Silverturtle's Guide to SAT and Admissions Success

[webwatcher66]

<p>Hi Silver Turtle, thank you so much for putting all this precious experience/tips together. I am a father of a freshman. I will start help him prepare SAT now. Thanks again.</p>

[evolutionck]

<p>nice stuff</p>

[54641210d]

<p>How did you guys start preparing for the SATs? It feels like there’s an insurmountable quantity of work that needs to be finished in 2-3 months; there’s certainly not enough time to read entire books on SATs. I’m especially having trouble on vocab and writing essays…</p>

<p>Any advice for a first-timer?</p>

[54641210d]

<p>Also, I’ve read somewhere that I shouldn’t use any prep tests not made by the official SAT company. I have a book with 11 SAT prep tests from Princeton review. Is it OK to use this? I don’t really see a difference in testing material.</p>

[neon321]

<p>I’m good at math and writing so I just prepped for critical reading. I did get a tutor but I don’t think she really helped all that much. I would say go over some practice tests (especially the reading parts), study vocab (Direct Hits is the best!), make a list of essay topics (things you could write about - events from history, books you’ve read, characters, current events, science-y stuff, anything! It makes you way less nervous when you have a menu to pick and choose from instead of having to think of things off the top of your head after you get the question).<br>
I can’t really help you with the other two sections because I didn’t really review for them. I ended up with a 2390. I never scored anywhere near that high on practice tests, so I was really surprised. I got the 790 on reading, and it was only that high because the section I failed at ended up being the experimental section. I love my life! lol </p>

<p>To webwatcher…I’ve found that prepping too early can just get annoying and discouraging. Besides, at least based on my psat scores and sat score (203 to 224 to 2390), it takes time and class learning and maturing to score higher, not just studying specifically for the test. For example, taking AP Comp & AP US this year definitely helped a lot…probably more than whatever reviewing I did specifically for the SAT (but I’m not saying that’s the right thing to do for your son, just putting my opinion out there).</p>

<p>I only used the College Board SAT study guide to review (I did download SilverTurtle’s too :P). I’d suggest getting your hands on one and using that if possible, but if not just work with what you have. And get Direct Hits if you have time (months) to study vocabulary! Sooo helpful!</p>

[breckheimera]

<p>I was wondering if there is a way I can print the writing guide out without the edgings (on the left side, which is annoying when i copy and paste)?</p>

[wisdom908]

<p>Your PM is full, so I’m going to post this here in hopes that it won’t get lost. Lol.
Feel free to PM me back if needbe. </p>

<p>First off, let me begin by saying your SAT guide is absolutely phenomenal. It has helped me with my thinking process.</p>

<p>I’ve had an interesting case with my SAT history. Long story short, I’ve already exhausted two tries, both miserably failed.
I realized my problem is just staying focused. Ironically, I tend to take a little longer to focus; as in, the first couple of sections suffer because I have not got into the mode yet.
Do you have any suggestions as to how this can be helped? </p>

<p>I have taken manyyy practice tests, and it seems they have the same problem. I’m not sure if it’s waking up (I usually wake up 1.5 hours before the testing time), or if I just need to focus.</p>

<p>Do you have any strategies which you employ to help you focus only on the test and forget everything else? </p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

[iHamza]

<p>One of the best posts I have ever seen in my entire life, you my friend have just summed up a year worth of school work in just one post.
You’re my hero.
Thank you VERY much!</p>

[huss182]

<p>Thanx silverturtle…av raised my score tremendously just by using these tips</p>

[noresponse]

<p>silverturtle, that guide was really helpful, especially with the info on college admissions. I still have a few niggling doubts about my scores and how I should be applying to college. I currently live outside the US but am a US citizen. Schools here don’t have any AP courses or anything like that, so will this absence be taken into account by the admissions officers? Or are there any extra specifications that I need to fulfill in order to be on par with my peers in the US?
Also, I recently took the SAT; I got 2080, and I plan to take it again. Assuming I practice systematically using the techniques in this guide and elsewhere, by how much do you think I can raise my scores?</p>

[luoluo]

<p>Silverturtle, since its 2011 should i buy the direct hit for 2011 edition??</p>

[Chimni]

<p>noresponse, I’m afraid he can’t answer that, no one knows :). Plus, whatever one thinks is pure “guesstimation”</p>

[silverturtle]

<p>Sorry if, because of my delay, these responses are unseen or no longer useful.</p>

<p>

can somebody help me out in this case? lets suppose I get rejected RD from dartmouth with really good stats (as an international). If I take a gap year, add something to my appl and apply again, will the “this applicant applied before” catch hurt my chances ? or should I indicate that I have never applied before?

</p>

<p>I do not know whether your having applied before will be held against you; I suspect not. I would imagine, though, that your having had additional time to improve your application will raise expectations for accomplishments. Certainly, do not lie about having previously applied.</p>

[silverturtle]

<p>

i saw your mention of “historical data” in terms of admissions by high school.
my private hs hasnt sent a grad to a top school since, i believe, roughly ten years ago when one went to columbia (few, if any, have applied since).
i have a fairly high uw gpa and scores in range of all the schools i applied to (not to mention ecs and leadership roles up the wazoo)- would this still stand for me?</p>

<p>i got a 5 on apush (the only one i could possibly take in 11th grade) to sort of validate my grade.
i also take college classes at a CUNY in which i earned a 4.0 cumulative gpa. </p>

<p>and if its worth anything, the student who was admitted was also the first of her kind with similar scores.

</p>

<p>Insofar as one’s high school has any meaningful effect on admissions, getting a sense for your position should include a consideration of why your school has had relatively limited admissions success: Was there a dearth of high-stats, otherwise compelling applicants? If so, you probably shouldn’t expect the effect to be significantly negative.</p>

[silverturtle]

<p>

However, National Merit finalists are only allowed to pick one first-choice school. Your section on National Merit indicated that they could pick two.

</p>

<p>Thank you for pointing this out; I had noticed the error too late to edit. On this topic, some readers may find this helpful: [Choosing</a> National Merit Top-Choice Colleges - Ask The Dean](<a href=“http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/000331.htm]Choosing”>http://www.collegeconfidential.com/dean/archives/000331.htm).</p>

[silverturtle]

<p>

This is awesome. I am going to try to memorize and execute all your tips to the best of my ability. I agree with the dozens of others who say this should be published!</p>

<p>P.S. I made this account just now only because this guide is so awesome and deserves to be praised.

</p>

<p>Thanks very much. In fact, an SAT/ACT book, the Reading and Writing sections of which are adapted from this guide and of which I am a co-author, is in the works.</p>

<p>

Just to provide you with some pride, I want to tell you that your SAT guide helped me improve immensely. As a junior, I took the SAT in March and received 660/800/710. Then, after prepping with your guide, I improved to 770/800/790 in October. Thank you so much!

</p>

<p>Congratulations on your improvement, though I believe that it reflects well upon your productive work toward success more than upon anything else.</p>

[texaspg]

<p>silverturtle - did you visit whitehouse last weekend?</p>

[silverturtle]

<p>

Hi. Sorry if this has been asked before, but is there a PDF version of your guide?

</p>

<p>The formatting is troublesome in places, but here is a PDF version: [Silverturtle’s</a> Guide to SAT and Admissions Success.pdf](<a href=“File sharing and storage made simple”>Silverturtle's Guide to SAT and Admissions Success)</p>

[silverturtle]

<p>

If I have an old PSAT (by CB) and the blue book, I shouldn’t need to buy other PSAT study material?

</p>

<p>“need” is a tough word. Obtaining and using other PSAT study materials (the College Board sells old tests on its Website) may be helpful.</p>

[silverturtle]

<p>

How did you guys start preparing for the SATs? It feels like there’s an insurmountable quantity of work that needs to be finished in 2-3 months; there’s certainly not enough time to read entire books on SATs. I’m especially having trouble on vocab and writing essays…

</p>

<p>The number of weeks or months required to achieve a sound state of preparedness will vary from person to person and based on what your schedule is. To offer a specific example, I’m a fan of doing one section per weekday along with a full test on each Saturday morning. The ultimate focus, however, needs to be on how you are thinking while taking the practice tests and identifying and acting upon what you need to do differently in order to correct specific or methodological mistakes; don’t dwell on how many practice tests you’re taking.</p>