<p>I'm a parent of a junior in H.S. While you were taking the practice tests, and then perhap multiple real tests, do you seem the same or similar type questions repeated on the math portion? Of course, not all I understand...but enough that you noticed? I was just wondering if this is why doing multiple practice tests help. Thanks.</p>
<p>Yes. ACT/SAT practice tests are <practice> for the respective tests, so they include the same principles of the SAT/ACT. Note the ACT/SAT vastly varies, so experiment with them both.</practice></p>
<p>Thank you. I am helping my son prepare for the Math and he will be doing about 7 tests. After each test we are going thru the answers he got wrong and learning them. I was just wondering if this is worthwhile or if they just throw all new problems on th sAT.</p>
<p>Many people feel it’s the best way to prepare. </p>
<p>conmama - good plan, try to spend as much time reviewing the tests as your son takes doing them</p>
<p>@conmama</p>
<p>On both ACT and SAT, the easier questions are often repeat or close to official questions tested in prior administrations. At the very least one should get these questions under the belt. The harder questions tend to deviate more from previously tested questions, but often the style and format remains consistent. In summary, yes please do use old tests, review those and internalize the style and format of the test. </p>
<p>@conmama - You are a woman after my own heart. You are doing exactly the right thing. The questions are similar. HOWEVER, let me give you an important warning about your child’s upcoming SAT. Normally I don’t tell kids to worry about the experimental section. However, it is different because they are now trying out new problems for the new SAT. So, on one section of the test, there may be math problems that are substantially different. This section will NOT count towards your child’s score. However, from talking to other tutors, I have heard that some kids who were not warned found that it distracted them (and in some cases caused them to panic). We do not know exactly what these questions look like, and they will change from test to test as they prepare for the 2016 SAT. Please do not attach to much credence to this, because this is 3rd-hand information, but some kids who sat for the recent exam reported calculus questions appearing once or twice. Although they don’t count towards your child’s score, he should, in no way, try to guess which is the experimental section or fail to do his best, since it’s possible he will be wrong.</p>
<p>Also, make sure all your tests are ones produced by the College Board. Accept no substitutes! However, for prep books that help with strategies, I would not use the CB, since they are too invested in preventing people from “gaming” the test.</p>