How do YOU get motivated to study for the SAT?

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
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<p>I know that there's a myriad of marvelous SAT study guides out there - both online and in print. They're great if you use them ... but what if you just don't want to?</p>

<p>I know that I have a problem getting motivated to study for the SAT, let alone even cracking open a book. I've promised myself that I'll complete a practice SAT each week, learn a certain number of vocabulary words each day, and so on. The problem is (if you haven't guessed already), I don't want to.</p>

<p>So tell me, what are YOUR tips? I definitely realize that College Confidential is full of 2200-2400 SATers, as well as overachieving high school students, so I'm hoping that some of you will be able to tell me how you've been so successful.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>We just are, and there’s nothing that can change if you’re motivated or not. You are just naturally uninterested.</p>

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<p>Its a game, and you want the fricken high score</p>

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<p>I motivate myself by thinking if I don’t get a good score I will have shamed my parents :)</p>

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<p>u don’t motivate yourself, you get motivated</p>

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<p>LOL i seriously laughed out loud</p>

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<p>I motivate myself by trying to beat this guy’s score. So far, having him in mind, it raised 500 points. Another hundred or so to go.</p>

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<p>I think of it this way: “This opportunity only comes up in my life once. I’m never going to be 17/18 again and apply to colleges so might as well study and work hard and do the best to get to your goal school before it’s too late.”</p>

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<p>^ So true.</p>

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<p>This is my first post (yay!) so I think it’d be nice to use it to help someone.
I study by tricking myself. I’ve gone from an 1800ish on a BB test to about a 2250 just by practice. Hopefully, my score will stay above a 2200. (:</p>

<p>Here are some of my tips that I force myself to go by -

  1. I make studying for vocab much more enjoyable by putting my vocab cards in a forever 21 bag. The bag is really small, so my cards fit in it perfectly. If you’re a girl and you like to shop, then having it in a cute bag will keep you from thinking, “Ugh … vocab cards.” Whenever I see my forever 21 vocab cards, I usually think, “Ooooh.” Even my friends think it’s cute. (:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>Going on #1, decorate your SAT prep material. You can decorate anything. I don’t want to cover my prep books with stickers or anything, so I just go for my comp book. </p></li>
<li><p>I started studying at the beginning of the summer. On the very first day, I sat down and wrote a long motivational letter to myself. I told myself, “This is what you have to do, and here’s how you’re going to do it. If you fail, you’re a loser.” Or something like that. Whenever I feel bored, or if I don’t want to study, I read it. Usually, reading the letter will make me do a practice section.</p></li>
<li><p>I get my sisters to study with me! They’re only in 8th grade, but they get to learn vocab and do math sections. It also makes me feel a lot better when they get 400s on a section. (:</p></li>
<li><p>I do SAT prep only after I do my homework. Otherwise, I end up thinking, “Ugh … i have this AND homework?” and I get extremely unmotivated. So I suggest that you finish all of your homework. In my world, GPA goes before the SAT.</p></li>
<li><p>Organize, organize, organize. There is no way you’re going to be able to study if you don’t know where anything is! I have a whole section of my room labeled “SAT.” I have my own mini desk and chair there, too. I know where all of my prep books are, where my vocab cards are, etc. I even have my own pencils, but that might be overdoing it.</p></li>
<li><p>Sometimes, I just HATE doing the CR sections. When that happens, I listen to my ipod. What I’ll do is listen to a song, sing along to it, find the lyrics, and get my sister to ask me questions based on that song. It’s a rudimentary form of the real CR sections, but it’s an alright way to practice.</p></li>
<li><p>If you’re having trouble learning vocab, then do it with a friend. Split the deck in half, and take turns talking, using one vocab word per sentence. It actually really helps. Before this tip, I couldn’t even remember the first five words. (This tip works a lot better if your friend is INTO studying, though.)</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t let your parents stress you into studying. If you don’t want to, then don’t. When your parents are forcing you to study, your motivation just goes down down down down down. </p></li>
<li><p>Listen to motivational music that makes you think, “YES! I CAN DO THIS!” I listen to that “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” song from Mulan. I’m a girl, and that song makes me want to do something with my life every time I listen to it.</p></li>
<li><p>On that decoration note - see if you can make a book cover for your SAT prep books. That might help. :slight_smile: I only have one covered book, and that’s my BB. I used wrapping paper, since the fabric book covers don’t work too well.</p></li>
<li><p>Clear your work space when you’re studying. It’s not that you’ll be unmotivated if you have a cluttered work area- you’ll be distracted very easily. Try to get rid of everything. :)</p></li>
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<p>I hope these tips work for you. You can do it.
Be a man. :P</p>

<p>I’m kidding.
If all else fails, then try to learn ONE vocab word a day. Say it over and over again. Make it your word of the day! You’ll remember your friends’ reactions, and that word will be ingrained into your memory.</p>

<p>Good luck studying! (:</p>

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<p>^^^lol…</p>

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<p>her name compliments her post.</p>