<p>I was wondering if anybody's S or D used the Grammatix materials to prepare for the new SAT, and what the results were? There is a long (well, actually a huge) thread on the SAT/ACT Forum on this -- frankly, I don't want to wade through all of it, and for some reason I always feel sort of creepy reading stuff on the student's "side of the street".</p>
<p>Oh lderochi, where is your sense of adventure. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Also, you may be missing some of my more incisive posts -sharp and biting!</p>
<p>To answer your question, Grammatix is one of the best guides you can buy. It is not really comparable to the current crop of books published by PR, Kaplan, and others. It contains 200 pages of strategies: some are known tips, but there are a good number of unique approaches. The author is very knowledgeable and truly passionate about his work. His guide is used at the Stanton High School in Jacksonville, Florida. </p>
<p>If it means anything, I am usually critical of the SAT help books, and did not find much to criticize in the Grammatix book. In comparison, Iwas extremely critical of the books that addressed the NEw SAT or new PSAT. Simply stated ALL the books that came out last spring or summer were misleading and poorly researched, poorly written, and NOT edited at all. A absolute fraud! THe books that came out later in the year -after TCB announced the EXACT format and contents of the test- were much better. I was pleasantly surprised by Pete Edwards' -a CC contributor- Maximum SAT book. </p>
<p>My attitude towards SAT book has always been simple: I tried to buy them ALL, even the ones I considered dismal. Despite some constants, the reason is that many strategies ARE very subjective and are NOT universal. A good preparation should include testing as many strategies as possible. </p>
<p>That said, what are some of the constants?</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The tests printed in the books or available at test centers are NOT good at all, riddled with errors, and self-serving. </p></li>
<li><p>The only source for tests is The College Board</p></li>
<li><p>No book is perfect, nor is any "advice"</p></li>
<li><p>There are no real shorcuts for an adequate preparation. THere is NO Holy Grail. The key to a better score is practice ... and more practice. This is the only way to develop INDIVIDUAL strategies that truly help. </p></li>
<li><p>The SAT tests ONE thing: the test taker's knowledge of the SAT. The quicker you abandon parallels to most HS material, the better off you will be. You could be an ace at Calculus BC or be the next de Beauvoir ... and perform poorly on the SAT. Knowing how the test functions is very importnat. Knowing how to beat it is of paramount importance. </p></li>
<li><p>The most important element of the SAT is TIME. The second one is the understanding and EARLY recognition of the questions. </p></li>
<li><p>Everyone is capable to reach his or her upper limit on the SAT. Knowing this limit is half the battle. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>There is more to say, but this post has to remain readable. :)</p>
<p>Thanks Xiggi -- your posts are always helpful. I have no doubt that I'm missing a number of incisive, sharp, and biting posts. But the other 98% -- no thanks. One time through the hubris of youth is enough for me, and I'm afraid my computer might melt from some of the flame wars I've seen. :)</p>
<p>Xiggi -</p>
<p>In your opinion, which is better for helping with critical reading/reading comprehension - Grammatix or Maximum SAT?</p>
<p>I have not finished my review of Maximum SAT yet -as I have to test the suggested approaches out. </p>
<p>As I said, the books are different. I would suggest to purchase both, especially when considering that both authors offer considerable online support and guidance. In fact, the cost of the books are unbelievable bargains when translated into expert tutor time. On such a scale, you'd be in the middle of the introduction and your time .. would be up.</p>