I’m an 8th grader at one of the top 15 private schools in the country. Many kids in my grade are taking the SAT for CTY (or similar programs) or taking practice tests because their parents are forcing them to (and getting them SAT tutors). Though I think it is a little bit ridiculous to do this, (in my opinion, and from what I’ve read here there is no advantage unless you are doing it for CTY or similar) I was wondering how I could start preparing (starting to learn vocab words commonly asked on the SAT, College Board question of the day etc.) now, and if it would help me to take practice tests, or it would be a waste of the 23 that the college board provides. Lastly, I was wondering how much my studying (ex vocab will be context based, optional essay) will matter, come the new test in 2016.
I know this is a pretty detailed question but ANY wisdom would be appreciated.
I am not particularly gifted, so I’m hoping that being prepared/proactive will give me the smallest advantage.
I wouldn’t study vocabulary, as it will not be that important on the new SAT. Taking practice tests, and studying content, the math and grammar on the test, may be useful, although some of it will change too. Or you can not act so crazy and wait a couple of years.
Note: I have absolutely no relationship with Edison prep. As far as I can tell, they are in Atlanta – I am in NJ. I just came across their blog thru twitter.
I do agree with their recommendation that current sophs make every effort to be done with the SAT before it changes. But OP is an 8th grader. My advice: stay calm, start looking at the new tests when they come out and ramp up your prep in a year or two. But also, work hard at traditional math. You are going to want to know about trig (including radian measure), imaginary #s and more about functions and algebra than you would need for the current version.
@pckeller I was in no way saying that it does’t make sense not to study vocabulary. But thank you SO MUCH so that I now know it will be helpful to start early (of course I would have found out via a tutor junior/sophmore year, but it is great to know now).
I’ve written several times that the SAT has become unreliable because too many candidates over prepare for it, thusly blurring the line between effort and ability. Here is a case on point.
@samram I do understand your point and it is definitely apparent to me, however for right now I meant more along the terms of 5 SAT vocab words a week so that I’m not doing learning 1000 vocab words junior year when my coursework is harder and requires more effort, when I could be learning them now when I have (relatively) a lot of free time. Also, the methods I would be using right now to prepare would cost minimal, if any money, mostly requiring time, hard work and effort. Shouldn’t I want to give colleges the impression that I work hard? Also, like I said, though I totally understand your point of view, are you saying that if someone who is naturally more “able” or smarter gets the same score as a person who has spent hours a day studying, the test don’t accurately/reliably assess the students? I am genuinely curious, especially because receiving outside tutoring is prevalent in my school, especially only in order to maintain good grades (B+'s, A-'s, even the occasional A when the parent wants his/her child to “achieve her full potential”). However in my humble opinion, I think this is very different than preparing in advance for a test that I am not already sufficiently prepared for.
It is possible to raise your math score to an 800 for many students through studying (although some will always lack the math speed for a top score even if they know how to do all the problems), but it is much harder to get into the top echelons of the CR just via studying vocab. As I said above, the top CR scorers mostly are big-time readers for whom the vocab, comprehension, and grammar are second nature.
@intparent I know you said to read a lot and while I read each night before bed for about 30-45 minutes, (excluding my school required reading) 90% of the time it is nonfiction (mostly memoirs/autobiographies). Do you think I should try to consciously read more fiction in my spare time? I just find it more interesting to read about someones personal experiences, instead of a random made up story (I know that fiction books are never randomly made up but that is how my brain sees it when I try to read fiction).
No, I don’t think it matters. As long as the books have rich vocabulary and sentence structure, and you need to pay attention to understand the context and content, I think that is fine.
^I second that! Nothing works better than a lifetime of extensive reading!
But I disagree with @samram – first of all, it is NOT that easy to prep your way to a top math score. You can prep your way to a HIGHER score, but I’ve never seen a student prep their way to higher than 700 in math who didn’t also have plenty of talent (whatever that is). And the idea that “[over prepping] has blurred the line between effort and ability” reveals a specific world view that is debatable to say the least. If the goal of this test is to somehow predict future achievement, why would you want to filter out the effects of hard work? In most fields of endeavor, hard work is essential and it is rewarded. If anything, the bias against effort (and the use of the label “try-hard” as a put-down) is actually an insidious trend.
Build your vocab!! Yes, it may not be as important in the new version, but it will still be crucial for a good CR score. Just look at the ACT-- many questions & answers include “SAT-style vocab” so you won’t know what to pick if you don’t know the words! Start lighter-- choose vocab books with easier words to get a good base, and then work upwards. Don’t bother learning words like antediluvian for now.
Why not practice math now? On the current SAT you need to be almost flawless for a 700+ score-- so work on your accuracy. Take timed tests where you worry just as much on accuracy of the easy questions as knowing the stuff in the harder questions.
For the writing, learn your grammar. I suggest Erica Meltzer’s “Ultimate guide” which offers SAT specific advice, but, really, it will still relevant in a year’s time and also for life!
Finally-- as others have been saying-- make the time to read. By reading at least 150 pages per week, you are bound to not only become a better reader and test taker, but also have more to say and comment on in your essays.
“The Critical Reader” and “Barrons SAT” have vocabulary specifically related to critical reading passages. I would study those. However, IMO you are wasting your time memorizing general vocabulary words with the new SAT.
Read for 2-3 hours everyday . The writing in novels such as Madame Bovary and Babbitt, or magazines like Scientific American and Atlantic is far more rich than anything you’d encounter in Princeton Review’s SAT handbooks. Reading what’ s on the SAT is a tedious chore for those used to second-rate prose.
I learned SAT math solipsistically in 2 months by poring over internet lists of “level 5” SAT math .
~SAT math revolves around set
formulas and curricula; learn those first.~
Anything level 5 that I struggled with was brought to my math teachers. Instructors at your elite prep school (I’m sure) could sufficiently aid you with SAT-level math; taking that route will spare money you might pay toward private tutors.