<p>My family has used these tips to improve test scores. My 17 year old son recently used these strategies to help his best friend improve his scores so that the friend could be in my son’s honors dorm next year. The system worked so well that the friend improved his ACT score from a 25 to a 31 (he was only “aiming” for a 28 to qualify for honors). The friend’s score improved so much, that now he qualifies for a full-tuition scholarship (his parents are very grateful - they never went to college!)</p>
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<p>Plan on taking both the SAT and the ACT tests because some students score higher on one type than the other. If the school that you are applying to only considers the Math and CR, then those two scores are what you need to be comparing to the ACT equivalent score. For example, one of my kids Math + CR = 1510. Colleges consider that to be a higher score than his ACT 33. A 1510 is the equivalent of an ACT 34. However, some kids score higher on the ACT. It will all depend on each students individual strengths and weaknesses.</p>
<p>Also, if the schools on your “application list” only consider Math and CR for the SAT, don’t spend too much time practicing the Writing section (you don’t want to do badly in that section, but you don’t need to really “knock yourself out” studying for it, either.)</p>
<p>To prepare for the PSAT/SAT & ACT, buy the SAT practice book that is put out by College Board (the company that makes the SAT), and the ACT practice put out by the ACT company both are sold online and at bookstores. Later, you can buy other companies practice books later if you like.</p>
<p>Then, without timing yourself (and stressing out), sit down and do a section. Anytime that you decide to guess an answer, circle that number. Then when you’re done with that one section, look at the answer key and look at the section that explains why the correct answer was correct. Also, if any of your “guessed” answers were correct, read why they were correct (even though you guessed correctly, you need to learn WHY that guess was the correct or best answer.)</p>
<p>Once you’ve practiced a few sections, then you can begin timing yourself to teach yourself how to “pace yourself.”</p>
<p>Now, whenever you have a few spare minutes (while waiting for someone, while in the car, whenever), look thru the math sections for questions or equations that are put forth in an unfamiliar way. Do those problems. The more that you do problems that are “set up” or worded differently than what you are “used to,” the less time you’ll waste during an actual test trying to figure out what the question is really asking (that can be a big “waste of time” to those who don’t “test well.” ). You may want to purchase some additional SAT practice books so that you can expose yourself to the different ways math questions are presented.</p>
<p>Study common SAT vocab words. There are lists (found on internet and in the practice books) of common words and definitions found on SAT/PSAT exams. Knowing more words will prevent you from losing “easy points” simply because there was a word in a passage or question that you didn’t understand. Keep those SAT vocab lists in areas that you will frequently review them by your bedside, at your desk, in your school binder, in the car, - anywhere that you might have time to review them.</p>
<p>Tip for “slow readers”: while reading passages, do not silently pronounce each word in your mind (that is a big waste of time). To improve your reading, read with your finger gliding under the words forcing you to move across the page. “Faster readers” do not “form” each word in their heads as they read - Slower readers do that (I had to cure one of my kids from doing that - it is called sub-vocalization.)</p>
<p>Learn about idioms. Students often miss questions because they arent able to identify improper word usage because improper word usage has seeped into our speaking language.
There are usually a few Writing section questions that test proper use of vocabulary, or usage. For example, whats wrong with the following sentence?</p>
<p>The film had a powerful affect on me.</p>
<p>Affect is not the word you need; effect is correct. Affect as a noun means emotion or mood; effect as a noun means an outcome or result. Affect as a verb means to influence, whereas effect as a verb means to cause to occur. A different example: noisome means offensive smelling, not noisy.
Incorrect She prefers skiing over snowboarding.
Correct She prefers skiing to snowboarding.
Incorrect I dont have a favorable opinion toward Beethovens music.
Correct I dont have a favorable opinion of Beethovens music.
Now, while reading passages, do not silently read each word in your mind (that is a big waste of time). To improve your reading, read with your finger gliding under the words forcing you to move across the page. “Faster readers” do not “form” each word in their heads as they read - Slower readers do that (I had to cure one of my kids from doing that - it is called sub-vocalization.)</p>
<p>Don’t forget… the rule is… you must pick the answer that is the “best” answer. There may be two “correct” answers, but only one of them is the “best answer.” For instance, one question might ask you to pick which best describes the mood of someone who is “elated.” One choice may be “in a good mood.” Another choice may be “in an ecstatic mood.” Even though both answers are technically “correct,” the second answer is the “best answer.” </p>
<p>Also, if you go to collegeboard.com, then you can have the SAT question of the day sent to you by email every day. All you do is open the email, answer the question and it will tell you if your answer is right or wrong, then it will tell you why the correct answer is the correct and best answer.</p>
<p>As I think of more of the tips that we use, I’ll add them. I have them on a different computer. The above is just “off the top of my head.” Please excuse any typo’s, etc. - I just quickly put the above together from memory (except I "borrowed " the idiom part from a website.)</p>