@ zxcvbnm1216 – As has been posted above, a lot kids have done really well using Prep Scholar. Not familiar with it myself, but there are a lot of testimonials to its effectiveness here on CC. I have no idea how much it costs, but I know that it’s not free.
Other resources:
– For grammar, there’s nothing better than Erica Meltzer’s book. It’s extraordinarily well-presented, straightforward, and totally do-able (in terms of time). Do this book and your multiple-choice score on the SAT W will go way up.
– For the W section essay, get Clements’ book, How to Write A Killer SAT Essay. It is absolutely excellent. Very succinct, efficient (in terms of how much time you invest), and will raise your essay score.
My older son (currently a college freshman) raised his W score from 660 to 800 by simply using these two books.
– Meltzer also has a book for the CR. It’s very very good, but it’s a slog. It’s definitely written at a higher level, and will require a significant investment of time. But if you have the time and discipline it will raise your CR score (Both my kids went up over 60 points using this book).
– The Barrons 2400 book will only be useful if you’re already near there. My kids ultimately scored very high (> 2340), but neither of them found this book very worthwhile.
Many kids would love to Cornell as a ‘fall back’ option, but your drive and desire is admirable. Best of luck. You’ll ultimately need to come back onto this thread to tell us the end result.
@AsleepAtTheWheel thank you for your encouragement. I am going through those books now. I have also been reading direct hits to improve my vocabulary for sentence completion. Cornell is a great school and I am very fortunate to have the option available. However, I have a goal in mind and I’m really trying to work towards it. I am definitely considering using prep scholar,
At both Columbia and Yale you do not need SATIIs if you take ACT with writing. You should sign for and prep for ACT. You should aim for 30 or above. All your testing must be finished by July.
I would echo the advice of trying the ACT. I think even more important than the raw number on your SAT is your critical reading score. A 540 is low for these schools, and independently may cause you some heartburn with admissions, regardless of your overall AI. One other point, at least in my son’s experience at Yale, they will want you to take the SAT2’s even if you are using the ACT with writing. Those scores can only help in calculating your AI, and they won’t use them if they hurt. Penn is the same way. Again, ask your recruiting coaches. In my experience, the coaches know this stuff like the back of their hand and particularly if they have been at a school for awhile have a good sense of what will fly and what won’t numbers wise.
I agree with you that when you have multiple SAT,ACT and SATII scores the schools can pick and chose to calculate AI to your advantage. Unfortunately OP is running out of time. He/she should be taking ACT next weekend. I do agree that 540CR does not look good, every section should be over 600. However if the original SAT test was really taken without prep the 1800 is a good score pointing to a lot of upside.
I don’t understand why the OP is running out of time? Pre reads can’t even be done until July which means there are two more dates for the SAT and ACT before anything is going to admissions, plus at least one test date for each before likely letters can even be reviewed. Maybe the timing is sport dependent, but if the OP is in the ballpark then coaches will wait on the tests to tell him yeah or nay. Particularly if he is a difference maker in his particular sport.
I meant running out of time to produce the variety of decent test scores. For Yale/Columbia only one decent ACT result is needed but there is only one Spring test left. As far as coaches waiting for Fall test results - some will wait but some may not. You may have to decline some offers to gamble on improved test score.
Recruiting timeline for sports with November NLI is earlier than for football. Recruits are getting offers during junior year as soon as decent test scores are achieved. Experienced coached do pre-read themselves. If finaid is not an issue then these offers are accepted without any formal pre-reads.
@ zxcvbnm1216 First off, I recommend talking to the coach and asking the tough questions…“Where am I are your recruiting board?” “Do you already have outstanding offers/commitments at my position?”…and definitely convey your genuine interest in attending that school. Try to get a feel for whether or not your test scores are the only factor preventing you from receiving an offer. I do believe direct questions get direct answers, but coaches are inclined to leave things vague when they can.
I am also in favor of trying the ACT (w writing) especially if you enjoy science and your SAT essay score is in the 9 and under range. An acceptable score of 8 on the ACT essay does not drag down your English score. However, on the SAT that same 8 is likely to lower your SAT English score. Buy the ACT Redbook (real retired tests) and spend three hours taking a practice test. If your practice score is 30 or above, I would suggest prepping exclusively for the June ACT test. With some dedicated prep work, you could boost your practice score a few more points by June and avoid dedicating your summer to the SAT2 tests.