<p>Sorry, but that is far from universal. While Math is more reactive to added practices, there are people who find it impossible to increase their scores beyond a certain level. On the other hand, for some, the addition of the correct techniques (not dumb recitation of vocabulary lists) yield massive changes in scores. </p>
<p>There are professional tutors who specialize in the verbal components of the SAT and claim it is, in fact, easier to have large jumps in the verbal scores, and this because most students perform poorly on that part of the tests, as they carry the weight of a poor instruction in middle and high school. </p>
<p>Not really surprising as the SAT is and remains a test that rewards reasoning and thinking over brute application of concepts.</p>
<p>“Sorry, but that is far from universal. While Math is more reactive to added practices, there are people who find it impossible to increase their scores beyond a certain level”
I completely agree with this. However, not for the SAT. Did you take the math section of SAT? The most problems are from the middle school times. Kids simply do not remember, and more so advanced kids do not remember. They need to re-fresh. You can hire tutors but SAT math is at so low level that we were able to help ourselves. You also do not need to remember. All these math including solutions and explanations could be easilyt found on internet or other resource. This is not any type of complicated math, it is not for “math” kids. You do not need to be “good” at math for the math section of SAT. BUT YOU DO NEED TO PREPARE.</p>
<p>Did you really ask me if I took the SAT or were you facetious? </p>
<p>Fwiw, please remember that knowledge and mental awareness only account for part of the difficulty. The test appears trivial to adults, but it is often without considering the time pressure and endurance elements. The required pace and penalties for guesses play a considerable role in the final score.</p>
<p>“Did you really ask me if I took the SAT or were you facetious?”
how you can asses level of any section, if you did not take this section?
Yes, I have solved and have helped my D. with many SAT / ACT math problems. She needed a high score to compensate her reading. If you really want to help, I do not know any other way to do it. I took us 1 hour / day for 5 days preceding exam. She got enough to balance off her low Reading score. She did not prepare any other sections, except for getting familiar with the format. BTW it was a great fun, something to remember. Try it, more exciting than any “funny” show on TV or any vdeo game or other type of entertainment.</p>
<p>I’d accept that math is not his strength and move on. Consolation is right about the CR + M scores mattering most, in any case–so the W score, which contributing to a higher overall result, isn’t going to compensate for his seeming inability to move the needle on the math score. If this were my kid I would focus his efforts on choosing colleges/programs that fit his interests.</p>
<p>To be clear, let me make sure that I did not ask you that question. You did ask me, and you conclude your post with some remark that is either an attempt at humor or … a snarky comment. All in all, I think you might have some problems in understanding what people are telling you or writing. </p>
<p>In a way, I feel I am either being played, or you really have no idea about my history on this site, and what I know or do not know about the SAT.</p>
<p>MiamiDAP - Your comments referring to the SAT math as easy and “low level” is not helpful, though I’m sure you are trying to be helpful. It’s great that your daughter spent all of 5 hours preparing for the math section and did well, and received merit money, and is now a successful med student. Not everyone has the same talent, background, test taking skills, etc.</p>
<p>xiggi–don’t worry, something is getting lost in translation.</p>
<p>I’d like to repeat that there is no point in re-testing without serious prepping. I don’t know why anyone would take the test more than twice (or even more than once)
when he/she can take 20+ practice tests at home for less than the price of one real test.<br>
It’s pointless to keep paying $50+ for each test, just “hoping” that “by chance” the score might go up. Simple passage of time/attending school is not going to raise a score much over a few months. </p>
<p>If your score matters, prep like it really matters.
To get better at SAT math, practice SAT math. There are 540 math problems in the blue book. If you’ve finished them all and still haven’t raised your score, do them again. There are video solutions on line if you get stuck.
And then get another book of tests (Kaplan has a book of 12) and do those.</p>
<p>Yes–I forgot to mention (thought it would go without saying. . .but I guess not) the most important part of prep: analyzing each question you got wrong. Did you not understand the basic math concept (ratios, triangles, functions, etc.) or were you fooled by a “tempting but wrong” answer choice? Were you tricked by a “twist” in the wording of the question? The more you get familiar with the concepts tested, the types of questions and the way the questions are written (especially the “tricky” parts), the more you can avoid making the same types of mistakes on the next test.</p>
<p>The problem with taking the SAT a 4th time is NOT the SAT, it’s what you could have been doing with the time invested into taking the SAT that many times. It’s a better use of time to throw yourself into something else worthwhile, either improving your high school grades or some worthwhile EC. What you have at the end of taking the SAT 4 times is an SAT score, which is not a transcript boost or a resume item. Is preparing for a 4th sitting really a good use of time? (That probably depends on what the kid would do instead.)</p>
<ol>
<li>Building your EC in the senior or even junior is too late. Many EC are timesinks that do little to boost admissions chances.</li>
<li>Having to boost your GPA is also late, and is not an if/or proposal. Maintaining a high GPA is more or less a given. </li>
</ol>
<p>The reality is that the most effective and time efficient to improve an application is to hit a SAT or ACT out of the ballpark. Fwiw, those were the exact words I used to suggest to Curmudgeon that retaking the test on a Saturday might make a difference.</p>
<p>Ok, so we are slightly in agreement, because I would argue that the third time (and perhaps the second time, but anyone can have a bad day) were either a waste of valuable time or weren’t studied for seriously enough to improve scores. </p>
<p>Fwiw, I’ve seen ECs started senior year that made a huge difference in how a kid presents, but it’s been an outward manifestation of what the kid has been doing all along, just providing formality. Certainly a job can be more valuable than a marginal gain on the SAT.</p>