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Posted

I know a lot of you are way past high school but hopefully someone can help me here. I plan on taking the SAT I for the first time next Fall. There's a whole lot of free time in the summer to study for it so who knows some long-term systematic studying techniques that would greatly augment(SAT word) my score? I have the sparknotes SAT and dont wanna buy any more books...Thanx in advance.

Posted

Just read through the work you have done and make sure you understand it all. Try and spend a regular amount of time every day studying, rather than cramming six ours a day in, one day a week. and eat healthily.

Posted
Originally posted by stiles

I have the sparknotes SAT and dont wanna buy any more books...

 

You should get at least one more: 10 Real SATs, a big red book published by the same people who write the test (ETS). You can time yourself and score the exam with the instructions in the book. By the time you go through the whole thing, you should know what score to expect on the real thing.

 

I would also recommend getting a Princeton Review study guide. I used to teach for them, and with their materials and methods, together with the 10 Real SATs book, my students went up over 100 points per section on average.

 

Tom

Posted

Oh you actually teach(ed) SAT classes for princeton review? So what are some tricks to scoring well on verbal, specifically the critical reading.. because thats what i'm struggling with. My verbal is in the 600-650 range and i'd like it to be in the 700-750 range. I dont want a large disparity between the verbal score math score.

 

BTW... i have 5 SAT tests from sparknotes, 5 from a garage sale book(ARCO), and 2 from Cliff's Notes, so essentially, i have 12 REAL sats.

Posted
Originally posted by stiles

Oh you actually teach(ed) SAT classes for princeton review? So what are some tricks to scoring well on verbal, specifically the critical reading.. because thats what i'm struggling with.

 

That's what everybody struggles with. The key to success in Critical Reading is...

 

1. Read the Blurb

 

This is the 1-3 sentences in italics at the top of the passage. It gives you the main idea of the passage.

 

2. Skip the Passage

 

That's right, skip it. Go straight to the questions.

 

2. Don't Do the Questions in Order

 

There are three basic question types here:

 

I. Specific Questions.

II. Vocabulary In Context Questions

III. Main Idea Questions

 

Do types I and II first, skipping over type III until the end. Treat type II quesions exactly as you would Sentence Completions. For type I questions, see the following.

 

4. Read What You Need

 

Don't read the whole passage and then try to answer the questions. You won't remember the answers. ETS knows that most test takers are going to dive right into the passage, and they have written the passage to be mind-numbingly boring just so that method will fail. It always results in you reading the same material again. So, if you're going to read parts of the passage while answering the questions anyway, why do the first reading to begin with? All it does is waste time.

 

Instead, treat the passage as an open book exam. Read the questions first, then go to the passage and find the answers. You'll do a lot better that way. For the Specific Questions, the line number is usually given, so you know right where to go. Go to the line and read 5 lines up to 5 lines down. The correct answer is something that you can point to in the passage. You should be able to underline it. The correct answer choice will be a rewording of the answer you find in the passage.

 

If the line number is not given, that's OK because...

 

5. The Specific Questions Appear in Roughly the Same Order as in the Passage

 

Say questions 23, 24, and 25 are all specific questions. Say #23 refers to line 41 and #25 refers to line 65, and #24 doesn't give you a line number. You can be sure that it is between lines 41 and 65.

 

BTW... i have 5 SAT tests from sparknotes, 5 from a garage sale book(ARCO), and 2 from Cliff's Notes, so essentially, i have 12 REAL sats.

 

So you're all set in that department, then.

Posted

hmm....I should take the SAT...just for fun...although I really want to take the ACT too, both for fun, I don't need to take either to get into the college I want, and I've been accepted anyways...

 

I wonder if I could do that...

Posted
Originally posted by Dudde

hmm....I should take the SAT...just for fun...although I really want to take the ACT too, both for fun, I don't need to take either to get into the college I want, and I've been accepted anyways...

 

I wonder if I could do that...

 

Of course!

 

Check out this guy's SAT adventures. He tried to answer every question incorrectly.

Posted

Ahaha I saw that on slashdot.. very funny, he did get 2 right, or should i say wrong, in math.

 

btw.. what college doesnt require sat or act for admission?

Posted

Art Institute of Phoenix...

they've got their own test they want me to take...said the two college tests don't matter;)

 

*goes to learn how to take both college tests out of boredom*

although I don't think I'll try to get them all wrong...maybe half^_^

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