CHAPTER 1
2. What is the format of the SAT?
4. What will colleges do with my SAT scores?
5. What control do I have over my SAT scores?
6. How should I prepare for the SAT?
7. How can I get the most out of my SAT study sessions?
8. When should I take the SATs and Subject Tests?
9. What should I do the week before my SAT?
1 WHAT DOES THE SAT TEST?
The SAT assesses a broad range of reasoning skills in the liberal arts. It does not test specific subject knowledge, but rather the broadly applicable skills of analytical reading, analytical writing, and mathematical problem solving. Here is a more comprehensive list of SAT skills, broken down by test:
SAT Reading
• Interpreting, analyzing, and drawing inferences from college-level texts across the liberal arts and sciences such as arguments, narratives, and personal or expository essays
• Interpreting and drawing inferences from data in the form of graphs, tables, and diagrams that accompany reading passages
SAT Writing and Language
• Analyzing sentences and paragraphs in terms of their grammatical correctness and semantic coherence
• Analyzing essays in terms of their overall development, tone, and effectiveness
SAT Math
• Solving algebraic problems involving equations, inequalities, systems, formulas, and functions
• Solving data-analysis problems involving concepts such as ratios, proportions, percentages, units, and numerical relationships
• Solving problems in advanced mathematics involving concepts such as quadratics, polynomials, angles, polygons, areas, volumes, exponentials, complex numbers, and trigonometry
SAT Essay (Optional)
• Writing an effective essay that analyzes and critiques a given argumentative passage
2 WHAT IS THE FORMAT OF THE SAT?
The SAT is a 3-hour test (3 hours 50 minutes with Essay) consisting of four mandatory sections and an optional Essay. It consists of four or five sections: Reading, Writing and Language, Math without calculator, Math with calculator, and an optional Essay.
3 HOW IS THE SAT SCORED?
The SAT composite score (400–1600) is the sum of the Reading and Writing score (200–800) and the Math score (200–800). The Essay is scored on a scale of 6–24 broken down into three sub-scores: reading (2-8), analysis (2–8), and writing (2–8). In addition, the College Board provides 14 additional “Insight Scores” as shown in the table that follows.
4 WHAT WILL COLLEGES DO WITH MY SAT SCORES?
Your SAT scores show colleges your readiness to do college-level work. Students with high SAT scores are more likely to succeed with college-level math, writing, and reading assignments. SAT scores correlate strongly with post-college success, particularly in professions like medicine, law, the humanities, the sciences, and engineering. Students with high SAT scores are more likely to graduate from college and to have successful careers after college.
But let’s face it: one reason colleges want you to send them SAT scores is that high scores make them look good. The higher the average SAT score of their applicants, the better their rankings and prestige. This is why most colleges cherry-pick your top subscores if you submit multiple SAT results. (It’s also why some colleges have adopted “SAT-optional” policies: only the high-scoring students are likely to submit them, and so the college’s average scores automatically increase, thereby improving its national rankings.) In addition to your SAT scores, most colleges are interested in your grades, your curriculum, your recommendations, your leadership skills, your extracurricular activities, and your essay. But standardized test scores are becoming more important as colleges become more selective. High SAT scores provide you with an admission advantage, even if the college does not require them. Some large or specialized schools will weigh test scores heavily. If you have any questions about how heavily a certain college weighs your SAT scores, call the admissions office and ask.
The majority of colleges “superscore” your SAT, which means that they cherry-pick your top SAT Reading and Writing score and your top SAT Math score from all of the SATs you submit. So, for instance, if you submit your March SAT scores of 520R 610M (1130 composite) and your June SAT scores of 550R 580M (1130 composite), the college will consider your SAT score to be 550R 610M (1160 composite). Nice of them, huh?
5 WHAT CONTROL DO I HAVE OVER MY SAT SCORES?
No college will see any of your SAT or Subject Test scores until you choose to release them to that particular school. Most colleges also allow you to use Score Choice to select which particular SAT and SAT Subject Test scores are submitted to the colleges among all that you’ve taken. Some colleges, however, may request that you submit all scores of all SATs you’ve taken. Typically, colleges do this to give you the maximum possible SAT “superscore.”
So don’t worry about taking the SAT two or three times, if you need to. In fact, most colleges encourage students to take multiple tests, since one data point isn’t as trustworthy as multiple data points. But don’t go overboard. If you take it more than four times, a college might think you’re test-obsessed.
6 HOW SHOULD I PREPARE FOR THE SAT?
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
—Arthur Ashe
Step 1: Make a testing schedule
First, decide when you will take your first SAT. Sit down with your guidance counselor early in your junior year and work out a full testing schedule for the year, taking into account the SAT, SAT Subject Tests, AP tests, and possibly the ACT. Once you have decided on your schedule, commit yourself to beginning your SAT preparation at least 3 months prior to your first SAT. Commit to setting aside 30–40 minutes per night for review work and practice, and to taking at least two or three full-scale practice tests on the weekends.
Step 2: Take a diagnostic SAT or two
When you’re ready to begin your SAT preparation (ideally 3 months before your SAT), you’ll first need to assess your readiness. Chapter 2 contains a full-scale practice SAT. It requires 3 hours (or 3 hours and 50 minutes if you include the essay). Take it on a Saturday morning, if possible, at roughly the time you will start the real SAT (around 8:00 a.m.), and make sure that you have a quiet place, a stopwatch, a calculator, and a few #2 pencils. This will give you a solid idea of what the experience of taking the new SAT is like.
Step 3: Use the lessons in this book
The detailed answer keys after each practice test will give you plenty of feedback about the topics that you may need to review in order to prepare for your SAT. If you set aside about 30 minutes per night to work through the chapters, review the lessons, and complete the exercises in this book, you can make substantial progress and see big SAT score improvements in just a few weeks. But to get the full benefit of this book, you should start at least three months before your SAT.
Step 4: Take practice tests regularly and diagnose your performance
Practice is the key to success. This book includes several “heavyweight” practice SATs in Chapter 11 (that is, tests that are slightly harder than the real SAT). Use them. Take one every week or two to assess your progress as you work through the specific skills review in Chapters 3–10.
Step 5: Register at the College Board and Khan Academy and take advantage of their online materials
The College Board and Khan Academy provide free online SAT practice materials, such as 8 full-scale practice SATs that can be scored automatically with a handy smartphone app, and a “10 SAT Questions Per Day” service that sends you a daily e-mail with a link to online practice to keep your skills sharp.
Register on Khan Academy as an SAT student to take advantage of these free review materials, and check in regularly for new updates and additions.
Step 6: Read often and deeply
Engaging big ideas and honing your analytical reading skills are keys to success in college and on the SAT. Make a point of working your way though these books and checking these periodicals regularly.
Online/Periodical
The New York Times (Op-Ed, Science Times, Front Page)
BBC News (Views, Analysis, Background)
The Atlantic (Feature Articles)
Slate (Voices, Innovation)
Scientific American (Feature Articles)
The Economist (Debate, Science & Technology)
TED Talks (Innovation, Culture, Politics, Inspiration)
The New Yorker (Talk of the Town, Feature Articles)
ProPublica (Feature Articles)
Edge (Essays)
Radiolab (Weekly Podcast)
Books
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
Macbeth, William Shakespeare
Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
The Color Purple, Alice Walker
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
Walden, Henry David Thoreau
The American Language, H. L. Mencken
Notes of a Native Son, James Baldwin
The Stranger, Albert Camus
Night, Elie Wiesel
Animal Farm, George Orwell
Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe
The Language Instinct, Steven Pinker
The Mismeasure of Man, Stephen J. Gould
The Republic, Plato
A People’s History of the United States, Howard Zinn
Guns, Germs, and Steel, Jared Diamond
A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson
Step 7: Take strong math courses
Challenge yourself with strong math courses that introduce you to the ideas, skills, and methods or advanced mathematics, such as trigonometry, analysis of polynomials, statistical reasoning, plane geometry, and even complex numbers. These advanced topics have become a greater focus for both the SAT and ACT.
Step 8: Take strong writing courses
Take courses from teachers who emphasize strong writing skills, particularly by giving challenging writing assignments and providing timely and detailed feedback. Reading and writing skills are at the core of both the SAT and the ACT, so working with strong reading and writing teachers is invaluable.
7 HOW CAN I GET THE MOST OUT OF MY SAT STUDY SESSIONS?
1. Create a schedule, a study log, and a place to study. Stick to a firm schedule of 30–40 minutes a day for SAT preparation. Write it down in your daily planner and commit to it like you would to a daily class. Also, keep a log of notes for each study session, including key strategies, important formulas, vocabulary words, and advice for your next test. Then make an effective study space: a well-lit desk with a straight-back chair, plenty of pencils, a timer for practice tests, flashcards, your study log, and even a stash of brain-healthy snacks.
2. Eliminate distractions. Turn off all alerts on your phone and laptop, and tell everyone in the house that this is your study time. Make sure everyone is in on the plan. Even kick the dog out of the room.
3. Stick to focused 30- to 40-minute sessions. Set a very clear agenda for each study session, such as “Master six new roots and complete the first half of Algebra Practice 4 in Chapter 7” or “Read and annotate one complete New York Times Op-Ed and read Lesson 2 in Chapter 9.” Then find your study spot, shut out all distractions, and set to work. Try not to go beyond 40 minutes for each session: stay focused and engaged, and keep it brisk.
4. Do 30-second checks. Once you’ve completed your session, take out your study log. Give yourself 30 seconds to write down the most important idea(s) that helped you through that study session. Reread your notes just before you begin your next session.
5. Learn it like you have to teach it. Now step away from your log and imagine you have to run into a class of eighth graders and teach them what you just learned. How would you communicate these ideas clearly? What examples would you use to illustrate them? What tough questions might the students ask, and how would you answer them? How can you explain the concepts and strategies in different ways? How can you help the students manage potential difficulties they might have in a testing environment?
6. Sleep on it. A good night’s sleep is essential to a good study program. You need at least eight hours of sleep per night. To make your sleep as effective as possible, try to fall asleep while thinking about a challenging problem or strategy you’re trying to perfect. As you sleep, your brain will continue to work on the problem by a process called consolidation. When you awake, you’ll have a better grasp on the problem or skill whether you realize it or not.
7. Make creative mnemonics. Whenever you’re challenged by a tough vocabulary word, grammar rule, or mathematical concept, try to visualize the new idea or word as a crazy, colorful picture or story. The memory tricks are called mnemonics, and the best ones use patterns, rhymes, or vivid and bizarre visual images. For instance, if you struggle to remember what a “polemic” is, just turn the word into a picture based on its sound, for instance a “pole” with a “mike” (microphone) on the end of it. Then incorporate the meaning into the picture. Since a polemic is a “strong verbal attack, usually regarding a political or philosophical issue,” picture someone having a vehement political argument with someone else and hitting him over the head with the “pole-mike.” The crazier the picture, the better. Also, feel free to scribble notes as you study, complete with helpful drawings. Write silly songs, create acronyms—be creative.
8. Consider different angles. Remember that many math problems can be solved in different ways: algebraically, geometrically, with tables, through guess-and-check, by testing the choices, etc. Try to find elegant, simple solutions. If you struggled with a problem, even if you got it right, come back to it later and try to find the more elegant solution. Also, consider experimenting with pre-test rituals until you find one that helps you the most.
9. Maintain constructive inner dialogue. Constantly ask yourself, What do I need to do to get better? Do I need to focus more on my relaxation exercises? Should I try to improve my reading speed? Should I ask different questions as I read? Should I refresh myself on my trigonometry? Having a clear set of positive goals that you reinforce with inner dialogue helps you to succeed. Banish the negative self-talk. Don’t sabotage your work by saying, “This is impossible,” or “I stink at this.”
10. Make a plan to work through the struggles. Before you take each practice test, have a clear agenda. Remind yourself of the key ideas and strategies for the week. But remember that there will always be challenges. Just meet them head on and don’t let them get you down.
8 WHEN SHOULD I TAKE THE SATS AND SUBJECT TESTS?
Most competitive colleges require either SAT or ACT scores from all of their applicants, although some schools allow you to choose whether or not to submit standardized test scores with your application. Many competitive colleges also require two or three Subject Test scores. The Subject Tests are hour-long tests in specific subjects like mathematics, physics, chemistry, foreign languages, U.S. history, world history, and literature.
If you want to be able to apply to any competitive college in the country, plan to take the SAT at least twice, as well as two to four SAT Subject Tests, by the end of spring semester of junior year, and retake any of those tests, if necessary, in the fall of your senior year. This way, you will have a full testing profile by the end of your junior year, and you’ll have a much clearer picture of where you stand before you start your college applications. Also, if you plan well, you will have some choices about which scores to submit.
Even if your favorite colleges don’t require standardized tests, you may be able to submit them anyway to boost your application. The Subject Tests, specifically, can provide a strong counterbalance to any weaknesses in your grades.
Take your Subject Test when the subject material is fresh in your mind. For most students, this is in June, just as you are preparing to take your final exams. However, if you are taking AP exams in May, you might prefer to take the SAT Subject Tests in May, also. Learn which SAT Subject Tests your colleges require, and try to complete them by June of your junior year. You can take up to three SAT Subject Tests on any test date.
9 WHAT SHOULD I DO THE WEEK BEFORE MY SAT?
1. Get plenty of sleep. Don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. During sleep, not only do you restore balance and energy to your body, but you also consolidate what you’ve learned that day, and even become more efficient at tasks you’ve been practicing.
2. Eat healthy. Don’t skip meals because you’re studying. Eat regular, well-balanced meals.
3. Exercise. Stick to your regular exercise program the weeks before the SAT. A strong body helps make a strong mind.
4. Visualize success. In the days before your SAT, envision yourself in the test room, relaxed and confident, working through even the toughest parts of the test without stress or panic.
5. Don’t cram, but stay sharp. In the days before the SAT, resist the urge to cram. Your best results will come if you focus on getting plenty of sleep and staying positive and relaxed. If you’re feeling anxious, take out your flashcards for a few minutes at a time, or review your old tests just to remind yourself of basic strategies, but don’t cram.
6. Keep perspective. Remember that you can take the SAT multiple times, and that colleges will almost certainly “superscore” the results, so don’t get down about any single set of test results. Also, keep in mind that colleges don’t base their acceptance decisions on SAT scores alone.
7. Lay everything out. The night before your SAT, lay out your admission ticket, your photo ID, your #2 pencils, your calculator (with fresh batteries), your snack, and directions to the test site (if necessary). Having these all ready will let you sleep better.