My 1 Month Hard-Core Plan for the Oct. SAT!

Test Preparation
1

<p>ok my goal is 2000 for now, if I can get that, I will be happy.
So far my scores are 540 critical reading, 640 math, and 630 writing(63 mc, 8 essay).</p>

<p>Im going to spend from now till October around 70-80 hours prepping for the SAT, 1-2 hours on weekdays, and 2-3 hours on saturdays and sundays.</p>

<p>My Rigorous, but optimistic plan:</p>

<p>1st: Memorize Barron's 3,500 Word List.</p>

<p>2nd: Go Over All of the Problems in the Barron's Math
Workbook and the Kaplan Math Workbook.</p>

<p>3rd: Learn all of the Grammar Rules from the McGraw
Hill's SAT book and various other grammar books.</p>

<p>4th: Practice writing a few essays and learn how to
write a winning essay.</p>

<p>Im hoping, optimistically, that if I follow this plan, I'll reach my target score, 2000. </p>

<p>PS: Any comments and suggestions will be greatly appreciated :).</p>

2

<p>gosh... i feel reli bad now... im trying to aim higher but i haven't even started learning... not even planned anything...</p>

<p>so i guess u'd be much better prepared than i am. =p</p>

3

<p>thanks. Btw, what are your SAT scoreS?</p>

4

<p>Dude, I am in the same boat as you. I am getting started tomorrow. Let's keep in touch so we can help each other out until then. I got a 570 CR, 620 M, and 580 W. Here's my AIM screen name, if you ever want to chat sometime. (DistantHorizon17) Good luck and best wishes on everything!</p>

5

<p>you are better off taking a practice test once every couple days and reviewing the wrong answers.</p>

6

<p>alright kool added u to my buddy list... yeah we'll def. keep in touch</p>

7

<p>Hey gameguy, I am doing almost the exact same as you. The only difference is, I've already started. I’m one week into my "program."</p>

<p>A word of advice for you, I'd strongly recommend taking practice sections from CB's blue book. That way you can get the feel of the actual test.</p>

<p>The program I'm doing is as follows:</p>

<p>Sunday-Monday: Take 3 sections of math in the blue book a day. I also look over some strategies of the books I have, i.e. RRR, Grammatix, Barron’s Math workbook, and Maximum SAT. Also I try to go over some vocab words.</p>

<p>Tuesday-Wednesday: Take 3 sections a day of Writing in the blue book. And just like math I go over strategies and advice in the prep books. And I continue doing vocab words.</p>

<p>Thursday-Saturday: I take 3 sections a day of CR in Blue book. And like the others i go over strategies in prep books. I have 3 days of CR review because I feel that CR is the hardest to bring up. I continue studying vocab.</p>

<p>Just a note- the 3 sections a day is subjective to how much homework I have for school, but at the very minimum I try to do at least 1 section a night.</p>

<p>Also, just for your information, I would suggest doing the Xiggi Method.</p>

<p>For me, I’m doing this by, the first two weeks, (my program is 6 weeks long) I’m taking practice sections open book, and with no time limits. Meaning I have the answers and explanations in front of me. That way when I get one wrong, I can see why I got it wrong, and I can see why the correct answer it right. </p>

<p>For the second two weeks, I am taking practice section with closed book and no time limits. This way you begin to move through the tests faster, but still have no time limits. Also make sure you check your answers when you finish the sections and determine why u got them right/wrong.</p>

<p>For the last two weeks, I am taking the practice section closed book, and with time limits. That way, it simulates real practice conditions. And like before make sure to go back and check your answers.</p>

<p>Wow, long post. PM me for any questions.</p>

8

<p>Hey man. I don't wanna rain on your parade, but memorizing 3500 words in 35 days means you need to cram in 100 words per day. Trust me, the time you spend reviewing those words gets exponentially larger with the more words you know. </p>

<p>But don't let me stop ya!</p>

<p>I'm going to make a plan too. It goes something like this:</p>

<ul>
<li>do the official SAT study guide again. review every single CR and W question in that book.</li>
<li>do the princeton review grammar guide.</li>
<li>memorize my personal flash cards w/words on them. about 800-1000 words on them total. I know about 80% of them though.</li>
<li>I will focus on CR and W. I will focus on reading passages more than words.</li>
</ul>

<p>I will be doing W and CR sections on school days only. I will be taking full tests on weekends, time limit, closed book, all the time.</p>

<p>I have 4 weeks and 1 partial week. I will count this as 4 weeks in case I fall behind.</p>

<p>I will study 1-2 hours per day on weekdays and 4-6 hours on weekends. These include the tests so it's realistic.</p>

<p>I'll end up with 88-100 hours of SAT prep total.</p>

<p>OPEN TO PMs.</p>

9

<p>I'm gonna follow a similar plan SASWombat, possibly more on learning vocabs cuz i found the verbal the most challenging. dude i haven't even done a single SAT practice, nor any tests before, since i have just done my SATs in England and wanted a break.</p>

<p>dead meat. totally.</p>

<p>please PM me as well, nice to know that some are on the same boat, lol.</p>

10

<p>Here's my plan for the November SAT:</p>

<ol>
<li>Take a Blue Book test using Grammatix's methods.</li>
<li>Take a Blue Book test using some other method (to compare).</li>
<li>Go through the Kaplan practice tests and individual practice questions.</li>
<li>Go through three more Blue Book tests and Barron's Verbal Workbook.</li>
<li>Go to the Homecoming game and dance the Saturday before the test.</li>
<li>Throw a Halloween party with my friend (we already have a guest list of ~70 people) the Sunday before the test.</li>
<li>Go Trick-or-Treating the Monday before the test.</li>
<li>Just review review review all my practice tests (which I will have been doing all along) - right and wrong - like crazy.</li>
<li>Take the SAT.</li>
</ol>

<p>As you can clearly see, this is a fool-proof plan. Steps 5-7 are CENTRAL to its success.</p>

<p>BTW: I won't be going through all the practice exams - only 5 of the Blue Book's and 2 of Kaplan's probably - because I'm almost definitely taking it again in January. Unless if I get 800 M / 750+ W / 700+ CR on my first try.</p>

<p>Oh, and I'm not starting until I finish all my summer work - which won't happen until <em>after</em> school starts :P.</p>

11

<p>wow, theoneo, you have the same exact goal for SAT.</p>

<p>my plan is just to go through CB Blue Book and the old SAT 10 Real Test book that I have until the october test. looking for at least a 140 point improvement and my goal is 190 point improvement.</p>

12

<p>some great plans:)</p>

<p>Well anyways, as for the 3,500 word list, I already know around 70% of the words so I just need to review them all and kind of learn more. As for the math, Im going to try to pace myself faster as I ran out of time on the last SAT. As for the Writing, Im going to refresh all the grammar rules so they're fresh in my head and I think McGraw Hill's SAT is good for that. For the essay, I'll probably just write a few essays and use the strategies in the grammatix. My plan is 1-2 hours on weekdays and 2-3 hours on weekends, considering the test is on oct.17, thats 5 weeks so a lot can be done.</p>

<p>My target score, like I mentioned earlier, is 2000 as I am a sophomore. So far, I have a 1820-1840 and it hasnt gone up since the past few months:(. </p>

<p>One Question: As I'm not an affluent reader, can I still answer most of the questions correctly on the reading? I mean they're only 500-700 word length passsages and line references are there for 95% questions. So what do you all think about ''being a strong reader''? Does that affect your ability to do well on reading? And if it does, can someone like me who hasn't read a lot still do well on reading?</p>

<p>Thank you all. Hope everyone gets the score they want. Good LUCK!</p>

13

<p>Okay, don't worry about 3500 words. They use different ones all the time. 200 is ample. You will see words that look alike and say "hey, this looks like this so I think it's this". Also, learn Latin/Greek roots. They will very much help you.</p>

14

<p>yeah. . .if you're not shooting for a 2300+, don't bother with the 3500 list. I have been trying to tackle that for two years now, and I still don't know around 5% of the words. . .</p>

15

<p>Do as many practice tests as you can lay your hands on, and it is well worth using the CB blue book. Certainly go over every question till you know you won't get that one wrong on the next test.</p>

<p>Like ppl have said, I don't know if its worth spending heaps of time on the 3500 words - you should have read more challenging literature over the last two years if you wanted to up your vocab that much. </p>

<p>And about the understanding what you are reading - well, reading a lot <em>and thinking about it</em> does give you a huge advantage in speed/comprehension/insight. But if you study hard I don't reckon you should do too bad.</p>

<p>I should have guessed on the grid in maths questions I couldn't get right, but I didn't... *&^%#. Maybe try that too.</p>