SAT Preparation

CaptKirby said:
If you are having that much trouble, then it is probably not a very good idea to attend a hard school.
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he's only 14. People usually take the SAT as Juniors when there're around 16 or 17.

SAT is hard for anyone. Practice makes perfect and taking review classes helps as well. However, the cost is high for prep classes.

Just practice from books. I got them from my library and took the PSAT as a sophomore and scored 215 which is converted to a 2150.
 
Oh lol, SATs. Man, those were the days...

But this isn't even about SATs, is it? It's PSATs, which are like SAT lite. From what I could remember, PSATs weren't even that hard (although things might have changed in the last 7 years). If you need more help, take plenty of practice PSATs and check out some of those prep books at your library. Those are good ways to prepare without spending a penny.

But wow, Sikh, I didn't know you were so young. I thought you were at least 16. Good luck getting into that school though!
 
You're 14 and taking PSATs? God damn. Even I screwed up the PSATs when I was in junior year (although made that up with the real ones).

I would just advise you to:

1)Read more for the critical reading section (reading books helped me alot) and learn some vocab words every day.
2)Do some math questions from the PSATS everyday, and get help if you don't know how to do them. Also depends on what level of math you're in.
3)For writing, review all grammar rules, and practice writing section questions. That's the only way I got 800 on the real writing section.
 
All I can recommend is doing lots and lots of practice tests. The more types of problems you've seen, the less chance you have of being taken by surprise on the actual test. Don't do tests from any book other than the official Collegeboard book (I would just use their regular SAT book), because that is the only book that uses real test questions. Princeton Review is too easy, Kaplan is weird and not like the real test, Barron's is overly and unnecessarily difficult... pretty much just stick with Collegeboard. My problem with the SAT was always the math section, because I am just too careless and the curve is too unforgiving. The only thing I can say about math is to check VERY carefully, and make sure you read the directions on even the very easiest questions very carefully. I can't tell you how many times (on practice tests) I've gotten the first question wrong because it said solve for x and I solved for y. For the hard ones, my best strategy is just to do tons and tons of practice problems, and specifically hard problems. The more you've seen, the more prepared you'll be.

Good luck!
 
You're 13 now, and you've been a member since Aug 2007. Wasn't COPPA supposed to stop stuff like this from happening?

Anyways, I got a 235 on the PSAT and a 2280 on the SAT (don't mean to brag, but wtev, it's true), and I've gotta say, searching online is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Most of the sites demand payment, and we both know that we both are too cheap for that. I recommend getting a prep book from the library and drilling. You don't even have to do the whole test in one sitting. Just maybe do a 25-min section every day and you'll be ready for it.

And another thing: actually LEARN the grammar rules (most prep books will have a section on them: read it). Don't just feel your way through the writing section, asking yourself "does it sound right?". That never works, and will never get you above a 65. Once you train yourself to spot stuff like Subject Verb Disagreements, antecedent problems, tense inconsistency, whatever, you'll be amazed at how much better you become at the writing.
 
Honestly, there's no better way prepping for the SAT then taking practice exams IMO. mtr12 brings up a great point-Take a prep book and just keep on doing whatever you can. I've been preparing for the SAT for a while (since I was 11) and the best way is practice. I've always had a strong point in math but when it comes to vocab., I screw myself over. What helps me the most is just writing down any words I don't know when studying, and keep on drilling myself whenever possible. On the way to school, during lunch, whenever you find good. There's a lot of work, but with the right effort, you're sure to be prepared and ready.

Best of luck with whatever you find works out for you!
 
Well, the PSAT doesn't have a writing prompt, you're thinking about the SAT. Still, don't take the writing questions lightly. If you fall for a couple of traps, you might be done for. To inoculate yourself against this possibility, make sure you actually learn grammar rules, and during practice make sure you know the reason for the answers on every writing question (but don't do this on the actual test).

If you have any specific questions, you can feel free to pm me, although its preferable to post them in here so you can get multiple opinions (though I'm not sure about what the admin's rules on homework help are).
 
First, make sure you know everything that is covered math wise. Then practice.

Second, memorize vocab words. Then practice.

Practice Practice Practice. Think you got enough Practice? Practice some more. Take the tests, look at the solutions, and crack the test. There is literally no way past that - knowing "tips" isn't going to save you if you haven't practiced. Just bring a bunch of looseleaf to a barnes and nobles and do all of the tests you can find. You haven't practiced enough until your hands are bleeding and your eyes are blood shot.
 
Just remember, studying for SATs is hell. Not that it's hard, but the fact that it's so repetitive. You'll literally be thinking "Why the fuck am I here, while I could be killing Nazi Zombies, instead of doing questions that I've done millions of times".

Just don't overdo the SATs. Study for school work too. Equally as important. And extracurriculars also. I spent way too much time on the SATs, which kinda screwed me.
 
Kisk said:
he's only 14. People usually take the SAT as Juniors when there're around 16 or 17.

SAT is hard for anyone. Practice makes perfect and taking review classes helps as well. However, the cost is high for prep classes.

Just practice from books. I got them from my library and took the PSAT as a sophomore and scored 215 which is converted to a 2150.
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I got a 1210 in 7th grade on the SAT (back when it was still /1600, of course). It is a really, really easy test. All you need to do is know algebra and understand elementary level English to ace the test. Obviously analytical skills do grow with age though, which is a subtlety I think most people do not focus on in studying for this test.
 
Sikh Assassin said:
Because the school was built to stop segregation and it is currently going by 1970 consensus of the city. They pick the smartest (relatively) in the ethnic group, yet 'other' branches far too wide.
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If they really wanted to stop segregation the school would be completely race blind
 
I feel like , for most people, the SAT is rather determined by how naturally good you are at it. IDK its not a great prediator either way.

For reference I got a 2250, no studying or anything, so I'm not saying that because the test screwed me.
 
The sat is not a good indicator for how smart you are. It's not like an iq test because every element of it may be prepared for.

In regards to preparation, the best thing to do is focus on getting 800's or at close to 800 as possible on the writing and math sections. Most people who score high have 800's on these 2 sections. Reading comprehension is the hardest to "prepare" for. However, if you read somewhat challenging books during your free time you'll find it really isn't that bad.

Just like what everyone else said, make sure you run through a couple of practice tests to figure out how to pace yourself. Pacing is really a key that I don't think anyone emphasized yet. It should be something to be aware of when you're trying to improve from practice n to practice test n+1.
 
I took the PSAT at age 14 as well and got a 199. I aced the math sections but shitted on verbal sections. I didn't study too much and just used a book. If your math and english levels are high (taking Honors or have an A in a regular course), you shouldn't really have a problem.

When you take the actual SATs though in Junior year, you'll probably realize that you know most of the stuff but make silly errors or mess up on stuff you know but just didn't get at that time. This is usually fixed with practice.

If you really want the best tips, I recommend just taking a local SAT Prep Class. Also, the Collegeboard Official SAT Study Guide book is extremely helpful as it tells you all the different types and catagories of questions you will get.

I'm a Junior who's aiming for the NMSQT this year and taking it on Oct. 17th, so that's what I've done to prepare for this so far. Hopefully it pays off. :P
 
xianglongfa, every test that is more about general knowledge than specific knowledge or skills is a pretty good test about how generally smart a person is, which is what the SAT and PSAT woudl both fall under.
 
The Plant said:
I feel like , for most people, the SAT is rather determined by how naturally good you are at it. IDK its not a great prediator either way.
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This. I never put much stock in SAT studying, ESPECIALLY not shelling out big bucks to take any courses; I strongly believe that success on the SAT is based on whatever innate skills you possess, not how much you can cram into your brain in preparation.
 
I'm Canadian so ya, I dont gotta worry about SAT's

But for studying in general, try finding out what trick questions have been used in the past, mayb the question on this tets will be similar.
 
CaptKirby said:
xianglongfa, every test that is more about general knowledge than specific knowledge or skills is a pretty good test about how generally smart a person is, which is what the SAT and PSAT woudl both fall under.
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CaptKirby, I don't think you understand how flawed the SAT is.

Let me explain:

The test is designed with a math section that any average 5th grade student in China could get an 800 on. Obviously, since I'm not calling Americans stupid, the majority of people with even a little bit of math affinity, and who can't get an 800 without even studying can do well if they study for the math section correctly.(just for a little bit)

The writing section is about how well you can B.S. in 25 minutes and make it sound legit to a grader reading it in 1 minute, combined with how well you can inspect sentences using a set of grammar rules that you can memorize beforehand.

The only actual legit section is reading comprehension, and even then the passages they choose will inevitably match better with some people's "reading backgrounds" more than others.

So in summary:

math too easy(too many ppl getting 800s), writing section doesn't measure how smart you are, reading comprehension section is not a neutral indicator

and thus I conclude that the SAT doesn't measure how smart you are. It is far from being anything like an IQ test. That's why it's called the "Scholastic Aptitude Test", and it fails to do even that.

I'm not even going to start a rant on how stupid and easy American standardized testing is in general, so I'll just stop here.
 
Out of curiosity, xianglongfa, what did you get on your SATs?

The test is designed with a math section that any average 5th grade student in China could get an 800 on. Obviously, since I'm not calling Americans stupid, the majority of people with even a little bit of math affinity, and who can't get an 800 without even studying can do well if they study for the math section correctly.(just for a little bit)
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Let's stop exaggerating. Just because you found it easy does not mean that everyone else does. If you can get an 800 by "studying for the math section correctly" then everyone would have 800s.

http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/SAT-Math-Percentile-Ranks-2009.pdf

Oh yes, "too many 800s". More like 10000 out of 1.5 million. Have you even realized that the SATs are curved?

http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/SAT-Percentile-Ranks-by-Gender-Ethnicity-2009.pdf

Yes, Asians have a higher "affinity" towards math (compared to whites), but it's not enough to say that "any 5th grader can get an 800". That is patently wrong. I spent all summer tutoring asian kids in SAT Math (at an SAT prep school) so that they can break 600. Don't be so cocky or treat it like it's so damn simple. It may be simple to you, but to most people, it is not.

The writing section is about how well you can B.S. in 25 minutes and make it sound legit to a grader reading it in 1 minute, combined with how well you can inspect sentences using a set of grammar rules that you can memorize beforehand.
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http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/SAT-Writing-Percentile-Ranks-2009.pdf

So easy, yet it's the "hardest section" of them all in terms of scoring.

The only actual legit section is reading comprehension, and even then the passages they choose will inevitably match better with some people's "reading backgrounds" more than others.
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So the fact that it's random and gives certain (different) individuals an advantage every time is an argument against the reading section?

and thus I conclude that the SAT doesn't measure how smart you are. It is far from being anything like an IQ test. That's why it's called the "Scholastic Aptitude Test", and it fails to do even that.
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Of course SATs don't measure perfectly how smart you are. But your argument is completely false. People who do well at school WILL do better at SATs. If you had a decent high school education, you should be doing a good job at the SATs. There is a definite link between those the SAT scores and your "scholastic aptitude" - it'd be foolish to deny it. Of course, there are outliers - people who simply are used to thinking in the way the SATs require you to. But this doesn't invalidate the test at all.

Anyway, I am simply not kidding when I say "practice". That's the only way,if you're not one of those "innately talented" people, to get your scores up. We can teach you all the little tricks but in the end you need to practice "thinking like the test" before you can understand it. The way to think about SATs is that it requires a certain mentality - it checks how careful you are and whether or not you fully understand the problem (Math), it checks how good you are at figuring out the nuances of words and what is directly implied (reading comp), and of course, checks for your basic grasp of grammar (of course, it has to be formulaic - but just because you can prepare it that way doesnt take away from the many others who do well just because they just did a good job learning grammar).

Saying that "the SAT is rather determined by how naturally good you are at it" is a shitty comment and likely does not belong in this thread - the person is asking for advice - telling people stuff like this isn't helping at all and I wonder why everyone is so eager to show off "how smart they are" by bashing the SATs or something. I simply don't care about how hard the standardized tests are in Asia - unless of course, you're willing to go through 18 hours of schooling + cram schools in a given day so that you can "do well" in these standardized tests. Sorry that the American culture values things more than rote memorization that is utterly standard in most of these standardized exams.
 
Tangerine said:
Out of curiosity, xianglongfa, what did you get on your SATs?
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I got a 2290 in 10th grade, which was the 1st and only time I took the test- 800 math, 770 reading, 720 writing.

Let's stop exaggerating. Just because you found it easy does not mean that everyone else does. If you can get an 800 by "studying for the math section correctly" then everyone would have 800s.
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It is of my personal opinion that SAT 1 level math can be prepared for by anyone. I did not explicitly say or imply that by "studying well", they can assuredly reach a score of 800. I think a score of above 700 is definitely achievable if they are taught how to take the math SAT section in a way which best corresponds to the way they learn math.

So easy, yet it's the "hardest section" of them all in terms of scoring.
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And this has to do with my argument how? Notice how I said nothing about the SAT writing section being easy. My whole post was mainly focused on demystifying the common belief that the SAT is a good indicator of "how smart you are".

So the fact that it's random and gives certain (different) individuals an advantage every time is an argument against the reading section?
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If it's true then it is a small(but valid) argument about how any particular individual score compared to that of others' is not a good indicator of how much smarter that individual is over others.

Of course SATs don't measure perfectly how smart you are. But your argument is completely false. People who do well at school WILL do better at SATs. If you had a decent high school education, you should be doing a good job at the SATs. There is a definite link between those the SAT scores and your "scholastic aptitude" - it'd be foolish to deny it. Of course, there are outliers - people who simply are used to thinking in the way the SATs require you to. But this doesn't invalidate the test at all.
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I'd be very foolish, especially as a statistics major, to say that there isn't a good correlation between high school education quality and how well one does on the SAT. What I'm arguing though, is that someone who gets a 2100 doesn't necessarily have a "higher scholastic aptitude" than someone else who got a 1900 just because the person with the 2100 took 10 practice exams and took an SAT preparation course. The nature of the exam does not make the overall score an unbiased indicator of scholastic aptitude.

I'm not arguing at all that I can come up with a better test, but I do have my fair share of complaints. If you examine the math section score distribution that you provided, http://professionals.collegeboard.co...Ranks-2009.pdf, you'll see that in the highest "range" of scores, the largest number of scores are actually people who have gotten a full score. This indicates that a certain number of people are "capped" in terms of what the test can reflect of their overall math aptitude.(what I mean by too easy) There is no good reason for this. College Board can certainly construct a harder exam and curve the scores to average out to 500 and still differentiate people who are decent at math and study for the SAT to get an 800, and those who are better. You can call me biased because I got an 800 on math, but I'm not saying that this couldn't nor that it shouldn't be done for other sections as well.
 
I've heard from a friend that using the Official College Board SAT Guide + Barron's 2400 is a good way to prepare for the test. The former gives you actual questions from the guys who make the SAT to help you prepare while the latter gives you specific strategies for tackling the SAT and teaching you how to handle the level 4 and 5 questions.

Definitely considering purchasing both of these myself. Check up individual reviews on Amazon.
 
It is of my personal opinion that SAT 1 level math can be prepared for by anyone. I did not explicitly say or imply that by "studying well", they can assuredly reach a score of 800. I think a score of above 700 is definitely achievable if they are taught how to take the math SAT section in a way which best corresponds to the way they learn math.
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It is of my person opinion that Hegel can be understood by anyone. I think a basic understand of Hegel is achievable if they are taught how to understand the Hegelian view of history which best corresponds to the way they learn philosophy.

And this has to do with my argument how? Notice how I said nothing about the SAT writing section being easy. My whole post was mainly focused on demystifying the common belief that the SAT is a good indicator of "how smart you are".

If it's true then it is a small(but valid) argument about how any particular individual score compared to that of others' is not a good indicator of how much smarter that individual is over others.
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Except no one here actually thinks that SAT is a good indicator of "how smart you are". You said the writing section was so formulaic - if this was true, there'd be far more 800s since it's the only SAT section where you can just ram through it with one.

I think the problem here is that you think higher score must mean better. This is false. What you need to understand is that it only matter to a point, and it's simply a random variable after that. SAT doesnt claim to "measure intelligence" - it measures aptitude.

What I'm arguing though, is that someone who gets a 2100 doesn't necessarily have a "higher scholastic aptitude" than someone else who got a 1900 just because the person with the 2100 took 10 practice exams and took an SAT preparation course. The nature of the exam does not make the overall score an unbiased indicator of scholastic aptitude.
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So you believe rote memorization for every subject over the course of a week is a better "indicator of scholastic aptitude"? The point is that the SATs only matter to a point - SATs are a benchmark and that's all it is - you're arguing that the SATs aren't an IQ test and therefore it is flawed. It is only flawed if colleges interpreted it that way - the point is colleges do not.

you examine the math section score distribution that you provided, http://professionals.collegeboard.co...Ranks-2009.pdf, you'll see that in the highest "range" of scores, the largest number of scores are actually people who have gotten a full score. This indicates that a certain number of people are "capped" in terms of what the test can reflect of their overall math aptitude.(what I mean by too easy)
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This is only valid if SATs were an attempt to measure your mathematical prowess. Nope. It only measures it up to a certain degree, and we have better ways of showing mathematical aptitude than the SATs, thankfully - since any attempt to get a standardized exam to measure aptitude will be flawed anyway - at best, they are benchmarks.

There is no good reason for this. College Board can certainly construct a harder exam and curve the scores to average out to 500 and still differentiate people who are decent at math and study for the SAT to get an 800, and those who are better. You can call me biased because I got an 800 on math, but I'm not saying that this couldn't nor that it shouldn't be done for other sections as well.
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Sure, except College Board is trying to measure the typical High School experience - which only goes up to Algebra II (which is actually new). They're not trying to measure "how smart you are" or "how advanced you are"
 
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