SAT test taking strategies

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>Ok, I'm taking SAT for the first time this May, so I need a few clarifications on which test taking strategies are good ideas and correct :</p>

<ol>
<li><p>For the passage-based questions (esp. long ones), is it a good idea to read the specific sentences instead of the whole passage ? I have problems with time management, so what I usually do is save the passage I hate the most for last (usually literary) and jump to the questions (ie: what does the word "___" mean in line 26 ->> I look up line 25-27, what is the main idea ->> look up first & last sentence, etc). Is it a good idea, considering my time issue?</p></li>
<li><p>How is the answer sheet supposed to be filled in? I think that the essay form is collected by the proctor after section 1 is over so we can't continue the essay on section 2+, but I also read that some ppl mistakenly put section 9 answers in section 8 answer sheet, etc. Do they separate the essay form with multiple choice form only, or do they have separate answer sheets for each section that should be collected after each section is over?</p></li>
<li><p>Continuing with #2, if the multiple choice sheets are indeed collected at the same time, does it save time to just put in small dots on the answer choices during our work and blacken them up during the spare time (eg. putting dots on CR and W section, then blacken them all up during M section, which I usually have spare time of, effectively "allocating" more time for CR/W section?</p></li>
<li><p>How are your guessing policies? In most of the SAT prep books I read, they suggest guessing even if you can only eliminate 1 incorrect choice. But, considering SAT questions' tricky nature, sometimes the 1 choice that we eliminate itself could be the answer (rare, but it does happen), therefore upsetting the statistics of guessing for profit. Personally, do you dare to guess if you're certain of only 1 incorrect choice?</p></li>
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<p>Oh, and good luck for all the May SAT takers ^^</p>

2

<p>no one?
I haven’t taken the test before, so I want to know the proper way of doing things. . .</p>

3

<ol>
<li><p>Not sure, but I usually find skimming the passage once to get to know it the better way for me. It’s all dependent on you though. The what do the word mean ones are usually really easy - no need to honestly check for context unless you can’t find the right word in a few seconds.</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t really remember too much about my first test, but check CB’s site, they have a test simulator. Not that it should matter, right? Also, if your books says Section 3 (I think they arrange it so the person beside you isn’t on the same section), cross it out on the sheet. That’s what I do so I don’t accidentally fill the wrong circles in.</p></li>
<li><p>I’m pretty sure that’s not allowed, but if your proctor is really bad, I guess. For me, I usually have enough time anyways that I don’t resort to those methods.</p></li>
<li><p>I usually eliminate more than one, but if I do only eliminate one, I’d still guess. My gut sense works well for me. Either way, I’d skip it until after the other questions. Though it makes the difference sometimes - if you have two wrong, it rounds up. 3 wrong and it rounds down =/</p></li>
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