<p>On my last SAT I achieved a 500 on the CR section. Just today I managed a 600 in the barrons critical reading workbook (without time restrictions). So I figured that the pressure of the time is affecting my accuracy to earn a high score. How can I overcome this problem?</p>
<p>The only way to really overcome this kind of thing is to practice. If you practice enough, time will no longer be an option and your score will improve dramatically. Just keep up the hard work at it will pay off :)</p>
<p>If you are trying to get an accurate score, then you need to time yourself. There is no use in taking a practice test otherwise.</p>
<p>Timed or not,if you are using Barrons it won’t be accurate…</p>
<p>Ok, I do not need the technicality of “using the BB will predict an accurate score.” I’m speaking in general of being accurate to answer more questions right than wrong. By the way, thanks for the advise to those who offered.</p>
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<p>Interesting! I’d rather say that what is of NO use is to “attempt” to get an accurate score during the preparation phase. The ONLY accurate scores are obtained on a Saturday or a Sunday. </p>
<p>I am convinced that the very best (as in constructive) practices come from taking sections of the test in an untimed manner. The fine-tuning of the performance and speed that comes in latter stages is really trivial, but even less than the scores obtained during the preparation phases. </p>
<p>In addition, I would also advance that the untimely focus on taking full tests under timed conditions contributes to the poor preparation of so many students.</p>
<p>Only a fool would prepare for a marathon by running a bunch of 26 miles and hope to get better. And, fwiw, this is not a good analogy as the preparation for a marathon involves keeoing an eye of the clock at all times. Perhaps a better analogy would be for a soccer team to practice only by playing games of 90 minutes on a regulation field.</p>
<p>But time management is an important part of taking this test. You don’t have to practice enitire tests in one sitting, but I do think you need to time your sections. My favorite plan for my students is to have them set a timer, take the section, and then when time is up, change to a new pen color and continue working untimed. The idea is twofold: see what you can do NOW under the timed conditions and recognize that as you improve, you will need to extend yourself to harder material – so practice now. </p>
<p>And it is because time is so important that I don’t like Barron’s and the rest. It’s not just that their individual questions are occasionally bad. It’s that the package as a whole does not match the SAT in time requirement.</p>
<p>I pretty much agree with both Xiggi and pc. </p>
<p>I certainly didn’t mean to imply that taking practice tests was a very good way to prepare for the SAT. This is NOT my philosophy. The best way to prepare is to learn all the SAT specific strategies, and spend a small amount of time on problems each day, making sure to continuously redo problems that you get wrong periodically until you can get each one right on your own.</p>
<p>That said, I suggest doing about 4 actual SATs as practice tests under timed conditions before taking the actual test.</p>
<p>Perhaps we say the same thing in a different way. After all, there is no reason why we could not agree! I know that timing is of the essence on the SAT! :)</p>
<p>However, I believe that the performance and speed will come naturally to someone who first acquired the best understanding of the test possible. What I mean is that someone who struggles with certain types of problems will continue to do so until he or she gains the basic knowledge to approach the problems. Fwiw, I do not think that basic knowledge has to mean what one learns in HS. This basic knowledge includes strategies such as using plug numbers and relying on reasoning to solve problems. Too many people simply forget what might have come naturally to them in … middle school. “My” untimed sections serve no other purpose than to help someone think through and take the time to refresh the memory, and then move forward with confidence. I call that building blocks of confidence. This is the confidence that translates into … speed.</p>
<p>What I see happening is students rushing and taking 5-6 tests from the BB and scoring all over the place, getting discouraging, and believing the test is all about tricks. Then they will scout the internet for the perfect book and repeat and rinse the same mistakes. </p>
<p>In the end, I do not think that none of us advocate to take only timed or only untimed tests. I believe that untimed sections, timed sections, and a few full practice tests have their place. I also believe that this vary from one student to another student.</p>
<p>It is especially true that many students burn through the blue book ineffectively. All of those “finished blue book, now what” threads…</p>