<p>though a 560 in CR may seem not as a significant score and accomplishment, I've worked really hard to achieve it. My previous scores during my freshmen year averaged to be around 450, but after getting a few extra tips from other people on college confidential, i've been able to raise it. Hopefully, throughout my sophmore year, I'll be able to pull it up to at least a 600. I also have half a summer left, what should i also focus on to improve CR? any tips appreciated :D </p>
<p>and also, anyone wanna give me your thoughts about my score?</p>
<p>Critical reading I found that you have to be a fast and efficient reader. That’s a skill you build on, it doesn’t happen over night. To me, it’s waaay harder to study for cr then math because for cr, there’s not always one answer. There can be a BEST answer, but not a single right answer. So for the CR make sure you look over root words. Root words always help me figure out the meaning of the word. [SAT:</a> 238 Root Words flashcards | Quizlet](<a href=“http://quizlet.com/138919/sat-238-root-words-flash-cards/]SAT:”>http://quizlet.com/138919/sat-238-root-words-flash-cards/)</p>
<p>Lastly, read non-fiction. Like the newspaper. And make up questions like what’s the main idea? and answer those questions after you finish reading. At least read a passage a day, especially during the next summer, when you’re going to take the sat’s that year. Hope I helped :)</p>
<p>Read. A lot. In 9th grade I had similar scores as you - total 1860, 770 Math, 530 reading and 560 writing.</p>
<p>In 11th grade, when applying for colleges, I still got around 800 math (usually made a dumb mistake), and I never got a 650 for CR and W. Not once. I ended up settling with a 31 ACT score.</p>
<p>Don’t worry about practice tests and whatnot too much… just read and write a lot. Find out which sub-sections are weak for you and focus on those. I really think I should have scored a 2200+.</p>
<p>@Annul, thanks for the abundance of advice and suggestions! but, i have the barron’s 3500 words. Of course, I’m not going to memoirze all of them, I’ve highlighted, in the word list, top 1000 common words. I highlighted the words using a variety of sources, (PR’s hit list, sparknotes, larry grieger, etc.) ← that’s basically how i formed my word list. I also added words to barron’s word lists that weren’t on it, so that amounted to a total, approximately, of 1100 words. I have like 150 at least memorized already, I’m aiming to memorize all 1100 words, because of course, I still have 2 years left, though its not a lot of time, I think it’s not impossible to memorize this much vocab. oh, annul, also, i don’t think i need to read because i prep for the SAT already, and on a daily basis, i get CR passages to do. :D</p>
<p>@Pat, can you be a little more clear about the part where you said “and I never got a 650 for CR and W. Not once.”. Well, do you mean your junior year SAT scores barely changed from your freshmen SAT scores? I’m not down to ACT, I don’t like the science section, frankly, I think its stupid, besides, the SAT is a more accepted and intelligence measuring tests than the ACT.</p>
<p>That is a fine practice score for sophomore. Did you take a PSAT test in sophomore? You should be able to raise 200-300 points by next year. Since CR is your weakness, focus on reading and vocab. your Math skill will improve once your learn more in junior year.</p>
<p>I’m turning a sophmore in sept, not a soph yet as of now. i took the psat in freshmen year and scored a 152, horrible! yuck! but I take practice SAT tests instead of psat tests now. I’m in a SAT summer program. i now hover around 1800, hopefully I"ll be able to get a 190 on the psat because the content is easier. :D</p>
<p>But I improved over the course of freshmen year from oct–>july(now). I’m going to take the psat this oct, as a soph. My math used to be as weak as my CR score, but I personally feel it is easier to improve on in math than CR.</p>
<p>Yeah, your score is great for a sophomore. To improve your critical reading, definitely read more. Read more classics. I like reading them on my ibooks app because they’re free, they’re good books, and you can define the words without having to get out a dictionary. Also, just start memorizing vocab. Get some fun vocab apps if you don’t like memorizing.</p>
<p>If your sophomore PSAT is 187, then you have a great potential to go beyond 200 easily in junior. Keep up the good work. Don’t over prepare for SAT yet as the format of the test will change next year.</p>
<p>bilscho, you have a great point, but I’m doing everything that i can, right now, to improve. I think it was every 10 years that the ETS changes the SAT. it was changed back in 2005, and in 2015, it will change once more. In 2015, I will become a junior, and in 2016 is when I’ll officially take the SAT… this got me worried a bit… but I’m pretty sure the format will stay similiarly the same. Just take a look at the past 10 years of SAT tests, the format hasn’t changed drastically, has it?</p>
<p>oh and my scores i listed weren’t for the psat. they were from a SAT practice test i took 2 weeks ago.</p>