<p>Hey I need help to do well for sat, i’ve already tried my best lah. I memorised the 10 word lists, and did some 8 practice tests, why am i still not doing well?!!! when some other people just do it once (like mishichan) and score >2200??</p>
<p>well i guess it’s not always something that can be improved in a short time. did you apply this year or are you applying for the next one?</p>
<p>Thanks for the info screwitlah! I’ll definitely go check the prices out with my parents. :)</p>
<p>Is the service on American airlines (e.g. United, AA) really that bad? I’ve never flown to the US before…</p>
<p>The next sat exam happens during my NS 
And now i really dont know how to study for sat anymore, i tried so hard still FAIL.</p>
<p>I need tips from those who have been there and aced it (>2200). How did u guys do it? “Study hard” doesnt really apply to me, cause i’ve tried it sigh…</p>
<p>Im thinking of applying this year september</p>
<p>FMFL, i got 1830. i think i’m screwed. plus the next SAT date for singaporeans is in june (i think?) so retaking is gonna be an issue</p>
<p>^BrilliantMinds: My SAT I and II scores are divisible by 800. Hope this helps.</p>
<p>WRITING
Don’t quote me for saying this… But I’ve wondered before why I got 7/12 and I solved the problem by reading <a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/04/education/04education.html?_r=1[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/04/education/04education.html?_r=1</a></p>
<p>The trick is to spam the 2 pages to the brink, even if what you’re writing is close to crap:
- Yes: mis-attributed quotes, inaccurate statistics, untrue factual statements
- No: bad grammar</p>
<p>Of course, it’s against my ethics to do that, so I practised writing faster; and abandoned any other pre-test preparation for the essay section. But I daresay my 12/12 essay was worse than my 7/12 essay. Just make sure you fill up almost every line they’ve given you. The writing errors are standard - read the summary of them in your blue book and be familiar with those.</p>
<p>MATH
Just do 1 section with grid-ins on a practice paper before your paper, for warm-up. Maybe review a bit of geometry if you forgot. Very basic number theory might come in handy, but the question generally can be brute-forced.</p>
<p>CRITICAL READING
Practise like a machine. I think that time’s usually the issue? You can speed up a lot on the passage reading parts in this way. Some of the vocabulary is up to your luck and… what’s the Chinese phrase for it… culmination of deeds? I got “altruistic” correct in January because I was studying game theory (subgame perfect equilibrium in an extensive form game) the day before the paper! Otherwise wouldn’t have remembered.</p>
<p>PHYSICS II / MATHS II
I think this varies with your level. I skimmed through a Maths II guide for about 3 hours, and Physics II guide while going through a boring graduation ceremony plus 2 hours in the library, plus on the MRT on the day of the test. I also did 1 practice paper each a few hours before the paper. You’ll realize after scoring the practice papers - don’t be afraid to skip 2-3 questions.</p>
<p>Tips for Physics II if you’re doing H2: you’ll most likely be unfamiliar with dielectrics/capacitors, optics and special relativity. Skip special relativity if you’re doing H3. Skip dielectrics if you’ve actually designed a circuit that involved at least one capacitor. Skip optics if you remember your O-Level work. Once you’ve cleared those, make sure you’re good with mechanics, because that’s where the bulk of marks come from.</p>
<p>Oh, last thing, the best tip is really, really, to rest well and stay hydrated during the test. I remember someone telling me, “The SAT is an endurance test.” Definitely true.</p>
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<p>Stay alert and awake throughout the entire length of the test - I think the coffee I brought to my 2nd test really helped.</p>
<p>^frank: I know it’s scientifically contested, but I always felt that coffee is diuretic… Didn’t you feel the urge to use the toilet?!</p>
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<p>Not really, no.</p>
<p>:O That was hax.</p>
<p>I personally recommend 1:1 pocari + distilled water.</p>
<p>omg thank you pfaocltd, i think now i have a clearer mind of how to do the sat, so now i will buy a few SAT books and practice like a machine. Btw, I discovered something, initially when the test started, I literally BREEZED through the CR and writing secction, like every question was damn easy, and im sure i got everything correct. Then later on, my stamina started to dwindle, i read slower, i thought slower, i had to read the simple sentences a few times to grasp its meaning, sometimes i get lost in my own translation of the text, i even forgot which answer i chose mentally…So is there anyway to ‘keep up’ the initial “alacrity” of my mind? Cause i know the first hour of the test I did well</p>
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<p>Yeah, that’s what I discovered during my first attempt at the SAT as well (got 2100 for the 1st time and 2330 for the 2nd time). I think coffee or some other stimulant will help with your stamina/fatigue.</p>
<p>Hm, woah wait how many books were you planning to buy? I personally used the 2 blue books + 1 physics book (Princeton Review) + 1 old Math IIc book (Kaplan? It was mainly greenish on the cover). I borrowed the last one from my school library.</p>
<p>I don’t have any technique for keeping up the ‘initial alacrity’ :x I think a drink and fruit bar helps; same experience as frankchn, that’s what I’ve used since my first SAT. Feel it’s more painful staring at the same problem for 4h 30min (IMO).</p>
<p>Thanks for all the tips; I’ll be speaking to my tutor next Wednesday to discuss whether I need to re-sit. </p>
<p>I agree about the stamina issue. I was so tired towards the end of the paper that I didn’t want to think any more. I remember eagerly looking forward to the Math sections because those were relatively easier (a thousand times better than looking at H2 Math questions for sure). </p>
<p>In retrospect, I am shocked that I scored that high. My friends all had a wide range of scores and I heard that the bell-curve was one of the worst ever. In fact, I was predicting a score of 2000/2100+. </p>
<p>I think doing the practice tests at least once or twice in the exam format (4 hr 30 min) might help, because it provides a realistic stimulation to really buckle down for that 4.5 hrs. Easier said than done though. </p>
<p>@pfaocltd: OMG Game Theory. >.< My SMU lecturer (was it Prof Winston Koh in your time?) went on and on about some cheem formula to calculate the output of firms and the industry depending on the number of firms. I didn’t understand a single equation. Super GG.</p>
<p>Anyway, where and what are you guys studying?</p>
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<p>Hwa Chong Institution '02 - '07
Stanford '10-'14 (probably Com Sci + Econs double major)</p>
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<p>Wow nice combination there :)</p>
<p>^mishichan: Oh no, I didn’t take Econs…</p>
<p>I’ve never heard of the exemption from SAT IIs… I wouldn’t trust your tutor personally - I’d email admissions to be sure. Especially seeing that they consider APs the equivalent of H2s, and that earns no exemption in the US system, I doubt they’d accept it.</p>
<p>??? '14! Will be majoring in physics, mathematics and electrical engineering/computer science.</p>
<p>erm my SAT II math 770, chem 780, physics 800. Need to retake?</p>
<p>Anyway what books should i buy for the SAT I? Which 2 blue books are u referring to? I bought the collegeboard official practice blue book and did the 8 practice tests there (i think my mistake lies in that i didnt really focus on doing the book, i just did for the sake of doing, and sometimes i will cheat by checking the answer hehe :P</p>