<p>I just got my results from December back, and I really fail at critical reading. I practiced so much, but I still can't get into even the upper 600s range. I can only get around 630-650. I'm going to take the test again in Januray, and I really want to improve. I'm studying vocabulary and I try to do as much practice as I can. Advice, anyone?</p>
<p>READ.</p>
<p>There is no substitute. There is no circumvention (SAT word). Take 500 CR practice tests and you wont get one iota (SAT word) better if you don't read. Read for hours a day. Read on weekends. Read while on the bus to school. Read when you wake up and read before you go to sleep. Read instead of going to college confidential (sorry cc :P). And not just those lame pansy books either. </p>
<p>Challenge yourself. If you can fly through a book in 5 seconds you haven't learned anything. If you pick up a book and stumble through the first page and have to read it twice or three times to understand what the author is saying, <em>then</em> you've got something. Buy it and bring it home and sit on the couch and ponder the sentences and the meaning. </p>
<p>And after a few months of this you will destroy the CR.</p>
<p>Yes. If you have 4-5 months, then reading is the most complete and best option. :)</p>
<p>But since you're taking the test in January, my best advice is this:</p>
<p>Find a good vocab list and learn the words.</p>
<p>Work on practice tests, but don't just fly through them - it is ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL that you understand what you are doing. Go over every single answer. Make sure you understand WHY you got wrong what you got wrong, and WHY the correct answer is the correct answer. Also understand why you chose the correct answers that you did and why they are correct. If you don't do this, then you will just make the same mistakes the next time around and your score will never improve. Do this on 3-4 practice tests and you will know most of what the CB and SAT are looking for.</p>
<p>Good luck! :)</p>