<p>So yea...taking the SAT for the 1st time this Saturday.</p>
<p>Im quite nervous and stressed atm mainly b/c of the SAT essay. I have major trouble coming up with examples. I took SAT classes but unfortunately we didn't focus on the essay much and focused mainly on CR, which I also need help on.</p>
<p>When I look at the prompt, I completely blank out and am like *** rage quit@@. </p>
<p>I know ppl say to just make up examples but I have trouble with that and so I prefer to use examples from lit/history but as Im going through past SAT prompts I can't seem to come up with examples for ALL of them--I also skip the 5 min to prep examples for as I simply need the whole 25 min to write the essay (2 pgs) so max Id like to spend on examples is 1 min. </p>
<p>My essay score ranges wildly from 8-11 depending on whether I can come up w/ examples or not and I believe it, along with CR, is what is keeping me from the 2200 I want.
For CR, I have trouble concentrating during the passages (sooo boring...) and I'm not really good at seeing the answers/analyzing it.</p>
<p>Basically, how can I improve on CR and also gathering examples for the essay. (and sorry for the long post)</p>
<p>For the essay, just do whatever you can to fill up two pages. If you cite three examples, give at least minor explanation, and have them relate to your thesis, you’re pretty much guaranteed a 10. Come up with examples that can be used for a wide variety of topics before the test, and go over them in your mind on the way to the test. Think of all the books you’ve ever read and make a mental list of characters or events that could be used. Think of everything in history that might be useful (Ghandi is a particularly good example, as are MLK and Julius Caesar). If you completely blank out, either go with two and add two more sentences to each paragraph or just make up a third point. They’re trying to judge your ability to write under pressure, not the validity of your sources. </p>
<p>For CR, you just have to practice. And practice. And practice. If you get an answer wrong, go back and look in the passage for what the supporting evidence is for both the right answer and the wrong answer. Remember, for a passage-based question to be right, it has to both be supported in its entirety by the passage and be relevant to the question being asked. Look for a strategy that might improve your focus. What I did was underline line references first and then read the passage, answering questions as I went. This drastically improved my ability to concentrate and brought up my CR significantly as a result.</p>