How to do good on the SAT?
How do you do good on the SAT? Achieving a high score on the SAT is one of the most important steps that must be taken in the admissions process. In addition, there are a lot of simple ways to maximize your potential, such as concentrating your test preparation on the aspects of the material that you have the most trouble with.
Then, on the day of the test, give yourself the best possible start by making sure that you are well rested and fed. Use test-taking strategies to assist you in effectively managing the time allotted to you and advancing through the test in a manner that makes the most of your abilities.
But just because your grades aren’t where you’d ideally like them to be doesn’t mean you have to throw in the towel on your hopes and ambitions.
- Give your attention to the topics in which you have the most trouble. Once you have determined the kinds of questions that result in lower scores for you, you should concentrate your time and effort on improving your performance in these particular areas.
You should go out and purchase a test preparation book or borrow one from the library, and then you should spend 20 minutes each night working through questions that are identical to the ones you got wrong.
- Set small goals. It’s possible that you’ve got a particular score in mind that you want to reach some point. However, you should figure out some immediate actions that are both manageable and attainable right at this moment.
Aim to get 15 of the 20 questions correct each night if you are doing 20 questions total. After you have accomplished that, your next goal should be to get 17 of them correct.
Focus on mastering prefixes and suffixes rather than trying to memorize every word in the book’s vocabulary rather than trying to memorize every word in the book’s vocabulary. These will be helpful in how to do good on the SAT and in the future for understanding a greater variety of vocabulary words.
If you find that the essay portion is difficult for you, try setting a timer and challenging yourself to write an outline in less than five minutes.
- If you are able to do so, enroll in a class that will help you prepare for the examination. You should enroll in a test-prep class if you find that studying on your own is difficult for you. Talk to your school’s guidance counselor about the various classes your institution has to offer.
You should sign up for a service such as the Princeton Review if your family has the financial means to do so. Make contact with a company that specializes in test preparation and inquire about the availability of private tutors.
- If you are working with a limited budget, consider organizing a study group. The cost of test preparation classes may be out of reach for many households. If money is tight for you, get together with some classmates or friends and start an after-school study group that gets together once or twice a week.
You can either use a test-prep book as a guide or ask one of your instructors if they would be willing to lead some of the sessions.
People enrolled in test preparation courses might also find benefits in participating in study groups.
- Commit to memory the instructions for the overall test. It is imperative that test takers adhere to the instructions that are printed at the beginning of the SAT; however, reading them all may take quite some time. Since they are consistent from test to test, you should commit them to memory as part of your exam preparation.
Be aware of the requirements for filling out your answer sheet (such as using a #2 pencil, filling in the bubbles neatly, etc.). This will help you complete the task successfully.
This will save you time on the day of the test and may buy you a couple of extra minutes to answer questions.
- Give yourself some mock exams. Because the structure of the SAT remains unchanged from year to year, the best way to prepare for it is to simply practice taking the entire exam. this is a great way on how to do good on the SAT. Try to simulate the atmosphere of the test by locking yourself in a room that is completely silent and asking your family not to bother you.
Prepare for the practice test found in the back of your test-prep book by setting a timer, turning off your phone, and remaining silent.
You can find additional practice tests online, though it is possible that you will have to pay in order to access them.
If you don’t think you’ll be able to keep your attention on the task at hand for the entirety of the allotted time, you should ask one of your parents to act as the test moderator and sit in the room quietly while you work.
How to do good on the SAT without studying?
How do you do good on the SAT without studying? The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and the American College Testing Program (ACT) are examples of high-stakes exams that students are expected to take as part of the process of applying to colleges.
Some students are under the impression that they can get good grades even if they don’t study if they are smart enough. But having that frame of mind can have extremely negative consequences.
Is It Possible to Get a Good Score on the SAT Without Putting in Much Effort?
Both the ACT and the SAT are extremely important exams that you will need to take at some point in your life. Students might decide not to prepare for these exams because they have the mentality that they are the same as any other type of standardized test.
Students who do not study for the SAT or ACT almost never end up with high scores on these standardized tests. On the other hand, for the vast majority of high school students, this scenario is extremely improbable. As a result of the fact that your SAT and ACT scores are used to determine whether or not you will be admitted to college, it is in your best interest to put in the additional work necessary to become well-prepared for either of these rigorous examinations.
The ACT and SAT are examples of standardized tests, and the reality is that taking either one is an investment. They do not pay interest in the traditional sense; however, they do pay money for the student’s college education (and admission).
There is a correlation between a student’s SAT or ACT score and the amount of scholarship money that is available at each individual college. Since 2011, colleges have been required to include on their websites a ‘net cost calculator.’ Additionally, you can access one of these calculators through the website of the College Board.
You can use this tool to enter your SAT or ACT scores, and it will generate an estimate of the amount of scholarship funding for which you may be eligible. Are you willing to put in the effort necessary to raise your SAT score by one hundred points? These considerations might help you save thousands of dollars on your college expenses.
Although there is a small percentage of students who are able to score well on these examinations without having studied, this is not the case for the vast majority of the students who enter my classroom each and every year. Students who are willing to put in the effort to truly study and prepare for standardized exams like the ACT and SAT will be rewarded with a wider variety of college options as well as the opportunity to receive financial aid to cover the costs of those options.
Think about it this way: even if you think you can score well enough without studying, if you could save a few thousand dollars a year by preparing for a few hours, would you do it? Even if you think you can score well enough without studying, think about it this way.
How to do good in the SAT Math section?
How to do good in the SAT math section? The Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, Passport to Advanced Math, and Additional Topics in Math are the four subtests that make up the SAT Math Test.
It is important to keep in mind that the SAT’s third and fourth sections are the math sections.
You will NOT be permitted to use your calculator at any time during the first 25 minutes of the SAT Math section. You are permitted to use your calculator whenever you like during the subsequent 55-minute SAT Math section.
Are you prepared to begin your preparation for the SAT? The following is a list of advice that will help you handle the SAT Math test like a pro.
Take some kind of mock exam
An excellent strategy for how to do good on the SAT is to take a sample exam that comes with a sheet of answers. Keep track of the time. After that, evaluate your performance on the test and spend additional time studying the areas in which you struggled. Using this information, you can construct a more efficient study plan.
Memorize formulas and math facts
Study each of the concepts that will be tested in the SAT Math section, as well as the associated formulas and facts. If you are able to memorize them well, you will increase your chances of seeing a solution.
If you see “parallel lines” on the XY coordinate plane, for instance, you should keep in mind that “no solution” and “the same slope” are common answers for questions of this nature. If you are able to quickly recognize potential solutions, you will be able to move through the section more accurately and effectively.
Practice and review
Get yourself familiar with the different types of SAT Math questions. Putting this into practice is going to be the most effective method. If you get a question wrong as you’re improving your score, don’t fret. Look back over the explanation to see what you might have missed, and then try solving the problem again using what you now know.
Apply various strategies
If you are unable to solve a question on the SAT Math test by using math that you are already familiar with, try to see if you can solve it by using strategies such as picking numbers or backsolving. Picking numbers is a tactic that transforms algebra into basic mathematics by substituting variables in a question with numbers that satisfy the requirements posed in the question.
When backsolving, you take each of the possible responses and plug them back into the original question to determine which one is correct. When you find yourself in a bind, you can turn to these strategies for assistance, which will often save you time. On the day of the test, this will assist you in earning a few additional points.
Learn to perform basic calculations
One section of the SAT does not allow the use of calculators. Acquire the self-assurance necessary to perform simple arithmetic operations without the aid of a calculator, such as multiplying, dividing, and drawing the graph of a line.
Eliminate errors caused by carelessness
To achieve a high score on the SAT (or any other standardized test), you need to reduce the number of careless mistakes you make. Because you are being timed, there is a greater chance that you will make mistakes. Be aware of the timing, but make an effort not to let it stress you out.
Practice will help you improve your speed.
You have to complete the entire exam if you want to have a chance at getting a good score. It is highly recommended that you save some time for the later part of the section, as this is where you will most likely find the questions that are the most challenging.
Make sure that you practice under timed conditions while you’re getting ready for the math portions of the SAT (about a minute to a minute and a half per question). In preparation for the exam, this will assist you in becoming as effective as you possibly can.
How to do good in the SAT reading section?
How to do good in the SAT reading section? Your score on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing portion of the SAT is determined in large part by how well you perform on the SAT Reading Test. (The Reading and Writing Test accounts for the other half of your score.)
This weakness highlights the significance of the reading test, but it is not an insurmountable obstacle. You won’t need to commit any formulas or comma rules to memory; rather, you’ll need to be familiar with how to approach each reading passage.
Studying these fundamental reading strategies will help you achieve a high reading score and ultimately how to do good on the SAT.
Be aware of what can be expected
You will have sixty-five minutes to read five passages (taken from literature, history, social studies, and the natural sciences) and respond to a total of fifty-two questions about the material. Finding the main idea of a whole passage, comparing two passages, or even pinpointing information on a graph are just some of the things that the questions will ask you to do.
Other tasks include determining the meaning of words based on the context in which they are used, deciding why an author included a particular detail, and so on.
You get to choose the order
The questions based on the reading selection are not presented in descending order of difficulty; rather, they are arranged in chronological order. Do not be afraid to pass over a question that is too difficult for you, and do not worry if you are unable to answer every question. Find out more about the different SAT strategies for approaching questions in random order.
Read what is relevant to you
It is not necessary for you to waste time reading each and every word of the passage and attempting to become an authority on the subject matter of the passage. You are able to read the passage as it is presented to you right now.
Therefore, move back and forth between the passage and the questions, concentrating only on the information that is necessary rather than getting bogged down in the myriad of minute particulars.
Put your thoughts on display and step outside
In an English class, you will frequently be asked to provide your own opinion on a topic while citing evidence from the text. Not the case with the SAT. When you see a question that contains the word infer, imply, or suggest, you should exercise extreme caution.
Even though the answer might not be stated explicitly in the text, there will still be a lot of evidence to back up the one that is right.
Take each of the two forks in the road in turn
Your science or history/social studies reading assignment will include at least one set of dual passages, which will consist of two shorter texts about the same topic. Questions pertaining to the first passage should be completed first, questions pertaining to the second passage should be completed second, and questions pertaining to both passages should be completed last.
When you are determining which option is correct, this will save you time and prevent you from confusing the two passages that are provided.
Save main idea questions for last
In a good number of the Reading passages, the very first question will be an overarching inquiry concerning the most important point or purpose of the passage, the narrative point of view, or a change that takes place while reading the passage.
Because you have not yet finished reading the passage in its entirety, it is not a good idea to start with those more general questions. After you have finished the majority of the other questions, you will have a very good idea of the overarching themes that are discussed throughout the text.
How to do good in the SAT writing section?
How to do good in the SAT writing section? The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is an exam that is used by millions of students each year as a determining factor in the college admissions process.
Standardized test scores are still used as a deciding factor by many highly selective colleges and universities, despite the fact that the weight given to these scores varies from institution to institution.
Even though this will make the tests themselves more difficult, it is likely to be good news for students who put in a lot of effort. This is due to the fact that improving your score on the SAT is not only possible but there are also specific ways to achieve your goals on standardized tests. In point of fact, it is possible to achieve significant improvements in test scores; this is particularly true for students who begin with lower scores.
In this post, we will discuss the top five strategies that we believe will help you achieve a higher score on the writing portion of the SAT.
1. Familiarize yourself with the writing portion of the SAT and the skills that are evaluated there.
In order for you to concentrate on raising your score on the writing portion of the SAT, you will first need to gain an understanding of the criteria that are evaluated during this section of the exam.
In the Writing and Language portion of the SAT, your skills will be evaluated based on how well you perform in five essential domains, as stated by the College Board. These are the following:
Evidence in command of you
In this section, you are tasked with enhancing the ways in which information is developed and ideas are conveyed through passages. You could strengthen an argument or provide more clarity about supporting details.
Words considering their environment
These questions are designed to test your vocabulary while challenging you to improve your word choice in accordance with the tone or style of a passage. You could also select words that are clearer or shorter to express what you mean.
Evaluation in the subjects of history and Social Studies, as well as Science
You will be required to “read passages about topics in history, social studies, and science with a critical eye and make editorial decisions that improve them.” These types of questions will be included.
A conveyance of thoughts
Questions that assess your abilities in this domain typically center on the organization of written ideas, structural changes to passages, and the manner in which the structure of a passage contributes to the impact it has.
Conventions typical of the English language
In this section, you will review fundamental grammatical concepts such as sentence structure, punctuation, and conventions.
If you are able to master the material discussed above, your score on this section of the SAT will undoubtedly improve.
2. Become an Expert in the Format
The structure of the Writing and Language portion of the SAT can be difficult to understand for some students. This is due to the fact that the test does not appear to flow very well visually. Instead, the passages will be on the left side of the booklet, and the questions will be on the right side of the booklet. This requires a significant amount of time spent switching focus between the passage and the question at hand.
If you take as many practice exams as you possibly can, you will easily be able to clear up any confusion that this may have caused. You will eventually become accustomed to the chronological questions, and you will soon realize that in order to answer many questions, you do not even need to read the entire passage.
In point of fact, you typically need to read no more than a single sentence in order to provide an accurate response to a particular question, particularly if the question concerns grammatical concepts. This is especially true when the question is related to punctuation.
3. Commit Yourself to Improve Your Grammar
When it comes to grammar, one of the most straightforward ways to improve your score is to become proficient in the fundamentals of grammar. Generally speaking, these are rules that are not overly complicated and can be learned in a reasonable amount of time.
The following is a list of the most important aspects of grammar to focus on when preparing for this section of the SAT:
- Punctuation
- Sentence Structure
- Conventional Expression
- Subject-Verb Agreement
- Possessives
Even though there are a great number of other grammar rules that are frequently tested on the SAT, the questions that evaluate your grammar knowledge will typically center on these fundamental rules. In point of fact, questions on the Writing and Language SAT testing these skills account for close to 80 percent of the total number of questions testing grammatical accuracy.
4. Make efficient use of your time.
Knowing how quickly to move along in the Writing and Language section of the SAT is a part of being able to master that section. The timing of events is critical.
You will have a total of 25 minutes to complete this section of the exam, during which you will be asked to read four passages and respond to a total of 44 multiple-choice questions. You should aim to finish each passage and its questions with a few minutes left over so that you can review the work you have done.
Each of the passages contains between 400 and 450 words, and you should aim to finish each passage.
In order to accomplish this, you should devote eight minutes to reading each passage, giving yourself an additional three minutes at the end for review. Check the time after the second set of readings. If you are maintaining the same pace that you have been, you should have about 20 minutes left.
While you are reading, you should be answering questions so that you can keep track of the time. It is simple to answer each question as you come across it in the text due to the fact that the questions and the corresponding passages are organized side by side. In this particular scenario, wasting time by reading the passage first and then coming back to answer questions is not an option.
Also, don’t spend too much time thinking about questions that you can’t quickly answer. You have significantly less time to respond to each question than one minute, and even less time if you read significant portions of the passages. If you are unable to answer a question, you should hazard an educated guess before moving on to the next one.
5. Recognize and Learn from Your Errors
You should definitely take some practice exams, but you won’t get the most out of them if you don’t analyze where you went wrong first. After finishing each practice test, you should go back through your errors and classify them.
Were you short on time? Do you tend to make the same mistakes over and over again in the same content areas? Are you making mistakes because you’re being careless?
Learning from your past errors will make it easier for you to steer clear of similar situations in the future. Never leave a practice test without first understanding the types of errors you committed and the steps you can take to improve in those areas.
The preparation for the SAT is not an easy task, but the good news is that most students are given more than one opportunity to take the exam itself. Make use of the aforementioned advice to enhance your performance on how to do good on the SAT and will ensure that you earn the maximum number of points possible in the different but extremely important subject areas.
The SAT is an indispensable part of the college admissions process. If you want to nail your Ivy League application, it’s a wise choice to seek professional support for standardized tests. AdmissionSight is a college entrance expert with over a decade of experience helping students prepare for the SAT. Feel free to set up an appointment with AdmissionSight today to book your initial consultation.