<p>I have been reading the posts here for a while and I just want to thank everyone for the great posts because they have been really helpful for me. I am a rising junior and I hope you guys can help me.</p>
<p>I did not start thinking about the SAT until this summer, so when I took the PSAT in sophomore year, I had not prepared at all except for taking the practice test that comes in the booklet the night before the PSAT. I know its stupid lol But on the practice test I scored a 186 and on the actual PSAT the next day I scored a 199 (67 CR, 69 M, and 63 W).</p>
<p>In the beginning of the summer, I bought the blue book and I did the first test and scored about a 2060 assuming I had a 10 on the essay (I planned the essay but never actually wrote it because no one could grade it for me) </p>
<p>This was all with no preparation so I would like your opinion on how much you think I can improve. I have signed up for a class built into my schedule for SAT prep (its free) and mostly I would like to use it to have time built into my schedule to study for the SAT, because with 4 APs I know I will be busy and tired at home and will most likely put off studying.</p>
<p>In the summer, I have been taking out books from the library and I recently took out the Princeton 11 tests as I am saving the Blue Book for closer to my actual testing date. On the writing section, I get 4 wrong, making a 740-780 according to the PR curve and on the math 1-2 wrong, making a 740-780 also. How accurate is this? I have used the search to find answers but I only found posts on PR courses, not the 11 tests book.</p>
<p>Sorry for the long post but thank you for reading. So my questions are how much can I improve with those starting scores and how accurate is PR, specifically the 11 tests book, not their prep course diagnostic exams. Thank you very much</p>
<p>If I were you I would just went and passed SAT to 2000 and started to prepare for SAT II…</p>
<p>thank you suleyman but I don’t think about 2000 is high enough at all for the colleges I’m interested in (Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, etc.) </p>
<p>As for SAT Subject tests, I have taken World History, which I got a 750 on and then I read posts here about everyone getting 800s and felt horrible lol. I am taking Math 2 and Chem next year (June 2011) because I have Pre-Calc and AP Chem this year.</p>
<p>Pre-Calc is a *****.
Yeah, I’m in the exact same position as you, bud. I’m a rising junior as well, I just took the ivy insiders course and my scores plateaued at 2000. It’s so annoying! But yes, the BB is annoying in that it doesn’t display your actual score… just a range. But I think the tests in there are really helpful in the long run. </p>
<p>Since CR and W seem to be your weakpoints, the only way I suggest to study is to… well, practice. I think SAT is hard in that it’s confusing to answer questions the way the test-makers want us to answer them. So after you practice for a while, you’ll get a feel of what they are actually asking. </p>
<p>If you’re taking the SAT after October (I’m taking it in October and I’m DOOMED), then consider reading NY Times everyday to brush up on grammar, CR, etc.</p>
<p>The 2nd Edition of the BB actually displays scores.</p>
<p>It might be a good idea to worry about only the raw scores for now. Concentrate on trying to get every single question right or do your best and see how much you can improve your raw score. When you take the PSATs again in the fall, you’ll be able to see how your raw scores and progress translate into the 800-scale (or 80, in this case).</p>
<p>thanks for the advice everyone!</p>
<p>thugly- first off, good luck in october! and i have been practicing so hopefully it pays off and i have been seeing improvements in writing b/c i make few stupid mistakes now; the ones i get wrong i actually had no idea the rule existed but i’m aware of it the next time though</p>
<p>littlepenguin- that’s a great way of looking at it b/c i just realized that curves are always changing so i should focus on the number of questions i get correct</p>
<p>also, did either of you ever use princeton? should i finish working through the book? i just feel like the math is a little too easy, either that or im improving =]</p>