<p>I'm trying to get over 2200 on the SAT that I'm going to take March 12th (is that the right date. Whatever. xD) and in May.
My PSAT score this year was a bit low, like 2050 low. As a result, I currently have a tutor for the SAT, but I'm not sure if I'm making enough progress to get around 740 average in each of the scores (I got 72 in Reading, 66 in Writing, 68 in Math on the PSAT). Taking practice tests still give me an average of around 2080-2100, even putting in a generous essay score (since I'm a pretty good writer but I can't take an essay at home, really).</p>
<p>Any tips to help me get over the ledge? (I heard from my tutor that it's pretty hard to improve the score of a student who already gets over 650).</p>
<p>I’m in the same place as you-got around the same score on the psat’s, and 1st time taking SATs. This is my second time, and I’m going for 2200, but am stuck at 2180/90, even giving myself a 10 (generous) on the essay. :(</p>
<p>i’m assuming you’re a junior, so relax, you have plenty of time. to get to that point i think it’s mainly practice, and if you don’t get quite there by march, it’s no big deal to prep a bit more over the summer and take it again in the fall. i agree with your tutor that there’s probably very little to work on if you’re already doing that well, so what i think will make the biggest difference is practice so that you get more experienced and comfortable with what the test looks for. just focus on being more at ease with everything- if you practice and feel good about the test, you’ll do great. good luck!! :)</p>
<p>Do practice essays. I love writing, I’ve taken advanced college writing courses, I’m constantly complimented on my writing, but the SAT essay is different. You’re not writing literature, or a philosophical paper, or a historical piece, or a scientific analysis. You’re writing the crap the SAT graders want to see. I never practiced the essay and so my writing score could have been higher than it was. I had one full year between my two SAT two dates, and everything went up (740–>800, 690–>720, 730–>760) except my essay score (9–>9). I’m not bummed out, since I’m content with my 760, but if it had been lower and I knew the essay could have brought it up, then I would be mad at myself. So don’t take the essay for granted, as an essay that could receive a great score in a class could just receive an okay score on the SAT (and vice versa).</p>
<p>Obviously, get the Blue Book. The practice tests in there are very helpful, as they’re previously administered SATs. Just doing each test, seeing which questions you got caught up on, doing them again, checking the answer, figuring out the best way to get the answer and remembering the method for future questions, etc, will do wonders for your score. Also, if you’re just a junior, you may get better over time naturally (that’s what happened for me, except for math, which I took the BB practice tests for) as school progresses.</p>
<p>Read a lot, it will expand your vocabulary. It’s really true.</p>