<p>I have the whole summer. I had really poor PSAT scores and I want to improve. What should I do? I have bought the Blue Book. Should I just read it or what? I also want to focus on Math most. I don't know where to get started. Please help.</p>
<p>Do a practice test under real testing conditions if you can. Then analyze your errors and pat yourself on the back for your correct answers! When you have an analysis, begin to study the stuff that threw you. I have heard the Blue Book is good, though I don't know it. You might also get Princeton Review's SAT prep or Barron's SAT prep. </p>
<p>Besides, or in addition to the SAT, you might also consider getting an ACT prep book. Some students feel that the ACT is easier. If you can talk to your Guidance Counselor at school, perhaps s/he can give you some pointers. You can also look through the posts and forums on this web site. There is a ton of useful information. Good luck!</p>
<p>"'How do you get a good SAT score?', asked the student, a bead of sweat running down his nerved, slightly boyish face. The wise man turned a baby-blue eye that glimmered in the sharply directed light, his aged mouth contorted with a slight hint of amusement colored by an omnipresent dejectedness that came from answering the question many times and spoke a solitary, powerful word, 'Practice!'." </p>
<p>Haha, sorry, I'm wicked out of it now, so I felt like conveying my advice in a cryptic, somewhat odd passage. But yeah, the best way to do well on the SAT is to, well, practice. Do the following: </p>
<ul>
<li>Take Practice Test #1 from the Blue Book</li>
<li>Score it</li>
</ul>
<p>For each reading section:
- Reread the passages slowly and carefully and see if you can answer all the questions you weren't sure of/got wrong.
- look up any words (both in SC and passages) that you didn't know and burn them into your memory (flashcards or something). </p>
<p>For each math section: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>Redo every problem that you got wrong. If there's just something you're missing, look up concepts relevant to the problem (triangles, circles, lines, etc.) until you get it. </p></li>
<li><p>Make a list of concepts that you're weak in and constantly drill yourself in them. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>For each writing section: </p>
<ul>
<li>Open the blue book to that page with all the grammar errors (it's a chart), tear it out, and keep it handy as you look through all of your missed questions. Look at all the questions you missed and try to identify the error with the aid of the chart. This will help burn the rules into your head. </li>
</ul>
<p>Repeat this for every test in the blue book, and you should have a good score on the real SAT.</p>
<p>Blue Book was definitely a good purchase. And I agree, get the PR book. Well actually, there are two...Cracking the SAT and 11 Practice Tests. Both are great, very useful.</p>