<p>This is a bit of a long-winded question, so bear w/ me</p>
<p>I'm a rising Junior and I've been studying all summer long, clocking in numerous hours every day. In the beginning, I was learning techniques and studying the test and its secret tricks within itself, and my score increased from the 1800-1900 range to about the 2000-2100-2200 range. When you get to that score, all you need to do is keep practicing and practicing, but how much practicing is enough? I've been doing A LOT of practice tests. I finished every test in the Blue Book and did some real administered SAT's, but my score fluctuates between that 2000-2100 and has not really seen a big improvement. I check over every section that I do, and I'm always open to trying new things to improve my score, yet there are still invisible barriers stopping me. If it's not one thing, it's the other. If it wasn't the passage questions, it was the vocab. If it wasn't the vocab, it was the passage questions. Matter of fact, sometimes my scores even drop when I take a hiatus from studying, and I come back and get like a 670 on CR and Math or something. Is this normal? Do I have to keep practicing? Or are my practice sessions insufficient and I'm not practicing/studying right? I'm not sure when I'm gonna take the SAT, maybe in January so I can get studying in during winter break. My studying routine is this: Work timed sections individually, check over which answers I got wrong, maybe take a few minutes break, and do another section. I've only taken about 2 or 3 full timed practice tests with 3 5 minute breaks, and the last one I took was a while ago. I also haven't been doing the essays, so my writing score isn't substantiated yet (although I'm positive I can do well on the essay and I got the MC down pat).</p>
<p>You’re probably over-studying, or your studying is inefficient. The SAT is not a test you should kill yourself over – a 2200+ is pretty good even for top colleges, and a 2300-2400 isn’t a significant advantage (i.e. not significant enough that you should invest many many hours into).</p>
<p>I am also a rising junior studying for the SAT. I actually had very similar experiences with the test in early August, because I had been away on vacation and not studying for a few weeks. When I got back, I continued taking practice tests and analyzing EVERY mistake, and my last two scores were in the 2350 range. I recommend using the College Board Online Course for the 10 extra tests. I have taken about 18 tests I believe, from March until now, and my scores haven’t been consistently over 2300 until now. Just keep practicing and scrutinizing every single question you got wrong and every one you weren’t sure about and one day it will just click. Also, be sure to read all of the popular SAT advice threads on this forum, including Noitaraperp’s, Xiggi’s, How to Write a 12 Essay in Just 12 Days, Tips From a 2400er, etc.</p>
<p>By the way, are you stronger in math or critical reading? Or are they about equal?</p>
<p>@RoseOak, that’s hard to say, considering there’s 54 Math questions vs. the 67 on CR, and there’s a wider curve on Math compared to CR. Therefore, I get around the same scores. But I’m probably more inclined with Math than Reading, only because of the stupid vocab.</p>
<p>@MITer94, 2300 is my goal and I wouldn’t see the point of studying if I can’t achieve that goal, nor do I see myself settling for less.</p>
<p>2300 is my goal too but to put things into perspective, from 2200 to 2300 is only about 3-4 questions out of the 170 questions of the SAT. That’s what makes breaking through so hard.</p>