Please help-- SAT II Chemistry June 6--Which review book?!

<p>Im so scared. I took a look at the Barrons review book and after studying it couldn't answer a single question! I have exactly 30 days to study. I need an 800. Is it possible?? If you got an 800... how and which book did you usee??</p>

<p>I read the entire Princeton Review’s SAT Chemistry Subject Test book the night before and got a 780 on the exam. This is probably because I was already pretty good at introductory Chemistry and reading PR only gave me a quick brush up. Barron’s is more in-depth and I would probably have read it if I didn’t procrastinate. If you REALLY couldn’t answer a single question in Barron’s SAT II Chemistry, maybe the SAT Chemistry exam isn’t for you.</p>

<p>Okay, honestly, unless your blowing your inability to answer those questions, what are you doing taking the SAT Chemistry??? Honestly, the notion to get an 800 is a bit absurd if your getting a 200 currently. Now, if you really are set on this, I have a recommendation for you:

  1. Read Barron’s THOROUGHLY over the next week. Take notes. Do the practice problems in LONG FORM in a notebook so you can come back and reference them later. Buy a WHOLE new two-subject notebook to dedicate to this (notes/practice problems).
    Time: Sunday 5/10 - Sunday 5/17. And Sorry to do this, but copy all terms from the glossary into a glossary of your own, based upon Chapter. When you see a bold word, look up the definition in the glossary and copy it down.
  2. Buy the Princeton Review book. It is not as comprehensive as Barron’s, but it gives good Review (hence the name). Read through this (notes not necessary.
    Mon 5/18: Chaps. 1-6 (intro material mostly), Tues 5/19: Chaps. 7-10, Wed 5/20: Chaps. 11-14. When completed, stop. On the final two days of this schoolweek (Thurs and Fri), rewiew your notebook and practice problems.
    3). On the Saturday 5/23, Take the Barron’s Diagnostic test. See how well you do. If you get a 600+, we’re doing well, proceed to step 4. If not, go back and review ALL notes, then proceed.
    4). In the diagnostic test, you targeted areas you need help on. Use the following couple of days (5/24-5/28) to COMPLETELY review all problematic areas. Reread each Barron’s section, PR section, and your notes completely. Also review the glossary you made.
    5). Time for the true test. Hopefully you own the CB’s Subject Test book (if not, buy it, it’s the best gauge your gonna get). Take the Chemistry test in this book on Friday 5/29. Good luck! If you get above a 700 on this test, Congrats! Just chill and move on to step 6. If not, go back and review ALL notes and the glossary.
    6a). Crunch time. The last week before the exam. There are 7 practice tests combined from both Barron’s and Princeton Review. Do one each night. One saturday, one sunday, one monday, etc, all finishing with one on friday night before the exam. If you make errors, no worries, this is the SAT. Make SURE to review the explanations THOROUGHLY.
    6b) If you make a mistake on a question and you really aren’t sure how to do it, copy down the question on one side of an index card, and the answer/explanation on the other.</p>

<p>Oh also, a sidenote:</p>

<p>I am not positive about this, but I think the general consensus is that Barron’s tends to be a bit on the difficult side while PR tends to be a bit on the easy side. That’s why I recommend taking the tests simultaneously. Do not take all the PRs in a row, and then the Barrons. Switch it up. Also, go to sparknotes.com and create an account to take their free SAT Chemistry tests for extra prep!</p>

<p>I heard that to get an 800 on the chemistry SAT subject test, you have to get a raw score of 82 out of 85. However, I am not sure if this raw score includes the points subtracted for wrong answers. If you have taken honors chemistry you should be fine. I took it after honors chemistry and scored very well. It is interesting because I know two people who got 5s on the AP chem exam, yet scored lower than I did on the subject test. I am thinking this may have to do with the different focus of the two exams.</p>

<p>actually you normally have to get a raw score of 78/85 according to the 1994 edition may exam, and either 76 or 77 if the exam is harder than average. 82/85 was listed for the 2005 edition Collegeboard exam because it was RIDICULOUSLY easy, hence giving it a negative curve. </p>

<p>BTW to the OP, it is impossible for you get an 800 at this point. You should take another exam…</p>

<p>It’s certainly possible to study and get an 800 in a month.</p>

<p>I have Kaplan’s Chemistry book. It seems to be pretty good so far. Has anyone had any experience with this particular book?</p>