<p>So, on June 1st I took the SAT and honestly, I don't think that I did very well on it. My biggest issue is math and the book I had used to study didn't seem to help me much... not that I was using it a lot anyway. My biggest regret is not studying enough and I don't want to have another repeat of what I had in June so I want to get enough study time, I just don't know when to start. I plan on taking the ACT on October 5th and the SAT I believe in September. When should I start to study?? I really want to do well on the ACT and SAT and I just don't know when to start. I'm going to get a book this time and actually use it. Thank you!!</p>
<p>Surely you know the answer.</p>
<p>You should have started preparation before taking the June SAT.</p>
<p>In any case don’t lose another second. Start now.</p>
<p>The next question to ask if you don’t already know the answer – is how? There are many opinions and recommendations on this forum. So a bit of research would help you figure that out.</p>
<p>The SAT is not administered in September. ACT requires studying. SAT requires practice. You should decide which you think would be easier and more efficient for you. Don’t start studying until you are certain you can MAINTAIN a studying/practicing pattern. When you believe you will be able to study/practice consistently for at least an hour a day for 1-2 months, begin. </p>
<p>If you’re practicing for the SAT, make sure you keep studying until the day of the test. SAT skills atrophy when left unexercised.</p>
<p>You should definitely start studying now. Especially if you feel guilty about the last test you took. If you want to be sure about not having another repeat of that, just start studying now. Don’t stress yourself out, though. Study a little bit each day, and you’ll feel more confident and will do much better. :)</p>
<p>The day before yesterday.</p>
<p>I would suggest that you take the October ACT and the December SAT. Leave a bit of studying time between the two tests because the ACTs are not like the SATs. The ACTs test is composed of four sections: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science respectively. And although they don’t take points off for an incorrect answer, one question is the difference between a 34 or a 36 on the Science portion. </p>
<p>For the ACTs I would recommend The Real ACT Prep Guide (or Red Book as it is often called). It’s available for purchase when you are registering for the ACTs and the practice tests inside are all taken from past ACTs. Other people absolutely swear by Barron’s or Princeton Review, but I found that nothing beats the practice tests in the Red Book. Study during the week, take the book to school and just flip through it during lunch or free class periods. Then, take a timed practice test every weekend so that you can get acquainted with three or four hours of testing. Really crank up your studying the week before your test, and take a timed practice test everyday. But don’t stress yourself out, give yourself the day off the day before the test and just relax. Hopefully you’ll be able to get the score you want!</p>
<p>As for the SATs, the Blue book aka the Official SAT study guide, a few Barron or Princeton Review practice books, and a big box of vocab cards. The studying techniques are sort of the same as the ACT ones, but with a few variations. First, you should probably build your vocabulary, like by a LOT. Reading usually helps, and I’m talking about books like Wuthering Heights, Crime and Punishment, The Grapes of Wrath, Classics! Modern classics are fine as long as they are challenging. Set a goal for yourself like learning 50 new vocabulary words a week and start from there. The rest is really just practice, practice, and more practice. There really isn’t much more to it. </p>
<p>Finally as a general rule, focus on your weak areas. If you want to score higher on the math portion on the SATs, buy a SAT Mathematics prep book. If you’re a bit fuzzy on grammar, invest in a Grammar Usage and Mechanics book. Well, you get the idea, invest time and money into your preparations!</p>