<p>okay, I won’t be the debbie downer at the party this time. It can be done by some people, but those people have to be willing to do what it takes every day. A lot of people cannot do it because 1950 is a good estimation of what they’re capable of. In addition, cramming for the SAT cannot make up for a lifetime in which one hasn’t done any reading. But some people, probably more than my colleagues above realize, can do this.</p>
<p>I find that high school students have a lot of free time over the summer and even during the beginning of first semester senior year. Turn those pockets of free time into a commitment to improve your scores by 200 points and you will either fail to reach your goal but learn a whole lot about how hard you can work and how many minutes are in the day OR you will reach your goal and learn a whole lot about how hard you can work and how many minutes there are in the day.</p>
<p>Either way, you win. There is a large benefit whether you succeed or fail to reach your goal. You will prepare yourself for how hard you have to work in college. You have no idea how much harder you will have to work at good colleges than you did at your high school. </p>
<p>Here are several tips for trying to do this: First, practice at least 15 minutes a day, no days off; don’t go to bed without doing your 15 minutes, but do the 15 minutes when you’re at your best and not when you’re going to bed. If you can do more than 15 minutes, do it in 15 minute segments with a break between them. Don’t put off your 15 by doing 30 tomorrow. Second: make a list of all the words you think you know the definition to or a synonym for but don’t. Put each of these words, let’s say 100, on index cards with their synonyms on the back. Memorize these flash cards backwards and forewards as part of your 15 minutes. Third: practice the drills in your SAT handbooks over and over again, particularly the math problems, until you begin to recognize the problem as THIS kind of problem that you’ve seen before. This is a start on how to study. Tip 1 is the most important one. The more you practice, the lower your anxiety and possibly the higher your score. </p>