Do you agree?

Test Preparation
1

<p>I have to complain/*****/whine, whatever you call it. I scored an "eh" 1840 on my SATI (I'm retaking I'm hoping/expecting 2000ish) 540CR 720Math 580W 9Essay. My SATII 790 Math II, 770 Physics. They're not awful but I'm aiming rather high considering my SAT scores. </p>

<p>The SAT is used as a tool to be able to compare students that apply to the college because every school has a different difficulty, courses, etc. However I can tell you I absolutely blow at SATs because I have a "over think" mentality which completely destroys me on CR. I've taken SAT group lessons in Boston (over an hour from my home), private lessons in Boston, private lessons in NH (where I live), and on my own I can say I've taken over about 20 practice tests from Kaplan, Mc Graw Hill, Princeton Review, Collegeboard SAT books. I went from a 154 on my first PSAT to a 182. In translation that would mean 300 points. That's dandy but honestly I did all that to go from average to slightly above average?</p>

<p>I understand that I'll just have to work harder than most people do, but I've been playing chess all my life and it has created this mentality to always think ahead, to perceive the unseen. I will make a multiple choice question a lot harder than intended. </p>

<p>I'm top 25% of my class and I also have the lowest SATI score of the top 25% (one of the highest SATII scores however). If our school had weighted grades I would be top 10% for sure. Even people in 50th percentile have managed to score higher than me. I take the most rigorous courses our school gives (relatively small school) and I am confident I would be at least top 20 (not %) had I not slacked off my freshmen year. </p>

<p>What I'm trying to get at with the paragraph above is to not brag, but I cannot explain how frustrated I am that this test they call a measurement tool is the thing that might make it for me or break it to colleges I am applying to. The test is supposedly testing your logic or whatever BS they call it. It can be true, but how does a student try to explain to someone the logic behind being one of the top students in school yet scoring one of the lower SAT scores? Yes, I'm Asian American so I have a very strong area in the sciences and maths but I'm an exceptional writer and above par reader (my essays, which I've completed, are well above average according to my independent college admissions councilor and my SAT tutor, which they also edited). </p>

<p>I'm not here to start a revolution, because I'm just a nobody to the masses and CollegeBoard. I just want to see if anyone can relate to me, I'm sure there are plenty of people who agree with me but because of my small school absolutely none of them can relate to me from my class that I know of. I feel cheated, ripped off. Why? When it comes to state schools like UC Berkeley they go off a formula and with my SATI score it isn't working in my favor at all. My 4 years of work (3 sorta considering I didn't do so hot my freshmen year, and luckily they don't take the grades from freshmen year into consideration) are tossed in the trash possibly with little consideration because of my SATI scores. Also I get that SATs aren't everything and that my "tossed in trash" without consideration is extreme, but either way I am at a massive disadvantage. On top of that I can tell you I've worked harder to increase my SAT score more than 95% of my class (the 5% I know have worked pretty hard as well) but my scores clearly don't represent that. </p>

<p>Whether you read half way through and told yourself "kid's crazy" or "wow I can relate" please let me know! :) Thanks!</p>

2

<p>I’m actually facing the same problem, the SAT doesn’t measure Jack!!! But we have to put up with it until College Board realizes that.</p>

3

<p>Ninchendo, you may simply be cursed with seeing too many shades of gray in situations where the average person sees black or white. You need to stop trying to answer the questions “correctly” and instead answer them as you would expect the writer of the question to THINK is the correct answer.</p>

<p>To use your chess analogy: consider the question writer as your adversary and make your chess moves in anticipation of what moves that adversary will make.</p>

4

<p>Your class rank is 75th percentile, and your SAT score is about 85th percentile. You’re retaking hoping for the 94th percentile.</p>

<p>The problem isn’t that you’re bad at the SAT. You just have unrealistic standards of what your SAT score ought to be.</p>

5

<p>Lelyke: Yeah I know :frowning: I’m just posting to see if people agree with me haha</p>

<p>LoremIpsum: I’ve tried and I’ve been improving but occasionally when I’m doing too much practice I’ll stop trying to not think the way I think and get some questions wrong. Thanks for the advice! :)</p>

<p>amarkov: I have a 540 on my CR and a 580 on my writing, those are really low scores in my opinion. My standards is to increase my CR and writing to something around the low to mid 600s. I’m not sure how you would assume that to be unrealistic, but guess our opinions differ</p>

6

<p>Unfortunately, the SAT is an aptitude test and tests our fluid intelligence. Your academic achievements and work ethic have nothing to do with it. And since you’ve already reached a plateau in your SAT scores, you might as well give it up and stop exhausting yourself with more practice tests.</p>

7

<p>I disagree. I don’t want to give up. The reason I’ve plateaued was because of my negative attitude when studying. Recently I’ve been trying to improve upon that, and though I will complain at times, complaining won’t help me improve my score.
The SAT can be said to “test your intelligence” or “how well you mentally adapt” or whatever, but if you keep practicing it’s a matter of mastering the rules and finding a method that works for you. It’s simply a massive mountain to me at this point. There are clouds on my path to the summit but I know it peaks somewhere and from there it’s just a downhill coast ride of higher scores (that was a pretty bleak metaphor).
I just find it really frustrating how because of this reasoning, it isn’t what you would call a test for our intelligence at all…it’s like any other test. To show that you either are just naturally good at it, or you put in a ton of effort. It is no different from tests you get from school and it’s a horrible way of measuring students because you might as well just spend the time to look at the course differences between schools.</p>

8

<p>An aptitude test? Whoever says the SAT is that does not know much about the SAT. The whole reason the SAT no longer stands for scholastic aptitude test is because it is not. SAT has been proven not to measure intelligence and not to be a great predictor of college success (compared to high school grades).</p>

<p>Dont worry OP. keep practicing. I would like to say in general cases the SAT is just a measure of how much you have studied, but there are cases like you. I hate the SAT as well and would not take it if it were up to me, but i study a lot to make sure i can compete with other students applying to top colleges</p>

<p>Just keep practicing and if it doesnt work out, so be it. Try the ACT or just focus o. Another aspect of your high school career - one that actually represents you as a student.</p>

9

<p>I admire your determination. But, I can confidently say that there is no “method” to the SAT, and even if there was, wouldn’t you have discovered it by now after all that studying? True, you can improve on the SAT by learning the rules, but the rules can only carry you so far. It’s unreasonable to say that a student who scored a 1400 can end up with a 2400 even after studying tirelessly for many years. Your 300 point jump is a huge achievement, and it’s reason enough to stop and focus on other important parts of your college applications. Best of luck in whatever you decide to do.</p>

10

<p>I tried an ACT practice test I scored about the same. I definitely will focus on other aspects as well, but also continue my SAT study :slight_smile:
I’m glad you agree with me.</p>

11

<p>devrybound: I haven’t disregarded anything from studying SAT. It has just taken time of my down time. I have worked on my college essays and finding the correct college for me just as much as I have on my SAT this summer thanks to my independent councilor.
Thanks, I’ll need all the luck I can get at this point!</p>

12

<p>Ninchendo, my son didn’t take the SAT, but got a perfect 240 on PSAT and a 36 on the ACT. Here are some of his tips that could help you in your quest:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Learn the exact grammar rules – read an online guide or grammar book until you understand the WHY of each choice; the SAT delights in giving you questions that “sound right” to the native ear but don’t actually follow formal grammar rules.</p></li>
<li><p>When reading, always consider all the answers. The REAL answer is often not the most plausible but rather the least worst. Any answer that has even the tiniest factual detail wrong HAS TO be eliminated, even if it sounds like the right answer. Pick the last man standing.</p></li>
</ul>

13

<p>Yeah I heard there were only 10 grammatical rules that I need to memorize! I’ve been using that trick, I find determining which one is the least worst challenging because I like to over think each one =P I am improving though. Thanks for the tips! :)</p>

14

<p>The SAT is not really a test – it’s a game, designed to lure the unwary, pressed for time, into making silly mistakes. The goal of the test designers is to get a nice consistent bell-shaped distribution of scores. Thus, there will be traps at almost every turn, some obvious to you and others meant to target you as the victim.</p>

<p>Treat it as such and it will never intimidate you. Analyze the questions as you might analyze a particularly tough level on a favorite video game – one that once seemed impossible and now seems simple. You can do it, but first you need to shake off that lack of confidence and focus on discovering their traps: the questions change, but the sadistic methods remain the same.</p>

15

<p>I disagree with @devrybound, you can’t just tell him to give up, @Ninchendo I told you I was in the same situation but I started over, I read PR and practiced some College Board tests and I’ve improved with about a 300 jump. From my first SAT to my second I jumped with about 250 and with the average of my current practice tests I’ve jumped with a further 300. So you guys should stop saying its impossible. @Ninchendo just believe in yourself!</p>