Prep for Math II and SAT Math at the same time?

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
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<p>Hi Guys,
So I'm going to be taking my SAT for the first time in March and I'm also planning to take 3 Subject Tests in May: Bio, Math, and Lit. I just started prepping for the SAT a week ago, should have done it over the summer, oh well :( as you can see, I don't have a lot of time. What I'm thinking right now is to study at least 30 minutes a day for the SAT, do all 10 practice tests in the BB and learn about as many tips and strategies as possible. However, I still don't feel like I have enough time. Suppose that right now I concentrate solely on the SAT, then after I take it in March, I can then turn my attention to prepping for Bio Math and Lit. But I heard that Lit is really hard, and plus we all know what May brings, AP exams! So I may not even have time to study for my subject tests after March...should I start preparing for Math II right now in conjunction with my studying for the SAT? Will it mess with my head?</p>

<p>Any other tips and advice will be GREATLY appreciated</p>

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<p>What math class are you currently taking? SAT II Math should not be a difficult if you have completed class equivalent to or higher-level than precalculus. Go through a few practice problems sets to brush up your skills and you should be fine. Barron’s is an excellent option in terms of prep books.</p>

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<p>@mywhimsey I’m currently in Pre Calc and have an A+. I’m just worried that the SAT may test some random concept like matrices or discrete functions other than just plain geometry and algebra problems</p>

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<p>What are your individual subject strengths? Do you excel in either English or math? What English class are you currently taking? Are you in AP Biology this year? And like mywhimsy pointed out, what math class are you currently taking?</p>

<p>Depending on how well you multitask and how much time you’ve got, it will probably be easier for you to concentrate on the SAT I for the next few months and then focus on the Subject Tests afterward. Three Subject Tests is a lot of material to cram in at the same time as SAT prep. </p>

<p>Some commentary about the Literature Subject Test and whether it is “really hard”: If you are currently enrolled in AP English Language/Literature and are doing well, or if you’ve already taken one of these AP exams and done well, then the Literature Subject Test should not be frightening to you. Being a naturally critical reader/writer also helps boost your chances a bit–do you like reading? However, the fact that this is a standardized test means that College Board goes out of its way to deliberately make the test difficult, so that underperformers are weeded out. I say this because I have always been an English person, and I love reading and writing, and I scored a pathetic 640 on my first crack at the Literature test. The best preparation for the Literature test, I would argue, is continuous, intense practice. And if you’re not typically an avid or critical reader, then this test will be much more difficult, too.</p>

<p>And some commentary on SAT I Math vs. the Math II Subject Test: SAT I Math tests ridiculously basic skills like fractions, geometry, and algebra. Honestly, by the time you’re in 9th or 10th grade, you’ve learned everything you need for the Math sections of the SAT. But once again, since the SAT is a standardized test, the questions are deliberately designed to trick you and throw you off. And once again, having a natural aptitude or liking for math will help you score a little higher than others might, because that natural ability means you’ll understand the questions a little faster (same for Lit). Practice is the key to scoring better and recognizing little mistakes like not reading the question correctly or rushing through your work.</p>

<p>On the other hand, the Math II Subject Test provides thorough coverage of a Precalculus course and it even throws in one or two questions about limits. So if you’re not in Precal right now, then Math II is a bad idea, because there will be a lot of material that you’ve never seen before. SAT Math is about skills you’ve already learned, while Math II makes sure that you have a thorough understanding of new material that you have to study in Precal. And natural ability will be a huge help for scoring higher on Math II. I know a student who took an accelerated math track (9th gr: Algebra II with Trig; 10th gr: Precal; 11th gr: AP Calculus) and she still struggled on the Math II test.</p>

<p>In general, for these kinds of standardized tests…Extensive practice and review of the subject matter will help you do well, while whatever natural talent you have in a particular subject or skill is what will propel your score into the highest ranges. </p>

<p>@mywhimsy: Even if you’ve taken Precal or higher, the fact that Math II is also a standardized test designed to weed out underperformers means that the test can still be quite difficult for those who are not mathematically inclined. (see above)</p>

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<p>@alwaysawriter thank you for your answer! In response to your questions:
Currently I’m in AP Bio, AP Language, and Pre Calc
English, Bio, and Math are probably my 3 most favorite subjects in high school
English is not my 2nd language so obviously I haven’t been exposed to it my whole life, but I do have a strong foundation in English. I have a good knowledge of vocab and especially grammar. I’m better at prose than poetry, which puts me at an extreme disadvantage because from what I heard, poems show up a lot on the SAT Lit. I love reading but what I’ve read may not help me much. Just to give you an idea, I’ve read Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, The Hunger Games (yeah I know) and books for school such as Lord of the Flies, To Kill A Mocking Bird, The Catcher in the Rye, Huck Finn, all those American classics. I have very little exposure to English Literature…Right now I’m reading Les Miserables and loving it so far, except that I don’t have time to read it a lot due to homework and SAT prep :confused:
My AP Bio class is such a joke because the teacher doesn’t teach anything and we have to learn on our own. I’m the most motivated student in the class because I actually read the book and take notes, although I despise the way my text book, Campbell is organized. I think Bio is a very interesting subject and I’m pretty strong in it, but I feel like I only understand the overall concepts and not really all the details. Does the SAT Bio test really in-depth knowledge? I chose to take the SAT Bio test in May because it coincides with my AP Bio exam, which means I can study for both at the same time. Will I be fine just reading my Princeton Review for AP Bio, or should I buy a book written exclusively for the SAT Bio?
Pre Calc ought to be my favorite class this year because I enjoy Math and its clarity. I don’t consider myself a naturally smart person though. I work hard to get an A+ in that class…by the time I take the test in May, I will still have a month left of Pre Calc because school ends in June…will that one month of material show up on the test? I can’t really take it in June because that’s when my regular SAT is…Also alot of people on here say that it’s easy to score high on Math II, that’s why I was so optimistic. But now, not any more…</p>

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<p>If you feel like your AP Lang class and teacher are giving you good practice with reading critically, and if you consider yourself good with English in general, then the Literature Subject Test should be fine. </p>

<p>And yes, I would say that poetry comprises probably a good third or even half of the Literature test, so you should definitely familiarize yourself with the different poetic genres and practice reading poetry–it is much more difficult than prose.</p>

<p>Sorry, I haven’t taken either of the Biology Subject Tests, so I can’t help you with that. However, I can say that the Literature Subject Test questions are NOT EXACTLY the same as the AP Lang and Comp Exam questions, but they are similar enough. I’m guessing that it’s a similar situation for Bio as well. So it’s up to you whether you want to get a book for the AP and another for the SAT Subject, or if you want to just go with AP and hope that the Subject questions are close enough. I don’t think either option will hurt any more than the other; personally, I like to know the difference, and so I bought one for AP and one for Subject. <em>shrugs</em></p>

<p>The keys to doing well on the Math II Subject Test will be 1) knowing your subject material as thoroughly as possible and 2) being able to work through that material as quickly and efficiently as possible. And like I said before, if you have a natural aptitude for math, then any math test will seem easier to you than it does for other people. So you can’t rely entirely on what other people are saying about any given test. Maybe the people you’re talking to are good at math, or good crammers, or geniuses, or whatever. But they’re not taking the test for you, are they?</p>

<p>None of this advice is really going to make sense to you until you try the tests.
In order to give yourself a better sense of how much studying you’ll need to do for all your tests, you should just TAKE A PRACTICE TEST NOW for the SAT and for your Subject Tests. You can find practice tests in prep books. Depending on how you score now and how far away or close that number is to the score you WANT to have in the spring, you’ll have a better understanding of what the questions are like and how much (or how little) you already know. And then you can divide up your time accordingly. Trying the tests out for yourself is the only efficient way for you to know what will work and what you need, rather than just having other people tell you what they thought of it.</p>