and accuracy of people’s posts, which would give new members an idea of who they should trust. It could be easily abused, though, by people who dislike or disagree with each other.</p>
<p>We could put together a list of things to PM gcf101 about. I’ve been planning on asking him (her?) about the thread-compilation sticky idea.</p>
<p>I realize that scores would be self-reported, but then again, so is the common app. If you don’t have the decency to tell others your real score, then, well, I don’t really know what to say. </p>
<p>Thread/post ratings have been done on other forums, with mixed results. I think it could work, if it was more like youtube’s format. As long as it doesn’t take up too much space and clutter up the screen, I think it should be fine.</p>
<p>As for PMing gfc, I think that’s a good idea. If you need anything from me, just ask.</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/749620-barrons-math-wb-vs-grubers-math-wb.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/749620-barrons-math-wb-vs-grubers-math-wb.html</a></p>
<p>lol, what you mentioned earlier is exemplified above. the OP ignored you and is probably going to listen to the people with <5 posts</p>
<p>taggggggggggggggeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedddddddddddddddddddddd</p>
<p>this is really useful and informative
but there is just one question…
Bigb14 have u written the SAT/ what was ur score? </p>
<p>are these books good for getting very high scores? I have just done a couple of practice tests and have been scoring around 2050 with a course i took last summer (it was really bad… but they used CB practice tests)</p>
<p>If you want my credentials with standardized tests, here they are (just don’t accuse me of bragging :P):</p>
<p>SAT (took twice, improved from around 1950):
In one sitting, my best was 2300 (800M 800W(12E) 700CR)
Superscore is 2330 (800M 800W 730CR)</p>
<p>ACT (took twice):
35 (35M 35E 35S 33R)</p>
<p>SATII (each once):
Math II: 800
Chem: 800
Chinese: 800</p>
<p>As to whether the books are exclusively for getting high scores… yes and no. Yes in the sense that they can help you get very high scores, and no in that they will not exclusively help high scorers.</p>
<p>nice scores!
Thanks a lot for this FAQ, I’ll be taking ur advice :)</p>
<p>not to be a bother
but iv been checking around and i was wondering what the best alternative to grammatix would be? (seeing as i cant seem to get my hands on one… unless the pdf u can find on google is it?)
and also u said u weren’t referring to the 2400 versions, but would those be better if i know the basics and want to learn the more difficult concepts?</p>
<p>-Grammatix can indeed be found as a e-book
-You don’t really need a book for CR… it just takes practice (albeit a bit more practice)
-Just do what I say, and if you’re still not satisfied with your score, then we’ll talk.</p>
<p>Is it really possible to make up anything for the essay? The hardest part for me as I write my essays is choosing the best 2-3 examples to really illustrate my point, and I feel like I might be spending too much time racking my brain trying to find accurate and valid examples.</p>
<p>What I’m wondering is how far fetched can an example be? I know readers grade the essays holistically, so would I still be safe as long as I can confidently work in made up examples into my essay?</p>
<p>When I say you can make up anything for the essay, I mean you can make up ANYTHING for the essay. Just make sure your example fits in with the prompt and your argument. It’s better to have a made-up example that illustrates your point than to have a legitimate example that sort-of-doesn’t. I made up a book and an author for my essay and got a 12…</p>
<p>I’ve read somewhere that some competitive schools(i.e harvard, yale) want to read the applicant’s SAT essay. I’m not sure if it is required, but they may request it? does anyone know if this is true?</p>
<p>I’m no expert in fact I know next to nothing about either Harvard or Yale, but I can’t think of a logical reason for them to be interested in your SAT essay… you could always look on their websites or email their admissions staff just to be sure.</p>
<p>they would be interested because they would have something to compare your college application essay with. SAT essays are written by you only, whereas you can get someone to help you with your app essay. I think that is the most logical explanation.</p>
<p>The SAT essay is worthless as a measure of one’s writing abilities. You are given 25 minutes to hand write a essay on what is usually a very stupid/narrow topic, not to mention there is no gurantee that you actually took the test and thus wrote the essay.</p>
<p>quote from rocket review (pages 60-61, 06-07 edition):
“The admissions committees at dozens of selective colleges-Harvard and Yale among them-will now require you to include your actual SAT essay in your applications! So what? For the first time admissions committees will be able to compare a sample of your acutal writing, composed under pressure, with the personal statement and other essays you’ll have to write for the application It’s fairly common for students to receive a lot of editing “help” from their parents, tutors, or college advisors on their application essays (something colleges deplore in the extreme, by the way). These students are now on their own because the SAT essay gives admissions coommittees a standard by which to judge each applicant’s personal statement essay. And you’d better believe that a big red flag willl be raised in the middle of admissions officers (which is a Very Bad Thing) if the quality of a student’s SAT essay is markedly different from that of his or her application essays.”</p>
<p>This is directly from the text. I do agree with you that the SAT essays don’t measure your full writing abilities, but if colleges want them, you give it to them. Of course, this could be false, but why would Robinson publish something that he can’t confirm?</p>
<p>The book also hasn’t been updated in a really long time</p>
<p>Your SAT essay score is only taken into account at top schools when it is a 7 or below… anything above that mark and college adcoms really don’t care; they know that a 25 minute essay about a topic you have never seen before doesn’t do a good job of demonstrating your true writing capabilities. </p>
<p>If you get a 7 or below (actually, maybe it’s below a 7 - I can’t remember exactly what was told to me), then adcoms will look at other parts of your app (namely your essays) to see if the general trend is that you’re not a very strong writer.</p>
<p>There was a big football recruit at an Ivy League school who was supposed to be a near-instant admit for his athletic abilities… until adcoms noticed his abysmal SAT writing score and subsequently looked at the SAT essay online to discover the kid simply was a terrible writer. His grades weren’t all that good either, and, upon seeing his writing skill (or lack thereof), the adcoms called the football coach in to show him the essay. Although he was somewhat dismayed, the coach agreed that this school really couldn’t admit this kid - in the classroom he would absolutely struggle - so he was rejected.</p>
<p>In other words, don’t suck at writing.</p>
<p>thanks everyone for their responses!</p>
<p>ok I’m just wondring about rocket review and maximum SAT, they dont seem to have been updated since around 2005 and I can’t find a single copy in stores in the entire GTA. Could it be that they’re not as reliable for 2009 tests, seeing as they are like 4 yrs old?</p>