<p>First, some SAT advice. I wrote this in response to someone asking about what books/tools to use, but I think it’s valid in this case, as well: </p>
<p>Definitely buy Collegeboard’s “Blue Book” which is their official SAT guide. It really is just a giant, blue book that you can find at most libraries or bookstores.
For math, I’ve heard that you can practice with Gruber’s. I did, but only after I had tons of experience taking practice tests. Some of the math problems in Gruber’s are really hard and would never actually be found on the SAT. After taking a ton of practice tests, I kind of had a feel for which questions in Gruber’s were that level of difficulty and I usually just skipped those. But in short, Gruber’s is pretty good for math. I used Barron’s math workbook for math- there were some mistakes and I’m not sure how much it actually helped. But then again, I’m naturally pretty good at math, so Barron’s was good for practice.
Get the Barron’s writing workbook- to excel in the writing section, you really just have to memorize a bunch of writing rules and those are all featured in the Barron’s writing workbook. And since it’s a workbook, it gives you practice.</p>
<p>Some people might recommend Direct Hits for vocabulary. That’s cool and all; you can also buy flashcards and most SAT critical reading books have lists of vocab. You can find lists of vocab pretty much everywhere. I believe Sparknotes has one?</p>
<p>I recommend that you stay far, far away from any Kaplan books. </p>
<p>The best way to study for the SAT is to take lots of practice tests. There are ten- I think- in the Blue Book. Once you finish that, you can go online to Collegeboard’s SAT course. The lessons themselves aren’t particularly helpful, but it features ten additional practice tests.</p>
<p>I think if you look around on college confidential, you should be able to find plenty of free tests. And you can always use PSATs to study for the SAT, as well.</p>
<p>Use this for essay advice: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/645763-how-write-12-essay-just-10-days.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/645763-how-write-12-essay-just-10-days.html</a></p>
<p>Finally, cut out all the questions you get wrong on the practice tests and tape/glue them into a notebook or composition book. Review those questions and make sure you really understand how to do them and why you got them wrong.</p>
<p>Now, some other important stuff:
The SAT is most definitely NOT everything. If you don’t get a good score, then that will hurt you when applying for colleges. But if you get a good score, that won’t actually help as much as you think. The majority of people who apply to stellar schools have stellar objectives (grades, class rank, SAT scores, etc.), so you won’t stand out if you have stellar objectives. Everyone has stellar objectives. Your life will NOT be “set.” Personal example: I have a 2320 and I was recently rejected from Penn.
The SAT is important, but THERE ARE OTHER THINGS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE SAT. FOCUS ON THOSE THINGS. “Those things” being extracurriculars and whatever else you do outside of school. DO THINGS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL. Because extracurriculars/whatever you do outside of school will differentiate you from other applicants. Your essays will differentiate you, as well. </p>
<p>Take the SAT seriously (as in don’t be lazy about it), but don’t get completely caught up in it. Don’t let it dictate your life. </p>
<p>If your dad really will not pay, then do well on the PSAT. In case you dont know, the PSAT is the qualifying test for National Merit finalists. If you’re a National Merit Finalist or Semifinalist, a lot of colleges will give you a free ride. </p>
<p>Don’t let your parents and the SAT bog you down or get you down. You’re in ninth grade, so you really shouldn’t be worrying about this stuff yet. Just don’t let their comments affect you personally. I kind of know where you’re coming from. If you need anything else, feel free to PM me!</p>
<p>Last thing: are your parents foreign by any chance?</p>