I am an international student and I am planning to retake my SAT on january. My first exam was in November. I just got the score of 1600.(440 CR 500wr and 660math) which is obviously pretty low. But I gave that exam without any preparation. Within a month and half with lots and lots of hard work I have been able to pull my score upto 2000s to low 2100s. But here I am having some problem in CR. I guess, I have read every threads out here and aplied them too. And i engaged myself to practise about 12+ hrs a day with solving and reviewing my mistakes in every section. Actually, I am a math student. But I got the low score at first because I did not have my basic concepts clear during that time. Clearing all the concepts, I have been able to pull that score to 760 to 800 range(varying from test to test). And for writing I learned from erica’s the ultimate guide to sat grammar and silverturtles and i have been able to pull my score to 700-740 range.(by doing 15+ practise test)
Literally, I have problem in my CR(as everyone does). I have read almost every of the post in this page and they have helped me alot. But, something is still lacking in me and I want to improve it. I get really stucked at short reading passages(primarily at primary purpose question and inference question. And in long reading passages, I get stucked in some question leaving me to the two option and ticking to the wrong one. I have not been able to recognize how to tackle such problem though I have done alot of practise test(30+(10 from bb 5 for pr and 15 which I found from online sources) sounds much but I have nothing to do right now but prepare SAT)… So, can anyone suggest me the ways to pull that score of 600s to 750+ within three weeks. I still have 18 more papers to do.
Once you’ve narrowed it down to two answers, one is correct and the other is the distractor (assuming you’ve done your process of elimination accurately). The distractor isn’t provably “false,” so you can’t eliminate it. The only way to solve these questions, then, is to return to the passage and find evidence to support one of them–that one is the answer. Again: only one answer is in the passage.
Thanks marvin. I think that will obviously help me. But I am getting varying score in CR ranging from 600 to 670. I am not being able to make it 700. I don’t know will I be able or not…
@peacenepal “ranging from 600 to 670” that’s a good indicator of an imminent 700! Keep practicing hard and understanding your mistakes.
This fluctuation is probably due to vocab. When you don’t really know all the words, some tests have words you know and others have words you don’t know, so your score wobbles excessively.
That said, everyone’s CR score is subject to some fluctuation, but a 70-point swing is a sign of a problem.
I don’t think my vocab is really down. I kinda know most of words that are in the practice tests.I have completed dh 1 and 2 and I m working on sparknotes 1000 words. But I keep on making mistakes in sentence completion due to over analyzing the question…Later I feel like “gosh! i have thought of it” And short passage is my biggest problem…
Thanks Bethany! hope I will make it learning from my mistakes… still positive…
Sure. Like I said, though: until you know all the words, you’ll fluctuate pretty wildly because some tests will have words you know and some will have words you don’t. A 70-point swing is almost invariably a sign of a partially-developed SAT vocab.
I agree with Bethany, though, that if 670 is your current “ceiling,” 700 can come fairly quickly. It’s easiest/fastest, though, imo, when you stop leaving points on the table due to holes in your vocab.
So what should I refer now? I have completed dh 1 and 2. should i consider other books or keep on revising them and learn words from the one’s i missed?
today I have again achieved a score of 680 untimed. I don’t know that’s kinda improvement or a dangling score.
I think this is a good idea. Go over tests and learn the words you didn’t know. Maybe hop on Quizlet and find some good sets (pretty sure Word Smart 1 and 2 are on there, for instance). Lock down your vocab.
Good job on the untimed 680–that provides a certain amount of validity to your previous 670. You should probably be timing yourself at this stage.
@peacenepal since I’ve been through this stage for similar reasons, here are some tips:
- I agree with @marvin100 that your score fluctuation could be amended by studying vocab. Good choice of lists BTW! I also studied DH1 and DH2 and revised a 1000-words list (sparknotes is really good) and I now miss 0-1 question on the sentence completion part. Continue doing that! And memorizing the words you miss is an excellent idea. Highlight every word you don't know in the section and use flashcards. This is a better way (highlighting from a section) to study vocab, because you do not only memorize meanings but also get familiar with the context in which the words are used.
- I've also had trouble 'overthinking' on sentence completions, so try this: give yourself 10-30 seconds for each question. First underline the context clues and transition words and punctuations s.a. ; or :. Then, using what you underlined LITERALLY only, choose a word from the choices. DON'T give yourself a chance to think about the context clues -- you choose a word that seems most related right away. This helped me solve the overthinking issue. When you overthink, you actually allow yourself to come up with ideas that are not even implied in the context and fall for traps!
- For passages, I believe what helped me improve a lot is first determining the main idea ( Erica's "topic + so what" is the best what to do so accurately IMO) and related the answer to the structure AND main idea of the passage. This is very helpful for finding the correct answer.
- I got 600-670, untimed, a week before I got a 700. Have hope! I'm sure you can do it too.
So that’s what I believe you can do ATM for low 700s. Unfortunately, I don’t have time management tips, since I also have this issue quite frequently.
Thank you bethany!! I will certainly follow your ways…
Basically the one which aren’t related…The question like "The author would most likely charecterize “this person” as " and similar sort of questions , I still keep on making mistakes. The one which are related are okay for me… I can tackle them. But the one which are unrelated I dun know why I keep on making mistakes.
only two weeks to go but I me still hanging in the same scores. 650 660 670. I am not being able to approach 700.
Hey, even I am taking the SAT on Jan 23 2016 and i am the weakest in CR too, but my CR score is lower—500(this is what I got when I attempted Kaplan’s CR sections from its first test in its guide). I get approx. 700 on writing and 800 on Math( from the BB SAT tests) These are the resources which I currently have: pdfs of
Barron’s Sat 2400 and Barron’s critical reading workbook for the SAT
Gurber’s complete SAT guide
Mastering the SAT Critical reading by Davenport
And Private tutor for Critical reading by Amy Lucas
I can get Mc Graw Hill’s Sat, and Kaplan’s 12 practice tests from my school library
I have approx. 4 more tests remaining from blue book (currently saving them for the end) and 5 more tests from Princeton Review’s 11 practice tests.
And I can get almost any of the previously administered SAT tests from ■■■■■■■■■■■■
I am also studying direct hits for my sentence completion and will be through shortly, but the passages are my main concern. I am following Noitapreps strategy to attempt the passages and I am completely confused on which books to actually use for my practice. I can spend approximately 25 hours on passages in this week and approximately 20 hours over the next two weeks (the rest of my time will be spent attempting full length practice tests). Can u pls suggest the best way for me to practice for the passages. You see I really want to get atleast a 600 on CR.
I appreciate any help given, and am open to any other advice on strategies for the passages.
Thank you.
I am no CR expert to give advice on this topic but solely from the way I approached I will refer what did I do pull that score. The only thing I did is “Practise” and got attached with CC. Earlier, I felt like why did people you should only refer only bb and cb test. Not other resources. But after practising from Kaplans , Barrons, I came to realize that was just my waste of time. They never made any question similar to Real SAT. So for CR, I fully recommend you to practise through Blue book and past questions that you can find through online sources. Don’t just do and leave. Analyze every question. Why you did right and wrong? What sort of answer is college board seeking. Then you will easily find a way to tackle them. And while reading passage follow Noitapreps…I solely say just practise and learn and learn vocabularies alot. You will see your scores improving.