SAT preparation : CR Stuck on my 570-s

Enia333 · 09-23-2012, 06:59 AM

So I have given the Sat three times until now, and I am frustrated with the fact that i cannot get a high score in Critical Reading.

My story is this:

The last summer I worked with the College Board's Blue Book, and I gave the SAT for my first time. I got about 480 in CR. Yeah, it was a disaster. So I entered in an SAT course. After a lot of preparation I gave the SAT for the second time and I got about 570 in CR. I was still not really happy with my scores do I decided to work harder until I had better scores. So I gave it again in June. Until then I read a lot of things like American Classics. I also got prepared with Kaplan books. However, when I took the SAT on June I got a terrible score of about 500 in CR. I was really desperate, and I decided to give it one more time in October. During summer, I learned for the TOEFL IBT and in the mid- August i took 105 in TOEFL, and specifically in Reading (27). After that I started to learn for the SAT again. I have read a lot of NYT articles, and now I am also reading "The Best American Essays of the Century". I take 1 complete SAT test every day ( without including here the essay and the surprise section) but I think my CR scores are not getting higher than 600 or 570. Can somebody give me any advice of what I am doing wrong? Than you very much!

PS: I do not have a problem in Math ( always above 740) or Writing (in June I got 650)

Enia333 · 09-23-2012, 01:36 PM

any ideas?

Enia333 · 09-24-2012, 05:36 PM

can anyone help me plz?

obsquared · 09-24-2012, 07:02 PM

I started with a lower CR score than you, but now I usually score 610-660 in my practice tests. I have some advice, but it would be easier if I knew what you struggled with.

For the vocab ones, I try to work as efficiently as possible to give me time for the passage based reading. For harder questions I try to eliminate as much as I can.

I don't want to write a vague essay about tips for the CR section when there are plenty of them out there on the forums. It would be much easier if you would specify where you have difficulty.

Enia333 · 09-25-2012, 06:32 AM

Hello!! and thank you very much for replying my post

So I first stat with the sentence completions, which usually get me no more than 5 minutes. Then I approach the short passage ( I don't make mistakes in them) and It usually takes me 3 minutes. Then I deal with the long passages. If it is a scientific research or even something nonfiction, I only read the first sentences of every passage. when it is a fiction one I usually have to read it all, or at least most of it so I can capture the meaning. Then I start to work with the questions. I usually like to underline the most important information during reading.

There is also another thing that I had forgotten to mention before. I am an international student. English is not my first language and I do not go to an american/English speaking school.

Thank you again

AimingAt750 · 09-25-2012, 10:13 AM

"If it is a scientific research or even something nonfiction, I only read the first sentences of every passage. "

Can I ask why it is so? Don't you read the whole text? Does that mean that you are very familiar with this stuff? I am trying to get the method of your approach.

Enia333 · 09-25-2012, 02:56 PM

I don't know. Maybe because they are essays, and usually you can find the whole subject of the essay developed in its introduction and also in first sentences of each paragraph. I'm not familiar with any of the material presented to SAT passages except some like Harper lee, or troy (both of them happened to be in my last sat test that i took today. btw I got a 600)

And thank you for trying to help me

Enia333 · 10-01-2012, 05:51 PM

Anyone please? I really need your help!!!

PreludeInE · 10-01-2012, 07:44 PM

I highly recommend Rocket Review Revolution for critical reading. After studying the techniques outlined in the book, my scores in critical reading have risen from low 600s to mid to high 700s. The book is out of print though, so you'll probably have to get a copy from a library.

strategicfiasco · 12-07-2012, 03:26 AM

If anyone knows where I can get the pdf for this book on the internet post here!

Cheers

coolpillow · 12-07-2012, 11:39 AM

I started at 580... Then got to 700ish.
It took a long time but mostly because I was using wrong methods.
My biggest problem was that I didn't know too many SAT words.
So I started learning them... I used Word Smart I/Direct Hits I&II... This got my score up to 660.

Do a lot of practice tests! Strategize. When reading passages, answer questions as you read. Don't read through the entire passage and then answer questions. This helped me a lot. You don't have to read the whole passage to answer most questions. Just the specific section. Good luck!

I am expecting to get a 700 on my December test..