How I raised my score by 250 points

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
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<p>Hi guys, I took the SAT about a year ago.</p>

<p>The first time taking it around, I’d say that I studied fairly hard. I prepared for about 2 months but only got a 1930. 790 for Math, 560 for writing and 580 for reading. Obviously my English skills weren’t good. </p>

<p>I applied again for the SAT’s with only a month and a half left and ended up with a 2180, a 790 again for math, 710 reading and 680 writing. a 250 point increase.</p>

<p>My strategy is very conservative, and If you aren’t willing to follow it, then it will not work.</p>

<li><p>EVERY DAY, I did at least 1 practice test on English and Reading (math wasn’t a problem.) When it was time to take the test, I have finished at least 50 practice tests from different books. Princeton, Kaplan, Barrons, and others.</p></li>
<li><p>I hired an english tutor. You may already know the things that they teach you, but the tutors will force you to do many exercises in order for you to familiarize and PRACTICE. Also they are great for explaining wrong answers.</p></li>
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<p>Trust me, after every single day of taking a practice test, you will soon learn to create your own techniques in order to answer the questions. </p>

<p>At first, my scores did not improve at all. I still got at least 15 wrong in reading and 18 wrong in writing consistently. After about the 20th, practice test I began to improve drastically, leaving only 4 or 5 wrong in the entire test. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT. That’s the absolute rule. After so many practice, YOU WILL LEARN how the test works and will know how to answer it.</p>

<p>What do I mean when I say how the test works? Let’s just say that on the real exam, I was stuck on one reading question. I easily guessed the right answer solely because I “knew” what the test creators were thinking since I’ve taken so many tests.</p>

<p>So let’s review. 2 simple steps to increase your score.</p>

<li><p>Take a test on the section you are having difficulty with everyday.</p></li>
<li><p>Hire a tutor on the specific subject to force you to practice and to refresh your memory on things that you may have forgotten and to help in getting clear explanations for wrong answers</p></li>
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<p>I will definitely follow that</p>

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<p>Thanks for the advice! I’ll definitely try to follow it (perhaps with slight modifications).</p>

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<p>I’m too poor to hire a tutor, can you hire one for me?</p>

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<p>My english teacher did really well on the old SAT and she said she’d be happy to tutor me, which is nice because I’m too poor to afford a tutor (I had to scrounge for my books).</p>

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<p>I can’t hire a tutor…no $$$</p>

<p>when u say do a practice test, do you mean a section?</p>

<p>devoting about half an hour (including going over answers) should be within my reach :)</p>

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<p>Hey Ashraf, will your english teacher mind coming over to NY to tutor me first? That way, when she starts to tutor you, I will be much better at this stuff, so I will too be able to help you. Sound like a plan?</p>

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<p>^ wow, you are beyond lame…</p>

<p>I like your ideas weilin37! I went from a 1930 (practice test) -> 2310 (March SAT). BY doing what you did except without the tutor, hence people his idea actually works and you can even do it without a tutor (like me)!</p>

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<p>Naidu keeps picking on me because once I accidentally thought she was a he, but he wasn’t a he, but rather he was a she, which would mean that she was a she, not that he wasn’t a she, even though she is a she, but my point is that she was never a he. Either that, or I REALLY AM BEYOND LAME!!! <em>tears seep down</em></p>

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<p>it’s not that. Ashraf was talking about his teacher and you said that you wanted the teacher to come to New York to teach you? <em>tsk tsk</em></p>

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<p>Oh my gosh naidu, you have a sick, naughty mind! I meant nothing of such sort! Shame on you! You have a typical New Yorker mind!</p>

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<p>OMG, I did not think of that at all. Now that you mention it - <em>ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww</em></p>

<p>No I was just saying that you were - oh never mind!</p>

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<p>Oh pleeeeaaasae! Don’t try to hide it now! That is exactly what you meant! You dirty dirty person you!!!</p>

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<p>okay no. it’s even worse that you thought of it :eek:</p>

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<p>And I have to go now, so don’t repudiate until I come back!!!</p>

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<p>Geez, it’s my MATH score that needs help. Too bad we can’t team up to take the SATs. :P</p>

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<p>but does doing a lot of practice tests help build vocabulary (which is teh major reason I keep mess up in cr)?</p>

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<p>Yes indeed it does Kenny, read Xiggy’s thread and you will see what he says about the vocabulary part of it. It is really quite interesting, and as I am now beginning to learn, very true. He writes to the very last detail. I recommend you read his entire thread, which is very very long, but if you just want the vocabulary part of it, skim throught it, and you will be enlightened my boy. And never come off the enlightened path as the many, well, as the many beneath us do (Naidu anyone?).</p>

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<p>are you making fun of me? :(</p>

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<p>oh my gosh, not this again. NO NO NO!!! So don’t go all crazy on me again.</p>