I'm horrified by my scores...

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>I got a 570 in CR
I got a 590 in W
I got a 740 in Math...</p>

<p>What should I do to increase my CR and W score? I can't seem to find any way to increase it..</p>

<p>I study A LOT.</p>

<p>These scores don't reflect me at all... I'm an amazing student and extremely smart. I hate this stupid test.</p>

2

<p>You need to change the way you approach this specific test. You can’t do it the same way you do regular school tests.</p>

3

<p>definitely, i agree with thrill3rnit3. you need to change the way you read the passages, and also you have to interchange between the ways you approach reading and writing, because one is looking for meaning and another for errors in sentences. it really isn’t easy, and all it takes is practice and a good enough vocabulary (with guessing skills).</p>

4

<p>First of all, chill; I know so many brilliant people who stumble come the SAT. I don’t know what it is, probably a combo of nerves, mixed with weariness during a 3 hour+ test, mixed with w/e. </p>

<p>For CR, there is this good study book that College Board makes, found here: [The</a> Official SAT Study Guide - $14.29 - College Board (COR) - 9780874478525 - 0874478529](<a href=“http://booksxyz.com/profile3855986.php]The”>http://booksxyz.com/profile3855986.php)
It has passages and explanations that I was required to do daily for my AP English class, which was annoying but useful. Also, it is no lie when they say that reading helps for reading sections. It ups your vocab and gets you used to different styles of writing, as you will undoubtedly encounter many different styles in the SAT. </p>

<p>For math, however, I found that book unhelpful. I, frankly, got bored. I found the Kaplan book more helpful: [Kaplan</a> SAT Advanced [Book]](<a href=“http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=kaplan+sat+advanced&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=10274619679996685714&ei=evQjTPTxHoWBlAeshqxm&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCwQ8wIwAg#]Kaplan”>http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=kaplan+sat+advanced&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=10274619679996685714&ei=evQjTPTxHoWBlAeshqxm&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCwQ8wIwAg#)
Of course, I got this book for the second time I took this test, so I am not sure if it will help you much for the CR and W, but I would imagine it would work well. However, your math score is pretty damn awesome. </p>

<p>As for writing, look up some writing prompts and practice under timed conditions. Again, I was required to do that for AP English and it worked wonders for my score. Of course, being used to writing AP prompts made SAT prompts look pitifully tame, but the practice still helps. Have someone, <em>ehem</em> like an Eng. teacher, check your prompts, if it helps. The College Board book mentioned above helped me a ton with this section as well. The fastest way to improve the writing score, and the CR score in my opinion, is upping your vocab, because the test asks you vocab q.s in both sections that are worth the same as any other, harder question. In other words, they are easy points when you may get stumped on main idea q.s and such. </p>

<p>As for the SAT on a whole, practicing the test in its entirety is the best way to prepare. I am not sure how much time you have (is this your first time? are you a senior this fall?), but spacing timed tests is the best way to get used to the SAT. </p>

<p>Oh, and, just so you know, your scores are far from abominable. I am not sure who told you they were, but, even if this was a retake, the 1300 range is a far cry from horrible. I, however, can’t really talk much, because I had to take the SATs three times before I was satisfied.</p>

5

<p>I’ll look into the blue book. I don’t trust the Princeton Review anymore… </p>

<p>In all honesty, I don’t need any practice in the math section… I’m AMAZED that I didn’t get a perfect score. I’m one of the best high school mathematicians in Texas, getting 3rd in state for the state mathematics competition…</p>

<p>However, when it comes to CR and W idk. I know all my writing grammar and I utilized it on this test but ugh… I really need to work on my CR though. I expected an 800 in math, a 740+ in writing and whatever in Cr…</p>

<p>I’m going to be a senior in the fall. I guess I’ll be taking the SAT in October… ACT in September.</p>

6

<p>Actually, I don’t feel so bad anymore… It was my first go, so if colleges see it they won’t freak out I think… I mean I want to go somewhere like Stanford, Yale or Harvard. I already meet the ACT requirements for Stanford (I got a 30 on my first try)… </p>

<p>I’m going to take it again November, and I’m going to study my butt off after my September ACT using the blue book. </p>

<p>In December I’m going to take my 2 subject tests: Math 2 and idk what the other one is yet…</p>

7

<p>A 30 may put you in the ballpark but it’ll still be a major reach.</p>

8

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<p>Competitive problem solving is different from SAT Math. Like I said, if you want a higher score, you should change the way you approach the problems in the SAT. There are no uniqueness or existence proofs in the SAT, but it is easier to make a silly algebra or geometry mistake.</p>

9

<p>I had a 580 and brought it to a 710 (CR). Study vocabulary! And get inside the test makers’ head! Think…what do they want you to put? Really, though, vocab all the way.</p>

10

<p>The SAT math portion is all about trying to make you stumble, or to put you in a situation where you might make a careless mistake. Being good at math is certainly a benefit, but you also have to be observant and keen to make sure you don’t fall for their tricks.</p>

11

<p>review your grammar and recite tons of words</p>

12

<p>I guess my best bet is to just study out of the BB.</p>

13

<p>I would (and did):

  1. Read the Blue Book text and do the example problems.
  2. Google “the 1000 most common sat words” and download the first pdf result. Print it out. Take it EVERYWHERE with you. Read it when you’re bored. I had some teachers that even let me read it in class when I finished an assignment early.
  3. Take practice timed tests from the Blue Book, at the library (or a similar quiet, isolated place), at 8 am, until you start getting scores you like.
  4. A few weeks before the exam, group the 1000 SAT words by a one-word meaning (good, bad, smelly, sad, happy, shiny, etc.). The SAT exam will never ask you to distinguish between two very similar words. You do, however, need a grasp of their approximate meaning. Read your list, and highlight those words you don’t already know. Study those, reviewing the ones you already know, focusing on the approximate meaning.
  5. A week before the exam, start going to bed early and waking up early. Start eating a healthy breakfast.
  6. The night before the exam, go shopping. Buy pencils, erasers, a pencil sharpener, granola bars, fruit juice, and a giant jar of almonds. Sharpen your new pencils, pack your bags, watch an episode of Scrubs or two, and go to bed early. Don’t study.
  7. The day of the exam, wake up early, eat a healthy breakfast like you always do, and leave early. Don’t drive, and don’t study. When you get nervous, eat an almond. On breaks, eat almonds.</p>
14

<p>Keep in mind, also, that a 740 in math might only be one or two wrong–in other words, you added instead of subtracted once or twice. It varies from test to test, but I got one wrong and got a 760 on math, and several wrong and still got an 800 in critical reading.</p>

<p>For writing, if you get all the multiple choice right you can still get an 800 without writing a perfect essay. To do well on the multiple choice in both writing and critical reading, you need to learn how the questions work and the kind of answer they’re looking for. The only way to do this is to take a lot of practice tests, and analyze every mistake you make afterward.</p>

<p>For the essay, don’t think too much. Draw an outline in the first three minutes, then write as fast as you can, throwing in words from your vocab list whenever you can. Reread afterward, crossing out any brain typos.</p>

15

<p>Alright. What prep book would you recommend for me though?</p>

16

<p>I think that for CR, a good mentality and plan is more effective than any “special techniques”
There’s a thread somewhere in here titled “How to effectively attack the critical reading section of the sat” or something along those lines, look it up</p>