<p>i wrote my exam this december 7th and it was a terrible experience for me. I practiced alot day and night, studied all concepts and then i flopped when I was in the exam hall. I missed a lot of questions in the CR section because i had test anxiety which didn't make me think at all!. There was even a time a came in 10 minutes after the exam had started and then I made up my mind to fail; I said a lot of negative things to myself because i thought it was the end, I even cried in the exam hall. I guess i felt that way because I wanted to go to an ivy.</p>
<p>my score:
math: 490
CR: 430
writing: 530</p>
<p>i'm taking another one in january and i want a higher score. I bought the blue book and i've been practicing since january. I guess i now understand how the sat questions are.</p>
<p>Is it possible to increase my score by 600 or 500 points so that i can get a scholarship. I'm not dumb i know and I don't have a tutor. I just have some issues with being patient and i need to work on anxiety. Any suggestions, strategies etc?</p>
<p>Was this your first time to take the SAT?
If you’re nervous then you will not preform well. Just forget everything and focus on the test right in front of you.
Most people know what they’re aiming for before test day. For example, if I’m aiming for a 700 in maths, I keep in mind that I need at least 48 raw score points.
If, during the test, you do not know one question, then don’t sit there trying to analyse it, but instead you should move on. Don’t get nervous or else it will affect you performance!
Also, you must prepare for the test! You can’t just go there expecting to ace when you haven’t even touched a book. Know what type of questions CollegeBoard usually ask. Do some tests and practice! Practice makes perfect!
For maths, you should review the topics, know what you’re going to face. Then, after you have reviewed the mathematics topics, you should do the math sections in the Blue Book. You do not have to do all of them, but do some till you feel comfortable.
For critical reading: most people study and memorise vocabulary a month before SAT. But that is wrong. First of all, you can’t simply build a vocabulary in a month. Vocabulary comes with time. Don’t get me wrong, most people benefit from studying tons of vocabulary words, but if you do not have a strong vocabulary, my advise is to not focus a lot on vocabulary. Simply because your chances of seeing a word you know is low. Also, there are only 19 vocabulary (sentence completion) questions and 48 passage based reading questions. Therefore, focus on the reading passages! Unless you are aiming for a 700-800, you shouldn’t spend much time on sentence completion questions.
Critical Reading is one of the most difficult sections. Students, however, don’t know how to attack the passages. My take on CC passages is to read the Passage carefully, then jump to the questions. Remember, the answers are in the passage!! College Board need to create 4 other incorrect answers! You need to keep in mind that the answer is in the passage! Many student assume a choice is correct because it ‘sounds right.’ You should focus on the passage and if you find a correct answer among the choices… You should always tell yourself ‘DEFEND’, which means you have to defend why this choice is correct. You do this by backing up your answer FROM the passage!
For writing: for the essay, keep this in ming, quantity over quality! Yes I know, college board tells us that it is quality over quantity. But I guarantee you, if you fill the two pages then you will score great! For multiple choice, review the grammar rules! Most students get the correct answer by simply reading the sentence. Depends how good your English.
Yes, you can definitely increase your score, only if you think you can do it! You need to have that motivation that you can do it! Always tell yourself you’re going to ace that test! Don’t be scared or else you will preform badly.
I’m also taking the SAT soon and hope to improve dramatically! So good luck to you and all test takers!
-Silvester</p>
<p>This post is really pathetic post if it isn’t a ■■■■■. Your scores are likely in the first percentile at Ivy League schools. You cannot improve your SAT score dramatically in 2 weeks (if at all). And you probably won’t improve ever unless you’re in middle school right now.</p>
<p>@Savedtatwhim I really didn’t post this questions for negative replies like yours. I need encouragement. I would have scored higher but i was sick a day before the exam, test anxious and missed alot of questions. Besides this is my first SAT and i know i’ll do better. I’ve already improved in math even though i don’t have a tutor because I use the blue book now. Don’t try to discourage people.</p>
<p>Ok, I’m no test-taking wiz but here’s what I think</p>
<p>a) Set realistic expectations for yourself on your test scores. You can’t raise your scores by 500 points in one month. That’s simply not a possibility unless you literally just screwed up bubbling in your answers or something and would have otherwise gotten a 700. Can you raise each individual score by 100 points, maybe even 200? Possibly, if you study a lot
b) Set realistic expectations in general. I understand you may be intelligent, but the reality is that you’re not a fantastic test taker, at least when it comes to the SATs. The likelihood of an Ivy being able to overlook that fact is slim to none. Do you have a shot at some other great schools (like NYU, top UCs, etc) with good ECs, a nice essay and good grades? OF COURSE but don’t be all “Ivy-or-bust”. It’ll get you nowhere
c) PRACTICE. The key to improving your scores is practicing. Figure out your biggest issues (for example: math word problems, or vocab) and make that your top priority. Then use a tactics book to figure out the rest. Read the threads on here for tips on effective passage-reading, answer elimination strategies, etc.
d) Be confident. Don’t walk in thinking you’re going to bomb it. I don’t mean to scare you, but some schools don’t use score choice. Your decision to fail midway through the test could have cost you admission to some schools…so keep cool and don’t freak out</p>
<p>@sfgirl101 i want to improve each score by a 200. i’ve detected my weaknesses. I think why i failed is because I thought my performance was really bad for an ivy but ive changed my perception now and i’m going for middle class schools.</p>
<p>@vivienne03 I think that’s a smart decision, but keep in mind that prestige is just one reason to choose a school. You should also take into account
a) what you plan to study
b) what kind of environment you want…Yale, UCBerkeley and MIT are all world-class schools with very different vibes
c) money/financial aid/merit/in-state vs. OOS tuition</p>
<p>Just because someone’s smart with great grades doesn’t mean Harvard is the perfect fit for them. There are some schools out there that are truly great, even if they’re not one of the “best universities in the world” or globally considered “world-class”. THat’s so subjective. Just focus on doing your best</p>
<p>Also, I think attempting to raise your score by 200 points could very well be possible over the course of 2 or 3 months…but in a matter of weeks? I’m not sure, especially if you already have testing anxiety</p>
<p>@sfgirl… thanks anyway. but i’ve studied from august to december, i already know about the test now. my only weakness is CR which i’m currently working on. The only thing that killed me during the test was anxiety. When I checked my stats, i missed a lot of questions in the CR and math sections. I hadn’t practiced with the blue book then but i have it now and I practice everyday and i’ve improved a lot in analyzing math questions. But my scores just have to increase. they can’t remain that way. I am trying to get a scholarship; What’s the minimum score required to get a full scholarship? (sorry I’m not American so i have no idea of its system of education)</p>
<p>all of the HYPM schools are need-based scholarships, because everyone who apllies is deservant of one. So depending on your family’s income, they will give out based on that. Other schools give out merit scholarships, however there is no certain score that automatically gives you a scholarship.</p>
<p>Definitely take timed tests from the Blue Book in your weak areas and go back over what you missed. Memorize any vocab you encounter in CR that you don’t know. (Direct Hits is good for vocab as well, but that may not be ideal, seeing as you don’t have a lot of time left to study.) Answer the easy questions before the hard ones (mark them and go back if necessary), but try when you can to answer the questions about one particular passage all in one go. When you’ve done enough practice in your weak areas and feel more familiar with SAT-style questions, take an entire test in one sitting once or twice a week, including the essay. This will help with your focus and endurance, especially toward the last few sections, and I think it was what ultimately raised my overall score to a 2300+. Good luck - and don’t stress too much. Like an above commenter said, set realistic goals, but also don’t give up when things get rough.</p>
<p>What grade are you in, Vivienne03? In the US, students take the SAT in the spring of their junior year or fall of their senior year. Can you postpone the test for a few months? Improvement is possible. My son scored a 1460 on his first practice SAT because he didnt have much practice with standardized (or timed) tests and he was really nervous. I helped him study high school math books and English grammar for about a month, then he took another test and scored 1620. I bought the SAT Official Study Guide (the Blue Book) and, after a week of working on practice sections, he took a 3rd test and scored 1770. Thats an increase of over 300 points in 5 weeks. We’re debating now whether to take the official SAT in January or wait until March. </p>
<p>It helps to analyze every question (even the ones you got correct). The online course the College Board offers will tell you the correct answer and WHY its correct. I think thats helped him almost as much as understanding why the ones he missed were incorrect. If you can get an Official SAT Study Guide and do the practice tests in it, youll get an idea how much youre progressing. Then you can decide whether or not youre progressing fast enough to take the test in January or if youd be better off moving it to a later date.</p>
<p>A couple tips for increasing scores: Do some sections untimed at first. Look up any words you don’t know the meaning of; I had my son write them in the blue book as he went. Look up math topics you’re not familiar with and work through problems instead of guessing how to do them. Remember that the answers to the critical reading sections have to be supported by the text. Ask yourself what part of the reading section supports your answer? If you can’t defend your answer with the text, see if there’s a better choice. The SAT asks for the BEST choice, it doesn’t mean that the answer is the only one that fits. </p>