<p>I’m currently a junior at a public school that is consistently ranked number one in the state. I have a 4.22 weighted GPA, a 3.86 unweighted GPA, and a spot in the top 10% of the class. My extra curriculars are all legitimate, all things I love, and all things I’m very accomplished in such as debate and music. I work a part-time job, and I’m getting an internship with the local assemblywoman. I’m very good with interviews, and (when given time) I can write very very well. I’ve never been a math student, however, but curricular math and math-oriented science courses have never affected my GPA, as I generally do very well in them despite my flaws. With a GPA that is above average for those from my school that are accepted into schools like Penn and Cornell (two ivies that for some reason love admitting students from my high school), and very good other credentials and course rigor, I’ve always been on a path to schools like those. I’ve poured all my effort and time into a good application doing things I love and things I don’t love. There’s only one thing holding me back: the SAT. My score on a good day sits between a 1960 and a 2050 right now, at least 100 points below what’s acceptable out of my high school for the typical admitted student. This, of course, would be fine as a starting point. The fact of the matter, however, is that I’ve already started. Thoroughly. I’ve done every math test in the Blue Book and from Test One to Test Ten there has been no improvement. In fact, the highest (legitimate and timed) score I achieved on it was a 680 or something, and that’s out of ten tests. On the last test, my score dropped to a 620. At first my math section scores were a result of stupid mistakes. Take all of them out and I get around 680-720 every time, no problem. Of course this was frustrating but hey at least I knew everything, I could spend time in the future learning how to read more carefully right? Well I did. Luckily only one stupid mistake was made on test ten. But I didn’t finish a single section on time, and there were SEVERAL that I didn’t know. After practicing and practicing and getting pissed and going back to drawing board TEN TIMES, my situation has only gotten WORSE. The worst part about it is after the first test you **** up, you just want to keep going back to make rationalizations for yourself that your smarter and more careful than the score you just got. Its an endless and evil cycle. I’m so angry. I’m beyond angry. Its almost like all my hard work has gone to **** because I can’t do well on a stupid ******* test. It makes me feel incredibly stupid especially while my friends with the same or worse grades than I complain about how they keep missing an 800 on math by one question. My parents think I’m nuts, my girlfriend thinks I’m nuts. Frankly I think its true. Since two weeks ago, the SAT and its effects on my college matriculations have been all that I’m thinking about. Its a distraction from just about everything. I can’t let go either. Every one is telling me it doesn’t matter in the end, I’ll go to a good school. Every one is saying intelligence isn’t defined by an SAT score. Every one is saying move on. I can’t. I have everything in place and I can’t accept giving up now. I can’t help feeling far less intelligent than I thought I was too. It all makes me feel depressed. Really depressed. I can’t take it anymore. I hate it. The only way this is going to be solved is with a better score, and it seems unattainable. What do I do? I can’t let it go.</p>
<p>Um… How long have you been studying for the SAT? Also, you should use other books to help improve your performance in each section before taking the practice tests in the blue book. Going straight to the blue book isn’t the best approach. </p>
<p>Have you actually taken the test yet? You may surprise yourself. And there’s more incentive to finish on time. </p>
<p>@bodangles I haven’t, but I always time myself. I don’t see how I’m going to be surprised. Its not like the test they give is going to be any easier.
@DaneBrick I do it in bursts. Continuously beating a dead horse in other books would help? Do you really think that? shouldn’t i learn from my mistakes? </p>
<p>I feel like doing books that specialize in a section should be done before jumping right into practice tests. It’s like not studying vocab and then thinking you can do well on the CR section. You should learn from your mistakes but your post makes it sound like you’re not. </p>
<p>hey, i just wanted to reassure you that I understand how you feel. You’ve put all of the pieces in place and this one stupid thing (and SAT scores are really stupid 
starts to define a future. It’ll drive you nuts. I sympathize. That said, forget about all of the practice tests…you’re a junior, right? Just take the darn thing and see what happens.<br>
Two other things: 1) maybe you’re an ACT kid. 2) anything above, say, a 2000 is really really good… 3) there are many good test optional schools (like wake forest) …and I guess I’ll repeat #2 again, the scores you already have are good. </p>
<p>@DaneBrick it seems as though whenever I get a problem wrong, I’m prone to never seeing anything like it ever again. Nevertheless, however, I’ve started doing problems by concept, and learning or better applying new strategies. I’ve started using Barrons 2400. Any comments?</p>
<p>@SouthernHope like I said, on a good day. And on a good day its not good enough. I’m yet to fully try an ACT officially, other than one practice I took awhile ago where I got a 29 and couldn’t finish. Isn’t the math harder? Like if math is my problem maybe the ACT would only exacerbate this.</p>
<p>@cbondz69 as long as you continue what you’re doing now you should see noticeable improvement. Good luck!</p>
<p>bump</p>