As the December SAT results come out this morning, I only am in a state of euphoric shock as I read my once-horrible math score that has turned into a whopping 780. For me, this is one of the happiest days of my life. I literally cannot believe how far I have come in terms of conquering the test.
Note: Yes, all you perfectionists, I didn’t get an 800. Literally 1 mistake on the SAT counts for a difference between an 800 and a 780. 1 mistake. Anywhere between a 760-800 is a score that you should be proud of and cherish, because since the difference in that range is so minuscule, only the zenith of elite colleges will want to reject you based on your having a 760 rather than a 800 in Math.
So, where was I? Right. Let me begin my story, and tell you how with a lot of confidence and preparation, you can get an amazing score as well.
Lets start by saying that I am not the sharpest tool in the shed in terms of the math department. Yes, I am Indian, so naturally I take a higher level of math than most; bearing this in mind, my test-taking ability in math has always been weak. I will never forget the terrible fear I had the day that the PSAT scores came out during my sophomore year, gazing at a 57 in Math. This roughly translated to a 570. “570! I can’t get into a decent university with this type of score!” I thought to myself. The next day, I signed up for SAT tutoring.
The initial progress was minimal. For most people, math is easiest as it relies on basic principles of Algebra and Geometry. However, as I am in a higher level of math than Algebra and Geometry (and considering that the SAT asks questions that are unlike those faced in school) I was confused by problems that asked me to apply one or two of the rules that I had forgotten about. So, during these first few months, I focused completely on learning the rules of math. This was in line with what some test-prep books, which do not give actual test-taking strategies and focus on mastering the principles, advised. So I believed that this was the way to make headway in improving my math score.
The result on my first mock test: 590.
- Point. Difference. After 2 months of practice. Rather than becoming depressed, I became determined. The summer was fast approaching, and I planned to take the November and December SAT, so those three months were crucial. Think about Rocky in his training montages. That was me, hunched over the SAT Blue Book and Princeton Review (both of which I recommend for those taking the January SAT in 2016). Specifically, the Blue Book was super helpful in familiarizing myself with the types of problems asked by the SAT. I ended up scoring a 740 in Math on my first mock test after the summer break.
The rest of my mock test scores were falling within the 600 range, around 680-690, as I approached the November SAT. I resigned myself to the fact that I could deal with such a score. So I went and took the November SAT.
The result: 590.
590! 590!!! I couldn’t believe it. 8 months of extensive work had led to this colossal failure. It was then that I realized that I had only improved during the summer only because of complete dedication to improving my score. That was the deciding factor in how well I had done on the mock test when I had gotten back from break. I left all schoolwork for later as I only had a week left before the December SAT date, and I had not been practicing since the November SAT’s administration. Knowing that I had already completed the Blue Book, and that the Princeton Review was the next best alternative, I used just that. I took three practice sections, every day, and ruthlessly analyzed where I had gone wrong. I went online and did hundreds of practice SAT math problems. A website called freesatmath.com was also beneficial in generating problems for me to solve. Finally, solving the SAT Question of the Day offered on the College Board’s website allowed me to feel the confidence that I knew what I was doing. I was completely in the zone. I was ready to score.
I don’t know if this factored into my test performance in December, but I feel like it helped a ton. I am naturally a very confident person and hit on girls. There were two very attractive girls in my test room on the day. During the break, I flirted a bunch with both of them and got their numbers. After that, I rode on a complete high of confidence that carried me through the exam. So bottom line is: be confident. Anyway, after I completed the test, I knew I rocked the math section. I checked all the forums I could find and compared my answers to the ones I found. Realizing that I did done superbly, I could wait in peace. Unsurprisingly, I woke up this morning to find a 780 staring back at me.
In conclusion, what I can really say is that the Math section, while easy for some, is cold and unforgiving to those who are either out of touch with math or not very good at the subject. The curve is ruthless- 1 mistake can land you anywhere in between 760-780. I actually know I made a careless error when taking the test, so CHECK YOUR WORK. The zone that I was in is where most people should be in. Do hundreds of problems until you are familiar with the types of questions asked on the SAT. It’s all about repetition. That in itself is the most important tip. Finally, be confident. Don’t necessarily hit on girls, especially if you are a person who believes that that is “weird” behavior, but generally know that you are going to do fine and that there are plenty of options for testing if this one does not pan out.
Best of luck!
TLDR- It was an inspirational story. I highly recommend it.