I’m currently in 8th grade and have just started to prepare for the SAT. After browsing through some information regarding the test, I’ve stumbled upon this:
Calculator Rules;
You can only use certain kinds of calculators. See “Approved Calculators” below for details.
You can’t share your calculator.
If you use your calculators to share or exchange information during the test, or to remove test questions or answers from the test room, you’ll be dismissed and your scores canceled.
You won’t be required to clear the memory in your calculator.
If you’re using a calculator with a large (characters one inch or more high) or raised display that might be visible to other test-takers, you’ll be seated at the discretion of the test supervisor.
Specifically, I’m interested about this point:
You won’t be required to clear the memory in your calculator.
So my math teacher currently allows us to use calculators to save information (formulas… etc) for easy access, so I know my way around using my calculator (TI Nspire CX). So does this mean College Board is explicitly allowing us to store and archive ANYTHING that can possibly aid us on the Math Calc portion of the test? For example one useful tool could be using the built-in programming language in order to create solvers etc which would simply display the answer after I plug in a few values.
You will learn a great deal between 8th grade and the time you take the SAT, or even the PSAT. Unless you are taking the exam soon for a summer or scholarship type of program I don’t think studying for the SAT years in advance is an wise, efficient, or valuable expenditure of time at this point. For now I’d focus on your classroom studies and try to read as much as you can.
Totally agree with @happy1. Also, note that if you take the SAT in 8th grade you scores are removed from your file when you get to HS. https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/special-circumstances/younger-students. However if you take it in 9th grade or beyond, your scores stay in the file. Some colleges will require you to report all scores, and you don’t want to look like an obsessive test prepper. If you’re curious how you’ll do, then rather than taking the “real” SAT, take practice SAT’s on your own and simulate the test taking conditions (mainly time-wise). Only take the real SAT when you are confident of a non-embarassing score.
Yes, you can store and re-use anything you want and write any programs you want. This is less of a gift than you might imagine. But fluent knowledge of the algebra and graphing abilities of the N-spire will occasionally save you some time here and there. Not a game-changer for most.
You should probably continue to keep an eye on this issue. In theory, the policy could change by the time it matters. (I doubt it will, but it could…)
@happy1 thanks for the input. I’ll try to focus on reading more and put off the SAT till 9th grade for the least.
@Corinthian I have thought about applying to JHU, for the talented youths program. Also, should I take the SAT this year since the scores would be removed so I can get a feel for what its like? Would I have to include these in UNI’s that require all scores to be submitted? I feel like it could be a unique opportunity if I can take it without having it on record.
@pckeller yeah, that’s a good point. They may change it if they feel its unfair since most people don’t know they’re way around efficiently and effectively using a calculator to their advantage and storing useful info etc. on exams like this.
IMO in 9th grade your time would be better spent on insuring that you have a good transition from middle school to high school academically (it can be a big jump for some) and finding ECs that you care about within your HS and/or within your community.
