<p>This may be a bit lengthy... I'm in grade 11</p>
<p>My journey started in 2013 August when I casually started memorizing vocabulary from "top 1000 words", but I was still chilled. I never thought SATs would matter this much - I'm an international student (British curriculum) - so I thought I would eventually go to a British University.</p>
<p>My conception changed when I realized that UK universities would be out of my reach due to its exorbitant fee - mind you, the U.S. is not any cheaper - so I believed it would appropriate to study the SAT seriously just as a "plan B"</p>
<p>I currently study the IB diploma - science based - and I have a solid work ethic. I admit I'm not the brightest kid, but I am confident enough to say that my hard work yielded my academic success when I finished top of my school last year with a 3000 pounds scholarship to transfer to a different school (in the UK) but I didn't take it because It was too risky (with UK unis being expensive and all that).</p>
<p>I also admit that I have not read many books, which is biting my a$s ATM. </p>
<p>I started studying for SAT seriously from November 2013 (previously intermitted study sessions) and while I worked through the Kaplan's 12 practice test, I managed to get 1900s but nothing more -stagnant test scores - and a 2030 just once.</p>
<p>test scores then:
CR 550-600
M-750+
W-600</p>
<p>I was frustrated so I sought the advice of CC pundits. I worked and worked, and posted and posted and finally when I worked through my Princeton review (5 practice test) I consistently scored high 1900s (i.e. 1990) or very low 2000s (i.e. 2020). Mid December.</p>
<p>Still, I didn't understand what was wrong: by this time I had memorized around 1500 crucial vocabs)</p>
<p>During the Christmas break, I bought myself the "Grand" blue-book and worked my way through. I felt subtle improvements, not much though, and checked all my incorrect answers meticulously. I felt that the actual tests were harder than Kaplan and Princeton Review tests as my scores plummeted to low 1900s. I worked hard (12hrs+ a day) sleeping at 2 at dawn and waking up by 7:30. </p>
<p>I managed to lift my score up to low 2000s again.</p>
<p>January 2014:
I managed to get my hands on some official past paper questions (can't post about this here :/) and worked through it. I was relieved that I was now consistently getting low 2000s (with essay self-grade 8, but I think I "Can" get 10) so on a good day, I would perhaps score a high 2000s or low 2100 (once). I hit 800 for math! and my CR was consistent 650 (100 improvement) and so was my writing. I was not content as my gains were inproportion to my efforts.</p>
<p>I recently received lot's of stress with school work and personal life and I just feel so hopeless that my exam is creeping up in 10 days and I've used up all my material. My goal is to break 2100 but I have to get it right in one go (no prep material left).</p>
<p>Just before writing this, the most depressing thing happened: I scored a 1990. I wanted to scream my guts out. It was so sad to see all my efforts being washed-up and hopeless. I did really well at the beginning: got all math questions correct in the first 2 math, but then got 5 wrong for the one out of 16(not the MC) </p>
<p>It also had a novel based passage which I hate so much! I can't keep a coherent train of though with all the dialogues and abstract ideas. It's so painful. But I did well for writing (670 with essay 8, 710 with essay 10) but still my math and CR killed my score.</p>
<p>I feel that my math score is decreasing from constant 760s to 740s to 720s and now even 700s. </p>
<p>I just don't know how to tackle novel-dialogue-based passages.</p>
<p>Please someone alleviate my stress. I feel like cow feces :( maybe SAT is not my thing - but I still have to get 2100!</p>
<p>OMFFFFFFGGG</p>