<p>I am a junior, but I took the January 05 SAT and got 1410 (750 V, 660 M). Compared to many scores on this forum, that is pretty bad, but compared to everyone taking the SAT nationally, it's pretty good. If colleges weren't requiring the new SAT from the class of 2006, I might have just let my laziness win and use that score. However, since I have to take the new SAT (I'm registered for May already) I might as well prepare for it and try to improve my scores, especially in math.</p>
<p>I have the official College Board prep book and the Princeton Review book. I've been going through the Princeton Review book, and a lot of their strategies are things like "If you are aiming for 600 or below in a section, don't even attempt to answer every question." I've been doing some of the practice problems and stuff, but strategies like that are really a waste of time. I know for the scores I'm aiming for, I'm going to be attempting every question.</p>
<p>What is the best SAT prep book/materials/strategy for someone who already has a reasonable score? I am not familiar with the scoring of the new test, but if I were taking the old one again my goal would probably be to improve 50-100 points in Math and try to maintain or improve my verbal score. I didn't prepare at all for the January test so I think that's possible. Hopefully that will give some idea of what I'm trying to do.</p>
<p>I am exactly where you are. I also have a 1410 as of now. I have 680 in Math and 730 in Verbal (on the old SAT's). I am retaking in June ( I am taking SAT II Subject tests in May). My parents decided that I should take the Test Masters intensive SAT prep course which is offered for 4 weekends in May right before the test. I heard kids say on this website that it is good for low and medium scorers, but I think all of the courses are good for every level in that I just need some more points. Therefore, anything I can pick up will help me. I would advise you to study from the College Board Official Guide book ( it has 8 practice tests) and also from the old REAL SAT's. Basically because math hasn't completely changed. You still have to know math. The only addition to math is algebra II. But kids on this site said that the March exam wasn't that hard in algebra II; that the questions were tame. I have seen the PR materials. They are also good. Anyone can raise their scores just by doing some prep. The tests repeat so many of the same kinds of questions, that the more prep you do, the better you can do. at least that is what my mom tells me. my problem is that with my junior year of school, i rarely have time. that is why my parents are making me take a review course.</p>
<p>i got the exact same score as you guys. I got a 760 Verbal and a 650 Math. I'll probably get a 780-800 on the Vebal and a 750+ on the Writing, so all that i'm worried about as of now is the Math. I'm not bad in math but the thing is i take my time on the easy ones, and once i get to the medium ones i realize that i'm going to slow and i speed up and make stupid mistakes. That's why i got a 650 on the January SAT. Only 2 questions i missed were of difficulty 5, most of them were 2 and 3 and due to stupid mistakes. SO, im just gonna do the practice tests in the Official SAT study guide so i can get used to the math.</p>
<p>thinks she was doing terribly on March Math section. She even thought the grid in section has many hard to comprehend questions which makes her think that must be an experimental section. The issue here is she has been a very math capable students, she is in Calculus BC this year and got her SAT Math IIC 800/ SAT II chem 800 on her Sophomore year. Everybody here says the Math is SOOOO easy, but she came home crying because we realized the grid in section can't be the experimental. That really means that her Math can probably be between 500 to 600. </p>
<p>Why is this happening? She can do all the math question of these prep books. She is not very quick but she is certainly very deep. She mentioned she has hard time comprehend some questions/graph in the Grid in section and she can not remember the exact questions. I won't see the actual questions before her May 7th test because the slow process of CB.</p>
<p>I am here to ask for help. If you remember any questions on the Grid in section, please post it here. She also mentions one graph asking for gallons(??) and she could not understand what the question wants or what to do..
I just don't understand why this is happening.</p>
<p>As far as understanding what has happened, let me provide a glimpse. While it is unusual to see a student earning an 800 on the IIC and struggling on the SAT Math, it does happen. The first thing to realize is that acing calculus won't do you much good on the SAT Math. The SAT is a totally different beast, but a beast that can be tamed by understanding what the test is and what it isn't. One usually gains that understanding by practicing on released tests. This is the best way to start "getting" the format down and recognize the type of questions. In a typical test, 90% of the questions are testing "old" concepts and very few questions (maybe 3 to 5) are a bit newer and unfamiliar. </p>
<p>The key to a good score is not to have a deep knowledge of math. For example, you can solve most -if not all- of the problems without ever using a calculator. Compare that with the IIC that is mostly a test of how well one knows his TI-89! So, what does it take? What is needed is the ability to recognize the questions and patterns without effort and time waste. In other words, it is all about knowing how to solve the problems FAST. This is one of the reasons that I always recommend students to review all practice tests and devote as much time on verifying the CORRECT answers than on the missed the ones. Why? Because you need to start building little blocks of knowledge/security and developing techniques to save time. The SAT is mostly a test of mental quickness. People who like to solve puzzles tend do well. The good part is that the puzzles on the SAT are rather simple and known. </p>
<p>I could provide you many examples of this. One of my favorite is the average speed problem -a pernnial favorite of TCB. A student who knows how to develop the formulas from algebra or physics will find the answer, but too slowly. This type of problem (usually a level 5) can be solved in a few ... seconds. If it appears on a MC, it takes no time at all because the answer is VERY predictable. If it appears on a grid-in, it takes less than 20 seconds as you only need to know a rather simplistic formula that always works. However, good students who are not familiar with the question could waste 2 to 4 minutes on the problem. Losing 3-4 minutes could cost one as much as 80 points!</p>
<p>There are no great secrets. Good students should be able to learn the techniques, leave the calculator in its case, and know what NOT to do. Everyone should be able to reach his or her optimal scores. It may sound like a broken record, but the key is to practice with intelligence and ... dedication. Developing time saving techniques is not hard for some one who looks not only for the answer, but for the best answer in the shortest amount of time. The four answers that are rejected do NOT matter: nobody needs to show the steps and confirm the answer. </p>
<p>I would encourage you to read past posts on CC. There are a lot of repetitions in the days before a test. Also, posting specific questions will usually yield good answers and suggestions from members.</p>
<p>I have basically the same advice as xiggi gave, and here are my 2 cents.</p>
<p>SATI math, as xiggi said, is totally different from advanced math, such as calc. The SAT is aptly named a reasoning test because that's exactly what it tests. In order to get the questions down, your daughter probably has to sit down and go through problems, learning the basic types of questions ETS asks and how to do them. The books released by the CollegeBoard are usually pretty good starting points (10 Reals, New SAT Study Guide. Princeton Review is good also.)</p>
<p>Once she gets enough practice, she'll be able to recognize the types of problems by skimming problem. Not only that, she'll know the usual ways the SAT tries to trick test takers.</p>
<p>SAT math is more reasoning than actual math in my opinion. The key is being able to recognize the types of problems, the common mistakes made, and the methods used.</p>
<p>I really appreciate your responses. This forum is very supportive.</p>
<p>My daughter did a lot of practice tests since the end of last year. Since she felt more comfortable on Math rather than Verbal, she spent most of her time on Verbal before the March test. She did the Barron's Math IC ( similar to SAT I Math) and Gruber's Math last year and managed to finish the practice tests from CB at many different time slots before March test. I would think she is ready at any time but she always says she needs to review the whole review sessions again. On March 11, she finished craming reading the Math review around 10pm and she could do every problem on the CB book.</p>
<p>On March 12 the actual test, she could do every problems on the two math sessions other than the session with grid in. On that session, there are many problems she could not really understand what it means and so she concluded this must be experimental.</p>
<p>I suspect the questions on the grid in session has some unfamiliar type of questions so I tried to ask people (in other threads) to post questions of the grid in, especially the one with scatter plot. No one responded to that. I can tell these questions which bothered her did not bother other kids at all. That is typical her, who can solve difficult ones but often fail on something very simple and obvious.</p>
<p>How to avoid this from happening again on May test?
I have ordered the questions but CB said it would not arrive before the May 7.</p>
<p>I don't remember any of the test, as my memory is like that. I can have just written an essay test for an hour and then come out of the classroom not knowing what the essay question was. But I digress.</p>
<p>I had a feeling that some of the math questions on the March test were a little abstract. I don't remember these questions on the old SAT, so it might be trend CollegeBoard is making towards "Reasoning."</p>
<p>that is extremely wierd... to get a 800 on MATH IIC... i mean i had to rush through that IIC.... i probably made careless errors... this is because the problems actually take a lot of time to do. i got 800 on the SATI math but only 770 on the IIC... </p>
<p>the SAT I on the other hand... heres how i got my 800: i rushed through it and had the whole (section) done in like 10-15 min, then i just sat there triple, quadruple , quintuple checking my answers... the math is so so simple... u just gotta be fast and meticulus...</p>
<p>Has your daughter ever done any American Mathematics Competition tests? They are good education. The Art of Problem Solving Web site also has abundant resources for learning about math at all levels.</p>
<p>My friend used a book called "SAT 1600" which is meant for just that, getting a perfect score (which he did). I don't know if there is a version of that book for the new SAT, but it would probably still be helpful anyway.</p>