Don't Worry, Be Happy...
Dec 19 '02 (Updated Dec 21 '02)
The Bottom Line The SAT's are a test of knowledge and mental capacity.
Taking the SAT's soon and don't know what to do? Just read on to learn how to succeed on the SAT's.
Getting Prepared
Getting prepared is the most difficult time for many students who are soon taking the test. Here is what i think is important to do and remember:
1. Taking prep-classes, such as Princeton Review, always helps.
2. Look over the SAT format from books like "8 Real SAT's" and take their tests with timers.
3. Get flash cards to look over vocabulary words. Do not stress yourself over this. Only 1 or 2 sections may contain questions on vocabulary. Also, word-of-the-day e-mails from sites such as dictionary.com are quite helpful, as they expose you to different words. A tip from "GravityGirl": "Learning Latin roots helps as well- you don't have to take Latin, but learning Latin helps you guess the meaning of words effectively."
4. Ask friends/relatives who have recently taken the SAT's. They will be a good source of information if you know how smart they are, how much they prepare for the SAT's, how many times they took the test, and what kind of score they got. Using this collected data, you can estimate what you have to do and know to achieve the score that you want.
5. Always study during the day when you are fresh and energetic.
6. Don't get stressed out!
Using the above mentioned guide lines, you should now be prepared for the test.
The Day Before the Test
1. Absolutely no studying allowed! (Well, maybe a little :)
2. Do not tire yourself out, but you don't have to be in solitude, either. In other words, don't go partying at the nearest club getting drunk. (Getting drunk isn't a good thing anytime.)
3. Drink lots of liquids, eat on time, and intake healthy foods to help your body out.
4. Sleep early and get plenty of rest. I'd recommend 10 hours of sleep.
5. Always remember that you can take the SAT's again and again until you score what you wanted.
Taking the Test
Make sure you have:
1. At least two number 2 sharpened pencils.
2. A calculator. Graphing calculators are not allowed.
3. A silent watch to pace yourself.
4. Do not answer multiple choice questions that you have absolutely no clue about what the answer is.*
5. If you are having trouble with algebra, then just use trial and error on the multiple choice equations in the math section.
WARNING-
Are you the average cheater? You better change your ways. Not only will you be hurting yourself by cheating on the SAT's, but you will be most likely getting the wrong answers. There are many different editions of the SAT's. The chances of you having the same test as someone else in the room are almost, if not, 0.
I had taken the SAT's last year in 7th grade from a gifted and talented program. Knowing that it has no impact whatsoever on me, I was quite calm, careless even. Using the above mentioned tips, I did pretty well on the SAT's. (I am not a child prodigy. I am just a little above average.)
My score
Verbal: 540
Math: 580
I did better than 50% of High School seniors who took the same SAT edition as I did in every category, except "Sentence Completion" because I guessed the answers to questions that I had no idea of what was the answer. Also, I haven't ever encountered those words before since I was only in 7th grade. If I had followed my own tips then, I might have scored better.
*Scoring System:
1. For every correct answer, your rubric score goes up.
2. For every wrong multiple choice question, you lose a fraction of a rubric point.
3. For Every skipped multiple choice question, your score does not fluctuate.
4. For every skipped or wrong fill-in question (a math part where you fill in the number bubbles that correspond to the answer), your score does not fluctuate.
NOTE: Score received from taking the SAT's have a range. Your score could have varied between the range given if you had taken another edition of the test.
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