<p>It is a breeze for me to do hard math like Calculus but for some reason when it comes down to the basics presented in the SAT I do terrible. I mean I got a 690 on Math Level 2 and like a 640 on SAT Math but I am more than confident that I got double 5's on Calc BC. What can I do to improve my SAT Math scores?</p>
<p>I have a similar problem as well. I’m taking an honors pre calc class and i’m breezing by with an A (and i’m sure the class doesn’t inflate grades because most people are averaging around B’s and C’s), but for some reason the last SAT i took, i only got a 660 on the math section. If someone has a theory to this problem and its solution, it would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>It’s because the SAT Math is especially unique, and it can only be found on CollegeBoard material and nowhere else. Not even SAT prep courses can perfectly replicate the questions asked on the real SAT. Just keep practicing in the Blue Book, and you’ll get better. I consider Math to be the easiest section to improve; I’m in 8th grade, and I got a 670 in Math. Also, I have two 8th grade friends who got 720 and 740 each on Math.</p>
<p>This is an interesting phenomenon that I’ve never heard of. In general, sometimes the SAT math questions are tricky when the questions actually seem really simple. I used to make lots of careless mistakes, so checking your work over may help. You should also try figuring out what types of questions you’re getting wrong. Probability, geometry, algebra, etc.</p>
<p>I was second in my school, and easily the best at math, but the SAT knocked me on the floor. If you can afford the study classes then take them. I was in a similar situation and went from zero to hero after taking the class. It shocked me how many people in the class couldn’t do the simplest math, but by the end of the course their scores were way up.</p>
<p>You <em>can</em> study for these exams, and frankly they don’t test math, they test your ability to take this one particular type of test. So you gotta study specifically for it. The classes don’t teach math, they teach how to find the correct answer quickly and confidently. I found the questions were so easy I sped through them and made lots of small errors, and of course those errors were possible responses. The classes get you to recognize this.</p>
<p>If you can’t afford the classes grab as many study guides as you can from the library or bookstore and just keep doing them. Set up 1-3hrs every night for about a month. Always time yourself, it makes it more real. Also, take at least two practice tests, timed, and in a strange location (the library works). </p>
<p>You can do this if you can expend the effort and time for about 4-6 weeks studying consistently before your actual test. And the reward is great. Good luck</p>