<p>I've been practicing each section for a month now. I usually just do the individual sections and of course I time myself. I plan on taking maybe 1 or 2 full length prac tests before the May SAT. Is this a decent strategy? </p>
<p>FYI : I'm pretty used to taking long exams so lengthyness shouldnt be a problem really.</p>
<p>Yes, I would definitely recommend taking full length practice tests in one sitting. This will help with the stamina of sitting through this exhausting exam. If you can I would recommend going to the library to make the experience closer to a real exam. Definitely take at least three or four full length practice exams.</p>
<p>definitely! I’ve never done full length practice tests and on the real SAT, I wanted to give up after the 7th section because I was so tired. please take full length tests because this is also a test of endurance. </p>
<p>If you’re used to long tests and are planning to take two full length practice exams, I think you’ll be fine. Couldn’t hurt to take a few more though.</p>
<p>My son probably did 7-8 full length practice tests, including the essays, under the real test condition within a month before the real thing. That’s what did it for him.</p>
<p>Okay thank you for the replies. I think I’m going to do 4 before the exam now after hearing your responses.</p>
<p>Take as many as you possibly can! I took so many that I started to get 2400s straight in a row, and I STILL didn’t make a 2400 on the real thing. The more you do, the better you’ll score on the real thing!</p>
<p>@absentions Wow! What was your procedure for going over your mistakes when you finished the tests? Like did you just see what you did wrong and then move on, or did you practice other problems of the like, ect. Also what was your SAT score without practice?</p>
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<p>That should be fine. I think you can maximize your score if you do that plus as many individual sections as necessary.</p>
<p>I have never been a big fan of taking full length tests in the preparation phase. I only see its utility as establishing the initial benchmark, and that is better done through an official admin, and perhaps at the end to measure the progress “earned” through the full preparation. Taking full length test upon test serves little purpose, as the stamina is an issue that will be variable on the testing day. </p>
<p>While it cannot hurt and is minimally helpful, it is not absolutely necessary, and especially NOT for lopsided students. A student who aces one or two of the sections (easy for writing and highly attainable for math) will find the ROI on those sections minimal. And vice versa for the experts in reading. </p>
<p>If stamina seems to be an issue, build your own test with 10 sections with the subjects that need work. Fwiw, I do not believe that it is easy to reproduce the testing and pressure environment at home or at the library. </p>
<p>In conclusion, one or two are more than enough. This said, I do respect SQ’s opinion. :)</p>
<p>Timed full practice test is the only way gauge your progress. When my D prep for the tests over the summer, she did 1 section per day but a full practice in the weekend. When you do one section at a time, you don’t really know how you will perform after 2+ hours in a test.</p>
<p>@BassGuitar By the time I full-on took practice tests, I had mastered (to the best of my ability) all the sections. Don’t start out by just taking practice tests. First, gain the skills needed to solve all the problems (practice individual sections until you feel like you’ve got everything. But you’ll learn once you take a full test that you actually DON’T). Practicing is the key to breaking score ranges. For example, if you find that you constantly score in the 2100s (the case for me - I got the exact same score the first two times I took the SAT, and THEN I finally learned my lesson), do a bunch of practice tests, and you’ll improve by 100-200 points - a consistent increase, not a one-time occurrence due to luck. </p>
<p>The practice tests only ensured that I make as little careless mistakes as possible, and put the skills I learned in practice. For example, with practice, my CR got better (it was my weak spot) because I learned how to tackle certain questions. I started to recognize patterns. Same goes for people who aren’t naturally great at the writing section. Practice is so key because you’ll start to follow patterns, and the questions will get easier.</p>
<p>I don’t think I ever got every single question correct in the critical reading section (even on practice tests). The 2400 I calculated took into account the curve used on that particular year’s test (I used real, past tests). </p>
<p>On the real thing, there was a really bad curve. I missed two questions and didn’t get an 800 on reading (got 800 on everything else). I later learned that if I had just omitted those two questions, I would have gotten an 800. </p>
<p>However, I don’t regret not omitting. I actually never ever omit and wouldn’t recommend it (unless you’re REALLY good at strategizing, but honestly I never focused my energy on that).</p>
<p>I think take at least 4, but thoroughly redo the ones you miss. Do NOT write down the correct answer. Go over it later and see if you can get to it on your own. If you can’t, that’s when you know you need help on something. </p>
<p>I also agree with the post (sorry, too tired to figure out who said it) that you should make sure you understand the material you need.</p>
<p>My answer also depends on what is holding you back. If I am teaching two students:</p>
<p>Student A: Is having trouble with understanding key ideas (such as strategies, how to do certain math problems, key concepts on the Writing section) then, if I can only get that person to do a certain amount of studying per week, I would not make practice tests that student’s top priority.</p>
<p>However,</p>
<p>Student B: Gets the concepts, but is having test-taking/test-stamina issues, then I would have that student focus more on practice tests (particularly if it is less than a month before the exam).</p>
<p>I would take a practice test and see if you are closer to Student A or Student B. I still recommend both take at least four, but student B should do more, if possible.</p>