When Should I Take Them?

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
21

<p>^
1. If you can't time yourself, ask a parent to time you. That's what a lot of prep books suggest.
2. If you want to take a practice test, you have more than enough TCB materials to go through. BB + OC + 2 released CB tests = 16 tests. If you go through 16 tests and analyze all of your mistakes you will be more than prepared for the test.
3. I'm not saying that other tests are useless, but why would you use sub-par materials when there are other real tests that you can use? </p>

<p>I suggest any SAT taker to first go through the official tests, and if you are not satisfied with your score, GO BACK AND REVIEW YOUR ANSWERS. Most likely, if you are not satisfied with your score after 16 practice tests, you did not take those practice tests the right way in the first place. </p>

<p>I rest my case.</p>

22

<p>
[quote]
1. If you can't time yourself, ask a parent to time you. That's what a lot of prep books suggest.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Agreed, although free sessions still simulate better than any home environment would. After all, a real test is done in a foreign environment and external factors still affect one's concentration. Its a preference though; if you think your a good test taker who doesn't get distracted easily you can practice in your house just as well. </p>

<p>
[quote]
2. If you want to take a practice test, you have more than enough TCB materials to go through. BB + OC + 2 released CB tests = 16 tests. If you go through 16 tests and analyze all of your mistakes you will be more than prepared for the test.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>More on this in a sec.</p>

<p>
[quote]
3. I'm not saying that other tests are useless, but why would you use sub-par materials when there are other real tests that you can use?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I agree with this as well, that is why I suggest you first go through BB and the real stuff before the others. </p>

<p>
[quote]
I suggest any SAT taker to first go through the official tests, and if you are not satisfied with your score, GO BACK AND REVIEW YOUR ANSWERS. Most likely, if you are not satisfied with your score after 16 practice tests, you did not take those practice tests the right way in the first place.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I disagree because people have different standards for what is as you said "more than prepared", and people have different levels of intelligence. Personally 16 tests probably didn't cut it for me, and I doubt for most people one can get a 2400 with only 16 tests. Not everyone is going for a 2400 but I mean for everyone who wants to score 2300+, many will find that the real tests just aren't enough. </p>

<p>Another inherit problem of the real tests is that they have no explanations, which can be especially annoying for the CR sections (or any section for that matter). The test prep tests most of the time offer thorough explanations that can help beginners or more experienced test takers.</p>

<p>I guess my main point is practicing for the SAT differs from people to people and it is inappropriate to say people are just "not taking those practice tests the right way". There is more than 1 way to study for it and everyone should know that the test prep tests are always there if they need any more additional practice or more SAT resources. It does not hurt you to take these so called fake tests in any way.</p>

23

<ol>
<li><p>When I say "more than prepared," I am talking about a normal person who wants a competitive score that is 2100+. Not a crazy CC psychopath who will take nothing less than a 2400. If you're one of those people, hey, good luck. But the truth is, if you talk to the high scorers here, most of them focused on CB materials for most of their studying. </p></li>
<li><p>This is where we disagree. You must understand the problem. If you have to read an explanation to figure out what you did wrong, then you do not understand the problem, and therefore do not understand the test. If you don't know why you got a certain problem wrong, you must first go to a prep book and find out WHY you got that problem wrong, and under what category the problem falls in. If you STILL can't figure it out (it happens, there a couple bad questions on each test), post it here. The basis of studying for the SAT is understanding each question type on the test, and the underlying concept it is testing. Reading explanations, to me, is cutting corners, and your score will reflect that. Not only that, you have to remember that you are reading explanations for problems that may not reflect TCB questions. This means that you could be studying a concept that, in the end, will turn out to be superfluous, and will never show up on the SAT.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>Just my 2 cents.</p>

24

<p>Hey thanks everyone for replying to this. On the subject, I think I only have two or three, and I don't think they'll be a huge deal. They're important, obviously, but I'll still have enough time in the day to review for the SAT if I need to, and time to do at least two full-length practice tests.</p>

<p>I have a few questions for the experienced SAT takers. My friend recommends going in the first day cold, without any review at all. He tells me that after doing this, he jumped up 200 points to a 2300. Based on the PSATs I've done, I feel like I can probably get a score at least in the 1900s or 2000s, and by all accounts it's better to take the SAT at least twice. So is it a bad idea to just go and sit the exam without any prep?</p>

<p>My mother's concerned with me taking it cold in January, because she thinks that colleges will see the score or see how many times I've taken it, and that'll impact my application. Is that true?</p>

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<p>^If you are taking the test cold just for the sake of taking the test cold, it's a bad idea. I would recommend you work out of the BB first. It'll save you quite a bit of money. </p>

<p>As for score reporting, depending on whether you are a junior or a senior, your colleges may or may not see that particular score. Either way, it should not impact a college's impression of you.</p>

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<p>sorry for double post</p>