<p>^ What AznN3rd said.
2350 would be nice, too.
I think it's totally worth being an SAT drone before taking the SAT. IMO the stuff that people study for the SAT aren't JUST for the SAT--they're things that would assist a person in school, too. Like the grammar, for example. The majority of the people I personally know have no darn squattin' clue they exist, or must be applied.
I see SAT study as a benefit towards the actual SAT score AND towards personal knowledge/accomplishment in school. That, in turn, benefits college admissions, as well as actually being in college.
Personally I don't believe that you cannot improve anymore. I believe that those who don't improve anymore just can't identify that key concept that they're missing. Like, if someone gets a certain grammar problem wrong over and over again regardless of study time, it's obviously because he/she didn't understand it when he/she studied it, or he/she didn't know WHY he/she missed the problem. Even in the former case, he/she could get someone to help. That would still lead to improvement, considering that he/she is perfectly normal (not suffering from a learning disability, etc.)
Human potential. I think people can keep on pushing it if they truly try.</p>
<p>XD, that reminds me of this practice CR passage I just read yesterday, about how even seemingly impossible things are always achieved.</p>
<p>Biggyboy, did you still want tips about the writing? Or does anybody care? If not, I won't waste ya'lls time posting them (...speaking of incorrect grammar, but I am from Texas).</p>
<p>Dang, people study hours every day? You realize lots of people get 2300-2400 without studying at all?</p>
<p>"Dang, people study hours every day? You realize lots of people get 2300-2400 without studying at all?"</p>
<p>Yes, but unfortunately not all of us fall into that category :p</p>
<p>And j07, could you please post the writing tips? :)</p>
<p>Slorg, so we underlings try to study as a means of achieving that score that you claim so many people naturally get.
I don't care how they get it, be it "artificial" (if you can call studying that) or natural. So long as it's on that damn app it's good.
:)</p>
<p>Exactly :)</p>
<p>It seems like a waste of time to game the system. The same number of people will be admitted to the top colleges, regardless. Studying has no added value. By studying, you're taking away someone else's acceptance letter, not merely getting your own.</p>
<p>That's life. If you see an opportunity, grab it, and do a barrel-roll for your life while clinging on for it. You don't simply give it to someone else. There is competition.
People strive for excellence and superiority.</p>
<p>I don't believe I should just sit here, do nothing, and let everyone step over my head and grab the opportunities I failed to grab. I do what I can. I do what's in my power. This studying for the SAT is in my power.
I don't believe in "destiny", or that anyone is "destined" to get here and there and someone else isn't.
I believe in potential.</p>
<p>Yeah. You have to work hard to get anywhere. How can you possibly say that we shouldn't study for SATs because we're "taking away someone else's acceptance letter"????</p>
<p>Absolutely. </p>
<p>(by the way, guys, I got a 650 on SAT Math I my first time...so I am definitely needing help/assistance in that area, I got a cheap little math workbook but I don't know if I'll have time to study much, I just want to raise it to at least 700+)</p>
<p>Alright, for the SAT Writing test. I'm pretty good with words in general (def. not a math person though) and I would consider myself to be a good writer. </p>
<p>Five minutes before we started the SAT my friend told me that they like it to be in a typical 5 paragraph format, you know: intro, 3 body, conclusion. I'm sure everybody knows that by now but if not, then start writing your essays in that form. </p>
<p>MY TIPS FOR THE SAT WRITING I (I got an 800 my first time with no prep, 12 on my essay):
1. When you read the topic, start writing. Don't waste time trying to map out your entire essay. This is the complete opposite of everything you've ever been taught about brainstorming, pre-writing, rough drafts, etc., but it works. When you plan too far ahead into an essay it's more easy to get off track and find yourself stuck in an awkward place. For example, if you plan to write about, say, a certain work of literature and you have a nice mention of it in your intro but by the time you get to that body paragraph you have realized that it is irrelevant or incorrect, then what do you do? The good old scratch-out always works, but you're better off just letting your words flow as you go.
2. Don't worry about sticking to the topic too much. When I took the SAT in May (if anybody wants to read mine, a 12, PM me and I'll send it to you), as soon as I had finished writing my essay, I felt that it was a good essay but that it was way too off-topic. I think this is something that helped me though, becuase my essay probably wasn't concretely tied to the exact wording of the topic question, which may have made it stand out.
3. Sentence variety and structure is crucial. Use semi-colons and interesting transitions, adverbial clauses, anything of that sort. Don't over-do it, but remember that this isn't like a college essay in which your personality is what you want to show: you want to show off your writing skills.
4. In your 3 body paragraphs, use different examples of literature, history, current events, science, etc. to support the topic. For example, I used a Biblical/historical reference (Adam and Eve and the "fall from grace) in my first paragraph, the current conflict in the Middle East in my second paragraph, and Huxley and Orwell's dystopian literature in the third. That was a fairly good variety of topics, rather than listing 3 historical events that supported my point or 3 works of literature in which my point was illustrated.
5. Have some "good essay words." There are certain words that you can work into almost any essay that automatically make it a little bit better than those that surround it IF YOU KNOW WHAT THE WORDS MEAN. The worst thing you can do (well, maybe not the worst) is overload your essay with hastily memorized vocab words that might be used incorrectly. Some examples of words that I often use in essays (I did this in SAT, AP tests, IB tests, and English essays) are: ostensible, quintessential, apex, cataclysmic, plausible, palpable, etc. These words aren't that huge or difficult to understand, but they add a certain color to your essay rather than saying obviously, clearly, or the like.
6. For the grammar portion, the thing that helped me most was to do the SAT free question of the day sponsored by college board and to read the explanations. A lot of people don't know basic grammar because we spend so much of our education reading great works of literature that we don't spend too much time on that.
7. Correct people when they speak. Don't do this to strangers or people you don't know very well, but in your family discussions or with your friends, casually correct them (at least mentally) when they say something like, "I don't feel good" or "He did so bad on that test." Recognizing people's speech errors will help you recognize errors in the grammar section of the writing test.
8. Read the sentence/question carefully. Oftentimes reading the sentence in your head isn't sufficient, because you fill in the choice that you would use when speaking. Time isn't such a stress on the grammar sections, or at least I didn't think so, but take your time and read carefully, more so here than on any other section.</p>
<p>Sorry this post was so long, I hope it helped somebody! If anybody wants to read my essay, PM me.</p>
<p>
[quote]
"taking away someone else's acceptance letter"????
[/quote]
I say, screw them. There isn't enough room for caring and sharing here. (heh, that's funny--caring and sharing in insanely competitve college admissions)
I see it like a fight for survival. There is only so much room for acceptances. </p>
<p>And thank you, j07, for the helpful tips. :)</p>
<p>I'd like to add to j07's tips, too.
I got an 11 on my essay. It was a practice test, but still, it was scored by the same people who score the actual SAT.
I don't know if this is just some coincidential rumor or what, but I've heard that full 2-page essays tend to receive higher scores.
So you should try to write a bit larger (not unnaturally) and fill up the 2 pages.
Also, if you cannot think of a good example on the spot and your time is decaying, then start BSing. I did this. I got an 11. I made my "evidence" pretty dramatic. I guess I was a good liar. It's not only the lying, but HOW well you write it out.
Following the two things above, I got the 11.</p>
<p>yeah, writing tips please j07! :D</p>
<p>So people like me who naturally write small are at a disadvantage unless we purposely write larger?</p>
<p>I don't truly know. Like I said, I don't know if it was just a coincidence stemming from a rumor or what, but I've heard that longer essays TEND to receive higher scores.
I didn't think it would hurt to follow along. So I did. My handwriting is naturally teeny-tiny but I purposely wrote larger on the essay.
The first time I did the essay I got a 10. My essay was 1.5 pages. I wrote without BS and without filling the full 2 pages.
Second time I got an 11. Essay was full 2 pages. I BSed.
Coincidence?
I don't know. Maybe I BSed well. But it worked for me, so I'm sticking to it.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Dang, people study hours every day? You realize lots of people get 2300-2400 without studying at all?
[/quote]
Dang, people work hard every day? You realize some dude who dropped out of Harvard ended up as the richest guy in the world?</p>
<p>
[quote]
It seems like a waste of time to game the system. The same number of people will be admitted to the top colleges, regardless. Studying has no added value. By studying, you're taking away someone else's acceptance letter, not merely getting your own.
[/quote]
It seems like a waste of time to game the system. The same number of people will be wealthy millionaires, regardless. Hard work has no added value. By working hard, you're taking away someone else's fortune , not merely getting your own.
I heard that the homeless shelter has an open spot, Slorg. Care to register?</p>
<p>In my opinion, studying for hours a day for a test is doing more harm than good for your life. Why not spend just an hour per day on the test, and spend the rest of your time working on an EC that is MUCH more valuable in the admissions process than an extra hundred points on the SAT? It just doesn't seem healthy to be cooped up inside all day hovering over books for just one test that really doesn't mean all that much. You can learn so much more valuable information by going out into the world and living life than practicing a ridiculous four-hour test every day.</p>