<p>This is pretty stupid but I just need some reassurance that practicing math practice tests will actually get me a higher math score. I've had a math SAT tutor for some time now whom I meet every week and take practice tests, yet my scores still suck. </p>
<p>I took Honors Algebra 2/Geometry my freshman year and received high A's. I took Honors Pre-Calc my sophomore year and got an A+ and now as a junior, I'm taking AP Calculus and AP Statistics. I'm confused because I seem to be okay at math when looking at my school grades, but I can't even break to a 600 on my math SAT section. What. The. @#$<em>(&</em>. </p>
<p>This is literally convincing me that I must be some kind of idiot for I see so many people on this board that get high 600's and 700's easily. I'm trying to keep calm and rational, but it's hard not getting frustrated after I feel like my work isn't paying off.
I haven't taken the SAT's yet, planning on taking them in March but I only got a 57 on my PSAT's for math.</p>
<p>I need to raise these scores to go to the colleges I am looking at. (U Cal-Berk my #1 choice, Pomona, Northwestern, U Mich, Bates, Rice, Tulane, Duke, etc...)</p>
<p>Please help me before I rip all my hair out. I feel so hopeless. </p>
<p>Wow, sorry about this long post. I've just been keeping a lot in and I guess when I started to vent, it all came out. Thank you so much to anyone who reads this and offers me some advice. Really.</p>
<p>OMG This happens to me all the time too! My scores are a bit higher, but I just make a lot of stupid mistakes which drag me down…
Something you could do to help is take a practice test, then see what areas (probability, combinations/permutations etc) you are doing badly in, and then just do problems in that area, and see if that helps.
If nothing seems to work, it might be the test itself. The SAT is based on critical reasoning skills, not knowledge-which basically means there are a lot of tricky questions on it. Try taking an ACT practice test and see if you’re better suited to a knowledge-based test. I tried taking an ACT math test out of frustration and got 1 wrong out of 60!
Whatever happens though-don’t lose faith-you got this
Hope this helps :)</p>
<p>Try to use Grubers Math Workbook. They lay out the concepts pretty well. And use the BB and do the tests. See what you are doing wrong or/and if it is a stupid mistake or you not knowing the actual concept.</p>
<p>Wow, I actually got replies! Thanks guys!
datafiles: I will definitely take that into consideration. I wasn’t sure if I was going to take the ACT yet, but now I think I definitely will. I guess I just have terrible critical reasoning skills. </p>
<p>gotmilk: Could I find that book at bookstores such as Barnes and Nobles? </p>
<p>Taking practice tests definitely helps. Just take all the Blue Book tests section by section. Also, make sure you go over the questions you get wrong and understand why you got them wrong. You can find explanations for the answers on collegeboard.com I believe Good luck!</p>
Good luck!</p>