<p>I would recommend continuing to take the CR practice tests, but also after each test to focus more on the vocabulary missed and learning more vocabulary words with direct hits or another list so you emphasize learning the vocabulary and not just going through the tests.</p>
<p>Hey Apoc, I was wondering if you used any other books for CR outside of the BB; I looked through and I’m not sure I saw you mention any other books.</p>
<p>@capitalamerica , I primarily used the Blue Book for Critical Reading. I did start in the previous summer with a Kaplan book for overall SAT practice, but I didn’t really improve my SAT CR score by much until I started preparing with the Blue Book. I believe that many SAT books are useful for preparation, but the Blue Book is the most accurate and most helpful for studying for the SAT. Let me know if you have further questions.</p>
<p>Good luck on the upcoming October 11 SAT, everyone!</p>
<p>Thanks, what would you suggest for some last minute tips? I scored a 610 in june, and i’m scoring 650-700, but I want to guarantee 700+ on the 11th. Should i take some full tests now? What about the last week?</p>
<p>Sorry, Mayosauce - I’ve been busy in college and forgot to check up on this thread. I hope the SAT went well for you on October 11th! Taking full tests as you get closer to the real test date is a great strategy, and not overloading and cramming on the last week is what I would have recommended. How did it go for you? Sorry about not seeing this in time.</p>
<p>Hi Apoc. I am taking the SATs in Nov…which is only a week away xD. Anyways, I am scoring about a 630 to 680 in Reading comp and I have been practicing for 6 months :/. Any quick tips? I don’t know to many words and to be honest, I think it is practice and being able to understand the questions that got me this far but I am having a hard time figuring out how to get to 700 at least dead fast. Need some support if you can give it. </p>
<p>What are the greatest challenges you face in answering the questions in reading comprehension? Is it the vocabulary, the reading comprehension essay critical analysis questions, the time management, or something else? Are there any tips in this guide that have helped you so far, and are there other tips here that you are having trouble applying well to the SAT? Let me know how I may help, and I believe you can score over 700 on this SAT!</p>
<p>Ok well I am really good at getting the feel for words if that makes sense. Because of this, I do ok on SC with about a 4/5, 7/8 ratio depending of course on the section. </p>
<p>My biggest issue is these passages. I honestly didn’t think you would reply xD. Anyways, I do rather well answering the questions but some of them that are just between two really messes with me. Today, I tried what you said in #9 but I am having such a hard time applying it. Some of these answer choices are just so close it seems. I need to make a huge increase and fast. I am also having a hard time with time management. What were your scores for Writing? Any good tips in this section as well? </p>
<p>Let me give you my methodology for how I approach a reading comp passage and its questions. </p>
<ol>
<li>Read the questions and underline in the passage the lines that are mentioned in the passage. </li>
<li>Read the passage as fast as I can (I like to take in information so this tends to take a while. It is the only way I get that aha moment where I understand the passage.) </li>
<li>When reading, I focus on the parts underlined since they are mentioned in the passage and then I also focus of course on the overall meaning. </li>
<li>Do the questions and skip the ones that take me long. Sadly, I don’t really get to come back to them since these questions take me so long to get right. I am getting the majority right but that is also iffy depending on the passage. </li>
</ol>
<p>I feel like I am also lacking in confidence making me second guess my answers. I hope I am not a hopeless case because I really need this score. Reading comp is standing in my way of that :/. I have been doing this thing for 6 months and my scholarship applications need my November scores so I cannot take it again. This is IT xD. Thanks! </p>
<p>BTW, I also use the Blue book and online resources. I have used all the test in the Bluebook and I am just reviewing it over and over again now. The only problem with that and reading comp is that you tend to remember the answers from the last time doing it which really REALLY messes things up. </p>
<p>Try googling for more official tests. There are plenty out there.</p>
<p>Hmm…playing “devil’s advocate” for the reading comprehension questions is tough to get used to, especially because you can justify why some answers seem right as well. It really is a whole new mindset in tackling these questions - really hammer away at each answer choice and look for why there is no support (assume it’s guilty of being wrong unless proven correct) so you may quickly look through each choice to find the one correct one. It will take more practice to really use #9 well and score in the high 700s, so don’t be discouraged - keep on practicing with more official tests! Even if you run out of those, you can look to other books like Kaplan and Princeton Review as last material just for practice (even if it’s not nearly as accurate as official tests). </p>
<p>My writing score was 760 (10 on the Essay, and I missed a couple questions on the writing section). I think the best method for handling the writing section (not the essay but grammar questions) is to review each question and answer pair to internalize the correct grammar rule - I also read it out loud in my head to hear the sentence, as our intuition can usually guide us into seeing which part of the sentence “sounds wrong”, and if the grammar actually is incorrect there.</p>
<p>Keep on practicing hard! You’ve already shown your dedication to performing well and I believe that you will do well on this upcoming SAT. Be optimistic and don’t second-guess yourself (don’t be overconfident either), and trust that whatever you are answering, you are answering with solid support from the passages and your reasoning. It took me a while to progress from the high 600s to eventually the high 700s and then score an 800 on the real SAT. Good luck, and feel free to continue asking questions. Thanks!</p>
<p>@Apoc314 Thanks for the wonderful and inspiring guide. I am a non native English speaker and really had a hard time with the CR and even writing but with the help from CC guides and yours I have gotten my CR to low 600 from low 500s and writing to mid 600s from low 500s. Maths isn’t my weak point.</p>
<p>It’s been about 2 months I have been preparing and took my first official SAT last month and scored a 1880 (1560, 2 months before in first practice set). My Oct scores are CR 550 W 640 M 690. I have increased CR score to low 600s, have been following your guide but I don’t think I will be able to finish the Direct hits 2( DH1 I will finish in about 4 days). Maths and Writing I have finished blue book but still seem to be stuck, W is due to poor essay (8) and M is stuck in high 600s as I always meet a medium or hard question that I get confused with and have to guess and also some careless mistakes(Have minimized the careless mistakes though).</p>
<p>I really want to at least cross 2000 but only have a week left for my November SAT, won’t get to take it again. Have really worked hard and will be disappointing if I don’t get at least a 2000. So am I expecting too much or is it possible? At times I feel like just giving up but then I try to continue but have started to panic with so less time remaining. It would be a great help if you could provide me some tips.</p>
<p>At this point, @hope1097 , please keep your hope up! </p>
<p>Work mostly on the practice tests in the blue book for critical reading - I would not focus so much on Direct Hits at this point but more on the critical reading comprehension questions since those will help you more than just the vocabulary work. At this point with only one week left, please keep your optimism up and practice each section and review the missed and correct answers to make sure you truly understand why you got it correct or incorrect. Do not panic, but trust that you will earn the score you have worked for. Good luck!</p>
<p>@Apoc314 Thanks a lot for the tips. Just woke up with renewed optimism. 
Now I will just do practice tests maybe even take a full test once before the actual SAT. </p>
<p>You’re welcome, @hope1097 - good luck with the SAT!</p>
<p>@Apoc314 Thank you so much for this guide. I took the SAT today and thanks to your advice I was able to answer everything well within the time. I only had about a month to prepare for the SAT and will not have a chance to retake it, so I had to study really fast. Nevertheless I think your guide helped me to improve a lot.
Again, thank you so much.</p>
<p>You’re welcome, @alainf , and I hope it turns out well for you!</p>
<p>@Apoc314 What do you suggest for study wise for me? I’m currently a freshman at my hs and took the PSAT without any prep. I think I only got 2 mathematics and a few writing wrong because of my grammar skills. The critical reading was a chaotic mess of rapidly flipping from page to page like a madman bubbling in random answers! I really need to help in this section! I’m only a freshman and I am vying for a superscore on the SATs 1 and 2! Any advice?</p>
<p>@Benji3025 , did you receive my PM? Thanks, and let me know if you have further questions! Good luck!</p>