<p>I took the October SAT and got an 1850 combined. My breakdown:
Math:640
Writing:670
Critical Reading: 540...</p>
<p>Yes, I said it. 540. </p>
<p>I've tried really hard to bring it up, and nothing has worked. I want it to be at least a 600, but I can't even get that on practice tests! </p>
<p>I'm thinking of taking the test in December, but I want to reevaluate my approach to this section in particular. </p>
<p>I'm open to any ideas at this point</p>
<p>Such a low score on CR is usually a consequence of poor vocab. So, I suggest you to get familiar with SAT vocab before starting to practice. A few words every day until december test will bring a change.</p>
<p>My vocab is isn’t the problem. I only got 3 wrong this time around, which is average. It is the passages… I am HORRIBLE at them for some reason. I tool AP english lang and got a 3 on it (not too impressive) but I know people who got 2s on the exam and got 630-650 on the sat reading section… I don’t get it</p>
<p>You’re not the only one with Critical Reading problems! That is the ONLY section which is pulling down my total score! Totally sucks and I don’t know what to do either. I’m generally pretty good with vocab and scored 2 As at GCSE (I go to high school in England) so I have no idea why I’m failing 
Any tips for acing this bloody tedious section?</p>
<p>@luked124, how do you approach the paragraphs?</p>
<p>Say what you <em>really</em> do during a test.</p>
<p>u guys lsn trust me itss alllllll about the amout of practice to tend to do, and wen ur doing the practice tests check ur mistakes know why u got them rong, make sure u dont repeat the same mistakes again. Basically on the CR section its all the same concepts every exam just diff qs, so if u know how to analyze the qs properly u can easliy score a 600</p>
<p>Annotate the passages. Underline the thesis, make notes of point of view, be aware of the author’s main point.</p>
<p>When I get to the passages, These are the steps I take:
<p>Apparently this is isn’t efficient for me, but idk why, I read a lot, and the books I read are not just silly humdrum novels.</p>
<p>A few things to remember (you’ve probably all heard this before, but it helps to hear it again) -
<p>Also search CC for “Critical Reading Guides” - theres lots of good info out there!</p>
<p>Alright, thanks! but is there any way I can comprehend literature as a whole better aside from practicing the sat tests? I feel like thats where I’m falling flat. </p>
<p>That and Infrerece questions. I HATE THOSE. I never get them right, how can I improve my mind reading skills?
but seriously though.</p>
<p>READ A LOT. Get familiar with reading the Economist, Wall Street Journal type passages. Get used to looking for main ideas in passages. Mark the crap out of it. Get confident with reading and understanding texts and you will do awesome.</p>
<p>I bombed the SAT critical reading too (580 ouch!!). But take my advice above, it helped get me a 5 on the AP English Language Exam (reading skills are crucial for that exam) and a decent ACT reading score (30).</p>
<p>Answer to all your problems: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/750399-how-attack-sat-critical-reading-section-effectively.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/750399-how-attack-sat-critical-reading-section-effectively.html</a></p>
<p>I struggled in CR, too. Scoring 600s. Followed these tips and improved vocab… now I’m nearing 700 (all I was looking for was a 660 honestly. But once I scored a 670 the first time following these tips, I increased my goal.)</p>
<p>Reading a lot is not a bad idea, but I felt like taking a more direct approach and just practicing CR sections. I went from a 560 to a 700. Just practice, practice, practice and attentively pay attention to what you got incorrect. You’ll eventually see patterns in the types of questions asked and will know how to approach them.</p>
<p>Hey I have a problem with the critical reading section as well (scored 600) My Vocab is really weak though so I think that it was just pure luck that got me a 600 because I got a 440 on Writing. Yea I know my grammar sucks. Where can I get a good list of vocab words there are a lot out there but rarely are any of them actually on the SAT.</p>
<p>@iamtheking3000
I’ve heard Direct Hits is amazing. I’ve never tried it though. I watched SAT Quack! videos. You would have to buy them. They’re not on YouTube or anything (I’ve tried looking). They come in volumes… buy ALL the volumes and have fun watching them. Then go on quizlet.com and search for the volume (i.e., “SAT Quack! Volume 2”). Find the flashcards that have pictures. Use the flashcards, play the games, and take the vocab tests. It helps.</p>
<p>Or you could just use Direct Hits.</p>
<p>@luked I really think you should use the tips from the link I posted. They really do help and I know how frustrating the CR can be. The tips target accuracy because they force you to focus on the portion of the text needed to answer a specific question. Make sure you practice them a lot, though, to get in the habit of effectively using them. </p>
<p>Oh! And don’t be afraid to skip one or two questions per section. It’ll probably help your score out a bit. Remember: wrong answers=-1/4 points. Omitted questions=0 points. So if you are very unsure about an answer, skip it. It’ll probably be wrong if you answer it and that would be 1/4 off of the points you’ve accumulated from your correct answers. If you leave it blank, it does nothing to the “correct” points you’ve accumulated. But you should only skip questions if you are very unsure about the answer.</p>