Subject Tests and Reasoning Test: Which Date?!?

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
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<p>Okay, so...... I took the SAT for my first time in March. I had been doing practice tests and constantly getting a 2250-2350 range on most of them. I used MysteryTutor to help with my essay, which did not work (8 on essay, need a 12). I was looking for at least a 2300. My pathetic scores:</p>

<p>W - 690 (71 MC, 8 E) --- No idea how I got so many MC wrong. Always aced MC in practice tests.</p>

<p>M - 790 --- One stupid stupid stupid grid-in mistake. I should get an 800 no problem.</p>

<p>CR - 670 --- Really killed me. This is my weakest section, but I thought I got at least a 740/750 on it...... That didn't work out.</p>

<p>So, I am definitely retaking the SAT, hoping to get above a 2300. Now here's my problem. I was planning on taking the SAT once and then taking three Subject Tests on June 6th. Now, I have to decide whether I should take the Subject Tests in May and the SAT in June, or vice versa. What do you guys think?</p>

<p>Side question: I'm really ****ed at this MysteryTutor bum who told me to use everyday examples in my essay. I did that, and I wrote clearly and without error. Apparently, I need literary and historical examples to get a 12. Anyone know about this? Anyone know about the validity of MysteryTutor??</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

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<p>bumpppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppppp</p>

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<p>ideally, i would take the subject test in june, and then take the SAT again after the summer in oct. people often don’t like taking SAT senior year (and i don’t see why they should be), but i think that’s the best plan.</p>

<p>the 2nd best plan is to take SAT in may (assuming you don’t need much more studying (and im getting the sense that you don’t), and sat2 in june. this gives you more time to study your 3 subjects (which is a lot to do at once so be prepared).</p>

<p>i don’t know what a mysterytutor is, but i think personal examples are fine. that shouldn’t be your only type of example though, you should have a mix of 3 different types of examples. but i got a 10 not a 12, so take it for what it’s worth. good luck!</p>

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<p>A lot of people who used MT do seem to score score pretty high. With that being said, unless MT takes a look at your essay and tells you otherwise, I don’t think that you can be sure that you wrote in the way he wanted you to. I know he explained things a bit in his video, but even I was a little confused :P. I was going to use 2 personal examples, but the essay topic (ethics) really should have changed your mind about that. Almost everything could have been used with the topic… Anyways, I can’t support MT’s essay instructions as I did not use it, but many who do (and post results/opinions) claim to receive 11s/12s. BTW I received a 12 and I would have used MT’s method if not for the flexible prompt.</p>

<p>I am taking the SAT II’s in May and maybe the SAT in June, but I’m currently leaning towards SAT in October to give myself more time to study.</p>

<p>Did you do all the blue book practice tests? I think that is one of the reasons why MT really helps. No doubt his methods help sometimes, but working all official tests/practice tests is crucial. A lot of the kids from my school receive 2000+ and most of them take a one semester SAT “class”. They just work through the workbook and it’s a laid back class, but I really think working on actual tests will prepare you for test day. I tried a watered down strategy of his CR method and received a 640, but I admit I only worked through 2 sections of CR from the blue book. I will try to get a 700+ by June/October by working through every section with his strategy.</p>

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<p>I used the examples of: cheating in school, online scamming, and business owners laying off employees… all are examples of success while being unethical… I wrote down to the last line. 5 paragraphs, and no mechanical errors (to my knowledge), transitions, thesis statement was first sentence in introduction, clearly stated examples, etc. I don’t know though, we’ll see…</p>

<p>And I took 5 of the 8 practice tests and did well on all of them…</p>

<p>I don’t really feel comfortable taking the SAT in October… I just wanna be done with everything junior year.</p>

<p>Thanks for the replies</p>

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<p>I guess it depends on if you can handle all the studying then. Whichever one you have to study less for take it in May. Then take the other in June so you have more time to study. If you screw up on either one, you’ll have the whole summer to study and 1-4 test dates to take them depending on the school and their admissions policies.</p>

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<p>Well, since I already studied for the SAT, I guess I’ll take that in May… I’m just waiting until 4/13 right now to see how i got such a low score in CR and W… then I have 4 days to decide haha</p>

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<p>umm…NO you’re wrong.
you can use personal examples and score high.
on the march sat, i got the politeness prompt and wrote about a single incident that occured when i was at the DMV (yelling at the counter lady…not polite…not getting my permit as a result…going to the back of the line…blah blah blah).
i didn’t use ANY other examples.
i got an 11. </p>

<p>it’s probably because YOUR example was not fully developed. and btw, historical, literary examples are WAY harder to support…don’t go there unless you know alot of info about the specific book, historical event.etc…</p>

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<p>ill show you my essay on april 13th and you can tell me what’s wrong with it.</p>

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<p>Ok, now I’m really annoyed/confused.</p>

<p>Out of 49 questions on the writing section, I got 46 right and 3 wrong. That gives me a raw score of 45.25, rounded to 45. Each reader gave me a 4 on the essay (which I will type out in this post).</p>

<p>I checked the blue book, and found that 45 and 4 gives a score range of 670-800. CollegeBoard says my score range was a 650-730. I know they’re not supposed to match 100%, but that’s a pretty big difference… ANY IDEAS??</p>

<p>My essay. Full two pages down to the last line.</p>

<p>Does being ethical make it hard to be successful?</p>

<p>====> Being ethical and succeeding is a harder task than being unethical and succeeding. In fact, many people in today’s world sacrifice ethics in order to succeed. These people believe success to be the greater good: in their mind, being ethical is inferior to being a successful individual. Several examples of this type of dishonorable sacrifice can be found in everyday life.
====> First, cheating is a way to be successful in school, from middle school to college. Over the span of my life, I have observed many instances where students cheat, whether it be sharing answers or giving answers to a friend that has not taken the test you have taken. Yesterday, during the first history test of the trimester, I saw one of my classmates receiving answers from another while the teacher was out of the room. Students may cheat because they have received a poor grade previously in the class or because they were too lazy or procrastinated too much to study. No matter what the reason is, the act of cheating is an example of succeeding while sacrificing ethics, making success difficult with an ethical person.
====> Furthermore, many examples of success using the very opposite of ethics can be found in an aspect of daily life that is quite essential to modern living. This aspect is the internet, a realm of cyberspace that is overflowing with online scams and identity thieves. Online scams that take people’s money and allow them to believe they are receiving something grand in return when, in reality, they are not are very unethical. However, some people find success in scamming people; and, no matter what, success is success. This aspect is another example where being unethical makes success more accessible. This, in turn, shows that being ethical is sometimes a roadblock to success.
====> Finally, in businesses, from small to large, ethics is sometimes a major obstacle on the road to success. For example, in today’s terrible economic state, a manager or boss may have to fire an employee if it is the best for the business. However, an ethical and empathetic employer may sacrifice success for that employee. Although being ethical is generally a good characteristic, it can hinder success, such as in this case.
====> All in all, success can be achieved with ethics. However, ethics is sometimes a hindering obstacle to success. This fact can be seen in cheating, online scamming, and business. Ethics must sometimes be sacrificed for success.</p>

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<p>page 206 of the blue book shows an essay that scored the same as mine.</p>

<p>doesn’t cover even one page.</p>

<p>looks poorly structured.</p>

<p>its just a story…</p>

<p>i’m just perplexed</p>

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<p>Different curves.</p>

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<p>if you’re taking ap’s in may and are taking sat ii’s in the subjects of those ap’s, definitely take your sat subject tests in may… if you’re not taking ap’s or if the sat ii’s you’re planning to take are not in the subjects of those ap’s, it really does not matter when you take your sat or sat ii’s.</p>

<p>contrary to what people say sometimes (and what i used to believe), it really does not matter what date you take the sat’s. no curve will be significantly harsher than a curve at a different date… with the proper preparation and review, you should be able to do well on every test date.</p>

<p>and about your essay question… i suggest rocket review. it has some really nice essay tips. like a list of words that would be nice to include in your essay. the fact that you should NOT NOT NOT use personal examples (they might get you a 12… but using literature/history examples get you a 12 more often). and also that it is preferable to use literature examples over historical ones… and something i did… UNDERLINE/BOLD/MAKE NOTICEABLE 1) sat vocab words (or just any difficult word that impresses the readers) and 2) literature titles/historical “terms”. especially if your essay is long, the readers will just skim your essay, and they will notice these things that you made noticeable and focus their attention on how “cultured” you are lol… it really works i swear</p>

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<p>personally i didnt do that well on the sat in march, 2070, and im going to retake it in june or oct because aps are in may. and the subject tests in the other month i dont take the sat in. </p>

<p>does any1 know the early app deadlines or if the oct and nov sat would still b ok for early apps? or would they be too late?</p>

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<p>ok i know EXACTLY why you only got an eight
your examples were not fully developed. you didn’t pick 1 or 2max good examples and stick to them…it would have been wayy bettwer if you just stuck with the cheating in school one…don’t talk about that other stuff because it’s weak…
and your essay has dissociative identity disorder lol. seriously. PICK ONE argument and STICK TO IT. DON’T try to argue both sides because it’s always easier to argue both sides(also a sign that you can’t develop an opinion). if you try to argue both sides, make your essay OUTSTANDING. for example. in the conclusion you go from saying that success can be achieved with ethics to saying that ethics is sometimes in the way of succcess. it left me(and probably also the SAT reader) very confused. just pick a viewpoint and develop, develop, develop.</p>