<p>I started SAT prep exactly a year ago (August 09). My diagnostic test score is 1710 and my scores keep improving until I got 2100 on the November SAT. However, ever since then, my scores don't seem to improve; it seems that I have leveled off at 2100. </p>
<p>CR: MY biggest problem. I usually score in the upper 600's but I rarely get past 700. Any tips of books I can use? Also, which book should I use for vocab?</p>
<p>M: Not too worried about this. I usually score 720-800.</p>
<p>W: I also need help on this. I score around 700 on this but the range is a lot wider than CR, mainly because 1 or 2 misses (or correct) means a huge score difference. I rarely get less than 4 wrong; I usually get 4-7 wrong on MC. How can I improve this? Essay is a problem. It seriously depends on the topic and my mental preparedness; sometimes I can think of examples but sometimes I cannot.</p>
<p>Read through Silverturtle’s Grammar Guide, and the Sparknotes’ Grammar Guide. These two guides helped me improved from a 570 one one practice test, to a 740 on the next one.</p>
<p>For vocab, here’s a suggestion that worked for me. During every practice test I took, I highlighted any words I couldn’t define, including words in the writing section. After the test, I would go back and create flash cards for all of them, even for words in questions I got right. Every day I would spend 15-20 minutes reviewing my flash cards, just to keep them fresh in my mind. For some people brute memorization doesn’t work to well, but give it a try. </p>
<p>For writing, the only tip I have is to spend a decent amount of time learning and really understanding the rules. </p>
<p>The essay is what killed me too, I’m a good writer but I can never write well in timed situations. I only missed 3 questions on my entire SAT but I got an 8 on my essay so my writing score was only 750. </p>
<p>I know you’ve probably heard this before, but the best advice is consistent practice. Take your tests in one sitting, with the normal 10 minute breaks, and stay in a quiet room with no distractions. Start at one test a week, and maybe a month and a half before your test date go up to 2 tests a week. On the day or two before your test, just relax. Preparation is what beats the SAT.</p>
<p>Sources: been through this hell myself, but came out with a 2320. Result of a little bit of luck and 20+ practice tests.</p>
<p>How did you improve your reading skills for the CR section?</p>
<p>Last week I took an actual SAT test for practice:
800 M
620 R (skipped 8, missed 9)
700 W (missed 5, essay 9)</p>
<p>For grammar, it’s really luck. But for reading, I failed both the vocab and passages. They’re so hard for some reason, yet I got 5 on the AP Lang exam.</p>
<p>I’m afraid I can’t help you with reading skills. The only way to develop them is to read. I didn’t have a TV until 8th grade, so I spent a lot of time reading, and I guess that’s where I developed my reading skills. </p>
<p>As for the writing section, do not consider your score a matter of luck! All you have to do is know the rules, and once you learn how to apply them you should easily get 750+. Spend the time learning them; someone said SilverTurtle’s guide is good but I can’t vouch for it. </p>
<p>The vocab is the only section that has any luck to it, but with a lot of studying you can minimize the chances that there will be unfamiliar words that prevent you from knowing the answer. Don’t expect to suddenly do better in the CR without doing practice reading and learning vocab. It’s the hardest section to improve for most people; I’d work on writing first if I were you and then focus on CR, you might be able to break 2300 with 800s in writing and math.</p>
<p>The same happened to me when I hit the 2250 area. It means that, for now at least, you’ve maxed out and reached your full potential in terms of test prep. It’s up to you to keep taking the most rigorous courses offered at your school and studying hard so that your score will remain a 2100 or rise.</p>
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<p>I’ve gotten an 800 in W twice. The key is grammar rules and attention to detail for the multiple choice. For the essay, you don’t have to be an incredibly creative writer to get a 12: you just need strong examples to support your thesis, clear structure, organization, good grammar, and length (it should cover both pages completely with medium or small sized handwriting).</p>
<p>For more tips, see the wonderfully informative SAT Guide created by CC’er silverturtle. It will help tremendously with grammar. Here’s a link:</p>
<p>Don’t expect a 12 then. Length plays a far more important role than one would think; far more essays that fill both pages get high scores than those that fill a page and a half or only a single page.</p>
<p>It’s not difficult once you practice. If you haven’t already, buy the Blue Book (the official SAT study guide). It has ten practice tests, including ten essay topics. After ten times of practicing, you should be able to fill both pages in 25 minutes if you focus and pace yourself well. Here’s a link to purchase the book on Amazon:</p>