SATs

[Ohaider]

How'd you guys do on the SATs? Remember anything about it?

I have it coming up in about a month so I'm just wondering

[DarkZtar]

Re: SATs

general tips: skip stuff you don't outright know (mark them later so you don't forget).
Eat well the day before, and get a good night's rest the day of the exam. (Also eat a good breakfast the day of the exam)
Be careful with answers containing absolutes (eg. always/never)
PLAN OUT YOUR ESSAY BEFORE YOU START WRITING IT (don't spend too much time planning though, just get a rough idea of your main points and what order you want to present them in)
Make sure you can site sources to back up your argument in your essay (this is a really big deal for the ppl that grade it)
Math sections grading is much less lenient than the reading/writing sections so be sure to 2x check all your work.
If you really have no clue on a question, go with your gut instinct.

and that's all I can remember off the top of my head, good luck to you on your exam =P.

[Reincarnate]

Re: SATs

I used to be a tutor for PowerScore, so here's all you need to know (all that money saved, woooo!):

Your best bet is to get books with past tests and become familiar with the types of questions. There are only so many types of questions they ask, so once you know all the categories, it's just a matter of recognizing the category and what trick they want you to use.

The essay is almost entirely formulaic and can be aced every time. Make sure you write as much as possible, and just shoot for the bland intro + 3 paragraph + ending structure. You should already have your essay memorized before you even walk into the room. You just need to make the essay general enough so you can twist it to whatever the topic happens to be. It's good to have a few paragraphs tailored to different subject areas. Variety is nice. Change up your sentence lengths (i.e. make sure you aren't rambling on and on with each sentence, but don't be too brief and caveman-like, either). Spelling and grammar must be perfect. Don't use a bunch of big words to sound smart. Odds are they'll feel out of place. I'd advise just sounding natural but intelligent -- not brainy.

Same goes for grammar -- there are only so many types of questions they ask. Know the categories, figure out which one applies, and go from there. The hardest ones are the "No errors" because you pretty much have to look through every possible category just to be sure they aren't pulling a fast one. It's a pain in the ass when they put a lot of those in the test, IMO.

Even if you can eliminate at least 1/5 choices on a multiple-choice question, it is better to guess than to leave it blank. Why? Because one right answer = +1 point and one wrong answer = -.25 points. So you have an expected net point gain of .25*(1) + .75*(-.25) = 0.0625 on average assuming you can eliminate one answer that you *know* is wrong.

As for critical reading sections, it's designed to be retardedly literal. Even if one of the answers "feels" right/good to you, it needs to have explicit evidence for it or it's probably wrong.

SLEEP WELL the night before the test. Eat a good breakfast. Make sure you calculator has fresh batteries, etc etc. Don't do anything dumb like drink a bunch of water right before the test. It's long and will require you to be alert and focused. This is, again, why sleep is so important. Any last-minute cramming you do will probably not be on the test and you'll just make yourself sluggish.

Relax. Assuming you're starting on your tests early, you'll have many chances to try for a better score (just don't do it more than three times). A lot of schools take your superscore (best score from each section) so don't feel bad if you have an off-day. Don't get too worried about hitting everything in one shot.

[bballa48]

Re: SATs

It's been a while, but I remember the test being really long. Mental fatigue is definitely a factor. Don't fret over individual questions. Just be patient and do your best. Go with your gut when necessary. Toiling over questions for minutes on end will not help you.

[dragonmegaXX]

Re: SATs

I got an 1810 on my only attempt. Never studied, and honestly my only iffy score was in writing(Which most colleges don't even look at). The main thing about the SAT's is that it such a long test, that your brain and mind will start breaking down half way through just from sheer boredom. THere's like 10 sections or something like that

[Arkuski]

Re: SATs

Ended up with a 2270 after getting a 2150 and a 2070. I could write a book about my experiences, but I'll summarize what I learned:

Biggest tip I can give you is to PRACTICE. This can not be overstated. For a month before my exam, I took at least one reading comprehension section and at least one essay topic per day. On weekends I would take a practice test. There are materials everywhere and don't be afraid to do too much. Some people practice this stuff for years, so you're going to need to do a lot of cramming to get the same familiarity with the test that they have.

Anything else I could tell you would ultimately be derived from practice, but I'll let you in on some important specifics. Utilize TIME MANAGEMENT. I was aiming for a perfect score, so I had the expectation that I would ultimately answer every question. However, as people in this thread have stated, there are going to be questions that will stump you, and it takes composure to not worry about the negative possibilities and continue through the section. This composure is, of course, achieved through lots of practice.

FOCUS ON WHAT YOU NEED in regards to preparation. Math was very easy for me, so I never practiced. Reading and writing, on the other hand, did not come easily to me so I had to practice lots for those sections.

There is plenty of more advice I could give, but these are all of the important points I can come up with right now.

[Senip]

Re: SATs

I got a 1550 (back before they had essays, max score was 1600) with 2 hours of sleep and no studying.

good luck!

[Reincarnate]

Re: SATs

That's pretty ridiculous, Senip -- although I'm pretty sure that strategy wouldn't work for most people. XD

The last test I took was actually the last time the 1600 test was used (Dec 2004)... crazy to think that it's going to be closing in on a decade soon. I actually found the analogy section to be quite fun, lol.

[Senip]

Re: SATs

Yeah, I'm pretty much an embarrassment to my family because I'm the only one who hasn't done something stupendously amazing, because I'm a lazy bitch.

[Quigly]

Re: SATs

yo just remember when you're in college to talk a lot about your sat score

everyone will be super impressed and want to be your friend

[Senip]

Re: SATs

yo just remember when you're in college to talk a lot about your sat score

everyone will be super impressed and want to be your friend

Pretty much.

[dag12]

Re: SATs

2400 here.
My advice for the writing section: practice, practice, practice - especially the error identification portion. The errors that the SAT tests are really limited, so by the time you go into the test, the process should be nearly automatic. For example, whenever I see a verb underlined, I instinctively check whether there's a tense shift, and whether the verb matches its subject.

[leonid]

Re: SATs

2290 here :<
Basically you need to answer 99% of the questions without even thinking.. Solve test exams until you can. I read barrons, princeton review and some more shtis
Oh and be good at English I guess... I got 7 on essay after all the preps fffff
Grammar stuffs are pretty well defined except for a few exceptions.. just memorize all the rules (there aren't too many)
Take advantage of superscore system. On my first exam I got 800 on math and 780 on writing and got shit score on reading, so I prepped for reading only and nothing else the whole semester and then........ still got pwned on my 2nd exam xd
Make sure you don't fall asleep or want to use toilet during exam.. that will screw you over lol having breakfast is nice but you shouldn't feel full.. bring some redbulls and don't drink milk. This test is like going on a long trip and too much milk in your stomach will make you carsick

[adlp]

Re: SATs

took the ACT instead

[Reincarnate]

Re: SATs

I blackflagged