No background

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
1

<p>I’m an 11th grader in an international school oversees that really messed me up, I have little to no biology background, I have a regular physics background, and no English knowledge at all (critical reading portion). </p>

<p>I have taken the SAT once and got a disappointing 1580, really bad I know but I know I can improve. But how? what are the methods? how long should I study per day? </p>

<p>What really killed me was critical reading, what are the top 1000 words I need to know?</p>

<p>I’d just like to note that I’m taking an “AP” pre-calculus course if that helps at all.</p>

<p>I’m also planning to take the AP pre-calc test and 2 SAT subject tests, what do you recommend for me to take?</p>

<p>My average grade is a 95% and I’m planning to take the next available SAT exam.</p>

<p>Also I’ve heard rumors that they change the SAT test every 10 years, is it going to change next year?</p>

2

<p>No not every 10 years… and I srsly doubt it’ll be ny time in the next 2 years at least before they change it…</p>

3

<p>I am pretty sure that there is not AP Precalc test, are you referring to the IB program?</p>

<p>Regardless, you should learn the words in the “Direct Hits” books. There are two volumes, totaling to 400 words you definitely need to know. Are you in a region/country where Amazom.com can deliver these books to you? You should definitely considering buying these books.</p>

4

<p>@Risiubu, my bad I actually meant the SAT 2 Math level 2 exam & AP math AB (calculus I think)</p>

<p>And isn’t 400 words not enough to boost my score? anyways I’ll get those books I’ll probably have to order them. Could anyone write me a schedule or help me make a schedule so that I’m ready for the May SAT exam? I really need to go up by at least 450+. Also are there any good methods/technique to learn these vocab?</p>

5

<p>not sure if I’m allowed to bump or not</p>

6

<p>^ that was very ironic… :P</p>

7

<p>Be aware that the 400 words in the Direct Hits books are not just words they chose for fun… they are the 400 most common words to appear year after year on the exam. So when you ask if those 400 words are enough, the answer is: yes, they are enough. You are not expected to read and memorize the dictionary in your preparation. All you really need to know is a good list of hit words and the way in which the CR questions are set up.</p>

8

<p>Thanks, what about the writing and math? I got a 650 in math and would like to improve that.</p>

9

<p>Oh I will tell ya my story with Math and how I improved. Hope it helps :D</p>

<p>I read AAALL of the Barron’s book (normal one and 2400) explanation… HELPS A MILLION! to introduce yourself and all… then I made sure I understand EVERY SINGLE QUESTION I GOT WRONG… I found that the harder Math problems I got used to solving, the sillier this test looked to me and, in turn, the more confident I got to ace it…</p>

<p>As for practice… WOOOOW…
i took some practice tests from Barron’s (most of them I guess)
some from Mcgrawhill’s 12
the grand mixture from barron’s 2400
all of bluebook’s tests
most of online course’s tests</p>

<p>and after all this, I got an 800 in Math in only one test from online course… I was ecstatic… Then…</p>

<p>I sc@#%WED up on Nov12 and only increased that 20 points or sth … don’t really remember… </p>

<p>then… I got demoralized for some loooong while… and practically suffered from depression…</p>

<p>But then i realized, it’s either 2000+ at least, or no college for me! I got my ass up and started practicing like CRAZY… although it was only 3 weeks away (two of which were term exam weeks in my country, the third was vacation), I practiced in every day off that I was supposed to study for term exams in. lol</p>

<p>I tried to practice as much as possible… I knew i screwd up in Nov only cuz in the first math section i got (sadly sec 2… THE FIRST SECTION after essay) i didn’t have time to complete the last 2 questions so I just freaked out! I was thinking of how to go back to those ques throughout the whole test because i was devastated that i may not get that divine “800”… and guess where that got me… -_- … I screwd up the other secs too in turn!</p>

<p>So i took most of the past tests that I could find, Couldn’t finish them all… I came here to post all the questions I had (and didn’t let the “omg i got 2330. such a bad score” morons get under ma skin… ._.)… I got loads of help…</p>

<p>and by the time the Jan exam came,
i felt more CONFIDENT. this is the magic word… more practice makes you better at solving mostly cuz you get more acquainted with the test… and in turn, more confident. </p>

<p>It did help that Jan’s Math sec was reaally easy… But the curve was ^%%#2</p>

<p>One mistake= 770!!! srsly! </p>

<p>So I hope this helps… </p>

<p>btw I had A TON PRACTICE BOOKS… like kaplan and bla bla bla…</p>

<p>But I listed the most important Math wise for me…
Again they are:</p>

<p>Barron’s (both)
McGrawHill’s (normal one and 12 for practice)
BLUE BOOK!
ONLINE COURSE!
as many past tests as possible…</p>

<p>That’s my story. There a lot out there that may help ya more. :smiley:
Hope that helps!
Wish you ease and success if God may… XD</p>

10

<p>@220andbeyondXD</p>

<p>Lovely story good job man, I have around 5 weeks left to get that 2000+.</p>

<p>I’ll need to get the blue book you recommended.</p>

11

<p>Yes of course. It’s the most important by far! Btw, Blue book= collegeboard’s official sat study guide
If I hadn’t made that clear before</p>

<p>Wish you success if God may! :D</p>

12

<p>Here’s a thread that may come in handy for you.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/1173822-my-fast-sat-prep-guide-how-i-went-2080-2340-10-days.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/sat-preparation/1173822-my-fast-sat-prep-guide-how-i-went-2080-2340-10-days.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;