<p>I read almost all of the advice for the SAT studying. I have searched the forums. Can you CC'ers please take a look at my study strategy and see how I can improve it.</p>
<p>For SAT Writing,
I have read Sparknotes Seven Screwups link, and RR grammar... Right now, I'm just taking practice tests and identifying what type of error each question has. It's a little bit hard mainly because english is my second language. Is there anything else I need to be doing. I have been using sat online course tests, i haven't gotten to the BB yet.</p>
<p>For SAT Math,
I've done problems under timed pressure and then went back to do the entire sections again with unlimited time. I can usually solve all the problems but it is so hard to find the fastest way to do problems. My main question for this section is: Will there always be variation in the problems..? Right now, I'm seeing some continuity in problems between practice tests. I hope if I can do all the problems in online course and BB, I can solve most of the HARD sat math problems out there. I've done Gruber's for math and that was a good refresher.</p>
<p>For SAT Critical Reading,
Honestly, I have no idea. I've just been conditioning how to read mechanically and no interpret anything. I think I'm improving in this section the most. I've got the sentence completion down(I memorized direct hits, RR core, and sparknotes 1000 so I know most of the words). I'm just working on the online course tests right now and will get to BB. I don't think I have too much issues with this section.</p>
<p>Weirdly, my lowest score is always math.. and everyone says its easy. I heard someone saying how she got a 740 in math and a friend of hers said "OMG.. did you like fall asleep". I couldn't help thinking how lucky I would be if I can just get higher than 700+</p>
<p>Sorry for the long post..</p>
<p>edit:
Oh ya, one more thing. For critical reading, I can't help NOT reading the passages. I've taken to skimming the passages b/c it just wastes time to read the entire thing word for word. Most of the time I miss CR questions because I dont get what the question is asking me and also some answer choices have the wierdest phrasing. I understand the passage clearly..maybe I just interpret too much?</p>
<p>Anyway, thanks a lot for you guys reading this. Just throw in some suggestions because I really want to improve my scores.
My score:
660-m
660-w
730-cr</p>
<p>Writing: the rules a pretty repetitive. I suggest you go through the rules in a book that doesn’t ONLY have practice tests. Usually those sections contain a description of the whatever writing rule and then a few practice examples you can do. This is a good thing to try (especially with English as a second language) because after, when you look at a question on the test you can identify which practice problem it looked like and follow through accordingly.</p>
<p>Math: All I can really say is to keep doing practice problems. It is hard to target my advice for you because I’m not sure which kinds of questions are taking you a long time, but they are usually all pretty similar with one or two surprises per test. If you get very efficient with the ‘regulars’ then you can spend more time on the question you’re having trouble with.</p>
<p>Critical Reading: You seem to be doing ok. Try a little harder to make yourself read the passages - by skimming, you could miss major stuff (this could be why you don’t know what a question is asking/referring to). Never miss an introduction (every once in a while there is good information there to focus yourself). And if you want to take a break from the practice tests, pick up a newspaper or journal and work from there.</p>
<p>If you like computer science, I have an analogy that might help you. I like to think of the writing/math questions as input. Then, the input goes through an algorithm in your head, which identifies what kind of problem it is, recalls the process to solve it, and spits out the right answer as output. Doing lots and lots of practice problems for writing and math (and going over why you got a problem wrong and fully understanding it) will help solidify this algorithm.</p>
<p>For critical reading, you should try to bring yourself to read the passages. Some people have weird strategies that might work somewhat well, but the plain vanilla method of reading passages and then answering questions about them is classic. You mentioned that maybe you interpret too much–so don’t! Don’t always go for an answer that sounds right; make sure you can back it up with evidence from the passage.</p>
<p>I started out with around the same critical reading score as yours, and somehow, studying for the SAT Literature test boosted it to 800. I did practice tests for the SAT Lit, some timed, some not. I guess the most important thing was that I reviewed why I got a question wrong and thus gradually shifted my way of looking at a question and its answers to ETS’s.</p>
<p>Also, be really confident. It sounds kinda fluffy and whatever, but it seriously helps. You have to believe you’ll get a score in order to get it. Good luck with studying!</p>
Don’t always go for an answer that sounds right; make sure you can back it up with evidence from the passage.</p>