<p>I know you all are going to call me psychotic, but I can't stop crying about the SATs. I've been studying for them and trying to do well since LAST YEAR and yet on many practice tests and on the real thing I still average like a 680/690 (2070). It really, really upsets me because I've always gotten A's in school (a really competitive one, and by taking pretty much all the highest classes), but I just suck at standardized tests. I also got only a 650 on the Spanish SAT II (all A's in AP, though, and 730s on every barron's practice test) and only a 730 on the history SAT II and a 4 on the ap test(okay, considering how much history I learned last year, I think I deserved a 760). It makes me SO angry that these are my scores, and that after so much hard work, I probably WON'T get into the top schools of my choice (cornell, hopkins, etc). I feel like I've wasted all this time trying to keep my gpa up. sigh.</p>
<p>You're probably psyching yourself out and then freezing on the tests. I'm convinced that the reason why I did well on my SATs and SATIIs is because I never freaked out about it. Try to take a deep breath, tell yourself its no big deal, and then walk in and rock that thing. :)</p>
<p>I know just how you feel. Hence my post "its impossible to improve SAT scores"</p>
<p>I believe prep can only take you so far. Unless you've been studying for an amazingly long time (that's what one kid did. He did SAT prep since 5th grade and made a perfect score), prep can only help you so much then you're on your own. Its like one of those tests that people say you "can't study for". </p>
<p>Its okay! Because there's the ACT exams which are just as worthy as SAT only you may find them easier. :) Thank goodness I live in Texas. Gotta love this place.</p>
<p>Keeping your GPA up is not a waste of time. Even if your scores aren't perfect, your GPA and class rank is important as well. You scores are above average and a 700 is a great acomplishment in my opinion, and having a great GPA like yours can really keep you in the game.</p>
<p>Also keep in mind, if you ever take SAT again, that how well you do in school has absolutely nothing to do with how well you'll score on the SAT. :)</p>
<p>It's okay..Try not to break down because that only shows your weakness. Be strong, accept what your capable of, and move on.</p>
<p>I used to always have problems with careless errors in tests, and more so in exams, and I still do to an extent in exams. Some people have the aptitute to concentrate and feel less emotion in important exams, where as others like you or me don't and have to learn how to control ourselves.... Here are some thigns you might want to try,</p>
<p>1). Drink alot of water before and during the test
2). Eat glucose and chocolate before and during the test
3). Keep telling yourself that this will be a fun exam, and that it is just doing one at home - i knoow it stupid, but it works
4). If you feel like you are becoming anxious/losing focus in the test, stop and take a deep breathe</p>
<p>all the best</p>
<p>you need to look for reasons. In reality, standardized tets should be easier than school tests if you go to a competitive high school. Standardized tests are always the same, so you always know the format and questions. Maybe you are using inaccurate prep books? Are you just nervous during the test and make careless mistakes, or do you not understand some of the questions?</p>
<p>Here is my strategy: Stop being an emo kid. Colleges don't like people that whine about their grades. Anything 2000+ on your SATs will get you into a solid college/university and then there is a wonderful thing people on CC often forget about: GRAD SCHOOL. Just because you don't get into JHU or Cornell as an undergrad doesn't mean you are a failure. If you don't get into either of these schools, get into the honors program at a less competitive college, do more prep work for your GREs, and then go to either of these schools for graduate study. It will all work out in the end. (unless you go to school in Lousiana)</p>
<p>I empathize with you mehhh. I studied for three months, and what do I get? A crappy 2080.</p>
<p>I did jack sh it and score a 2060. Guess I'm going to have to settle for community college...(waaaahhhh!!! emo crying! waaah!!! </p>
<p>see prior post</p>
<p>Just because you don't get into JHU or Cornell as an undergrad doesn't mean you are a failure.
Tell that to the people who have been wanting to go there ever since middle school and then get rejected.</p>
<p>These are cases that may be best served by having a good private tutor. Although the prevailing wisdom on this site may be that self-study, including the "xiggi method," is the way to go, plenty of students can still benefit from the right instruction and guidance from a professional. A good private tutor is able to get a student past a "plateau." I have helped students go from the 2000s to the 2200s (one of my past students improved from a 2200 to a 2380). Working under the right conditions (and, sometimes, working with the right person), can raise a student's score from virtually any starting level. Mehhhh, do you know any good tutors in your area?</p>
<p>i am so over this stupid sat. i am taking it in 2 days and have done 2.5 hours of prep since may 2005. we'll see what happens. my friend got a 1980 with NO prep, didnt even no there was an essay. second time NO PREP AT ALL. 2160, he forgot his calc at home and had to go get it and got back to the test center late but they were about to start the actual test. he almost wrote his essay in pen until his peer told him it was in pencil. i read his essay. so bad. 3 paragraphs (one intro ONE body paragraph and one conclusion) filled up 1 and 1/4 page... what do u expect? he got a 12. i am just going to do like him. no prep no study no stress no bad score.</p>
<p>just chillax ... lifes not all about college ... just have some fun for gods sakes. 2070 not so bad... apply, if your rejected then oh well theres only so much anyone can do, and pouring your heart and soul into something as unimportant as which college you go to is dumb. Try getting a hobby or something you actually enjoy pouring your heart and soul into</p>
<p>As The_Who stated, I think the reason why people who go in without any prep do pretty well is because they are anxiety-free...we, who work our asses off studying are more anxious about the test than people who go in without worrying about scoring high. Confidence and Anxiety play a 50% factor in how well you do. If your nerves are come on test day, you'll make less careless errors (math) and will overall do better.</p>
<p>I'm pretty sure I know all the material or at least like.. 95% of it, and could probably guess on the rest. I mostly just freak out/make careless mistakes. I've used both barron's and kaplan books, so I don't think they're wrong.. after all, I don't do much better on practice tests at home (maybe about 60-80 points better, and not even always... I got a 2200 on my last kaplan test, but haha that's definitely an outliar.)</p>
<p>I wish people would stop relying on standardized tests so much. Too bad there's no efficient way to test a person with practical skills.</p>
<p>I can't stress it enough.. it's just a test.. jeez.. it doesnt matter after you've been accepted to college. No one in the "outside world" will care if you got a 1900 or a 2300.</p>
<p>ksander............u couldnt be more right........... but seriously...... i got a low score on the sat and im smarter that most people. ask me any question and ill answer it. from science to government i know it all. sat dont determine anything. lol half the test isnt knowledge its elimination stratagy. its how many wrong answers can u eliminate to get the right one. if u good at eliminating and determining which were wrong u pretty much aced the test. people are insane to absos themselves with these scores. hell u even scored than i have. also hahaha ur with well in range for those schools. hopkins is SAT Reasoning Verbal: 640 - 730
SAT Reasoning Math: 660 - 760 . SAT Reasoning Verbal: 630 - 730
SAT Reasoning Math: 660 - 760 .
lol trust me ur well in even if u did curve ur grade. just make sure u have a bang ass essay to.</p>
<p>mehhh: I feel your pain! I've busted my bum for almost 7 years, having to commute over an hour each day (that's on a good day)to school that has rooms that rent by the hour 1/2 mile away. Why? So that I could enroll in the absolute hardest program available in my county. So now I will probably end up (that is if I am lucky) at the same colleges with other kids who chose to attend our neighborhood school. While they may have taken the most difficult courses available at their school, they didn't make sacrifices to take advantage of the most challenging program available to them. So 7 years of having to deal with commutes, gunshots in the parking lot and a boat load of work(even in the summers) probably won't trump the kid with similiar gpa, recs, essays, ECs, cs hours BUT higher SAT score who chose the easier option. It is a shame that someone who "proved" themselves for 3.5 hours is going to have a leg up over someone who "proved" themselves for 7 years. All those hours I spent commuting and writing my extended essay could have been used for preparing for the SAT. It is a shame, isn't it?</p>
<p>The ACT score has a higher correlation with GPA than SAT scores, so you might want to try that out.</p>
<p>Honestly: There is no correlation between the SAT and your general intelligence. The SAT measures how well you do on the SAT, nothing more. I scored a 1320 math+cr, yet pulled a 138 on the Stanford-Binet IQ test. My percentile on the IQ test is significantly higher (top 2%) than my SAT percentiles: math section is 93rd percentile and my CR is 80th percentile</p>