SAT Questions

I have taken the GRE exam twice, and I am about to start applying to graduate schools. The first time I took the exam I did extremely well on the quantitative portion, but no so great on verbal. When I took the exam again, I did very well on verbal, but my math score was [...]

Reporting GRE scores to Graduate schools question? is a post from: The GRE com

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I just graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences degree from a Florida university. I also completed an Honors Thesis and graduated from the Honors College. I am interested in pursuing a graduate degree in Chemistry. For now, I want to be admitted to a Masters in Chemistry program, and from there, I [...]

Which Chemistry programs can I get into with my GRE scores? is a post from: The GRE com

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I am currently getting all my prerequisites ready to go to graduate school like taking a few prerequisite courses I have not taken yet, volunteering at a clinic, and somewhat getting ready for the GRE. I am horrible at taking exams and wondering if I will still have a chance in getting into graduate school [...]

If your GRE scores are low it there still a chance to get into an OT graduate program? is a post from: The GRE com

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I scored a 930 total: 380V, 550Q, and 5.0AW
I will have 2 years of research experience in a clinical oriented laboratory, 1 year of research experience in a social oriented laboratory, and I should be helping with research in a third laboratory this fall. My undergraduate GPA was 3.7; I’m also taking a few more [...]

Are my GRE scores adequate enough to get into a M.A. Psychology program? is a post from: The GRE com

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I am taking the computer-based exam and know that you can view your scores immediately after you’ve finished the exam. However, do you have to choose to send your scores before you see how you did?
For the general GRE, do you decide if you want to send your scores to schools before or after [...]

For the general GRE, do you decide if you want to send your scores to schools before or after the exam? is a post from: The GRE com

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GRE: Verbal: 530, Quantitative: 530, Analytic: 4.0
GPA: 3.13 overall, 3.55 in my major (Political Science)
Graduated from a school ranked 24 in my major – University of Iowa
Letters of Rec coming from Associate Provost for faculty and prior prof. advisor – U of I, Coordinator for the Eagleton Rutgers Polling Institute and prior Professor and [...]

Will I get into grad school with these GRE / GPA scores? is a post from: The GRE com

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by teacherhax

SAT and ACT Test Scores Are Important Criteria For College Admissions and Scholarships

Students will be taking the most important tests in their high school career sometime in the next few months. SAT and ACT scores are among the top three criteria for college admissions at the majority of schools. When students do well on these tests, it can greatly improve their college opportunities and chances for scholarships. It is much easier to improve a student’s test scores than it is to improve their GPA. These tests are coachable and when students learn the necessary strategies and gain some invaluable practice, they can increase their scores.

With this in mind, wouldn’t it make sense for high school juniors to prepare for these tests before they take them for the first time? Too often students think that test prep is something that is not necessary. They feel they can do whatever test prep they need on their own. Most, however, do not take the time or have the discipline to do enough to make a difference. Recent studies show that earlier critics now agree that test prep works and can make a difference in a student’s performance. Even the College Board and ACT, publishers of the two tests, provide test prep materials for students to purchase. Test prep has become a big business, but you can help your student prepare for these tests by finding affordable and effective courses or tutoring.

Many parents listen to college representatives who tell them that they look at each college applicant in a “holistic manner” and that test scores are not a big deal. However, research shows that more than 70% of colleges and universities consider SAT and ACT test scores a significant factor in college admissions. Too many students are rejected from colleges because of low test scores. Many lose out on merit scholarships because their test scores are not high enough.

Students often find the SAT and ACT tests intimidating. They seem very unlike anything they have studied in school. In addition, the tests are timed and the race to finish each section can be very frustrating. Students need to become familiar with the tests and gain practice on the types of questions that are asked. They must learn to work within the allotted time frame and find out which questions they should tackle or skip depending upon the section and their strengths and weaknesses. Students need to practice, review, and practice some more to gain confidence in their test-taking abilities. They also need to find ways to cope with the stress that accompanies these tests and can adversely affect their test scores.

Parents should look into their test prep options early and decide which is best for their high school junior. There are good test prep courses and tutoring available in your community that are not expensive and do not require five or six hours a week of a student’s participation. A course should have no more than twelve students and the teacher should be an experienced test prep coach, not just someone who has scored well on the tests. Students should practice on real SAT and ACT tests, not samples that are developed by a test prep company. It doesn’t make sense to practice on anything but the real test.

The SAT and ACT need to be kept in perspective. Students do not need to be in a test prep course that takes time away from their high school classes and studying or other important activities they enjoy. Each student is more than a test score. However, by not giving your student the benefit of some good test prep, you could hurt his or her college opportunities or qualifying for merit scholarships that are based on test scores.

by teacherhax

SAT and ACT Test Scores Are Important Criteria For College Admissions and Scholarships

Students will be taking the most important tests in their high school career sometime in the next few months. SAT and ACT scores are among the top three criteria for college admissions at the majority of schools. When students do well on these tests, it can greatly improve their college opportunities and chances for scholarships. It is much easier to improve a student’s test scores than it is to improve their GPA. These tests are coachable and when students learn the necessary strategies and gain some invaluable practice, they can increase their scores.

With this in mind, wouldn’t it make sense for high school juniors to prepare for these tests before they take them for the first time? Too often students think that test prep is something that is not necessary. They feel they can do whatever test prep they need on their own. Most, however, do not take the time or have the discipline to do enough to make a difference. Recent studies show that earlier critics now agree that test prep works and can make a difference in a student’s performance. Even the College Board and ACT, publishers of the two tests, provide test prep materials for students to purchase. Test prep has become a big business, but you can help your student prepare for these tests by finding affordable and effective courses or tutoring.

Many parents listen to college representatives who tell them that they look at each college applicant in a “holistic manner” and that test scores are not a big deal. However, research shows that more than 70% of colleges and universities consider SAT and ACT test scores a significant factor in college admissions. Too many students are rejected from colleges because of low test scores. Many lose out on merit scholarships because their test scores are not high enough.

Students often find the SAT and ACT tests intimidating. They seem very unlike anything they have studied in school. In addition, the tests are timed and the race to finish each section can be very frustrating. Students need to become familiar with the tests and gain practice on the types of questions that are asked. They must learn to work within the allotted time frame and find out which questions they should tackle or skip depending upon the section and their strengths and weaknesses. Students need to practice, review, and practice some more to gain confidence in their test-taking abilities. They also need to find ways to cope with the stress that accompanies these tests and can adversely affect their test scores.

Parents should look into their test prep options early and decide which is best for their high school junior. There are good test prep courses and tutoring available in your community that are not expensive and do not require five or six hours a week of a student’s participation. A course should have no more than twelve students and the teacher should be an experienced test prep coach, not just someone who has scored well on the tests. Students should practice on real SAT and ACT tests, not samples that are developed by a test prep company. It doesn’t make sense to practice on anything but the real test.

The SAT and ACT need to be kept in perspective. Students do not need to be in a test prep course that takes time away from their high school classes and studying or other important activities they enjoy. Each student is more than a test score. However, by not giving your student the benefit of some good test prep, you could hurt his or her college opportunities or qualifying for merit scholarships that are based on test scores.

Problems 5-6 starting on page 408
Video Rating: 5 / 5

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by teacherhax

SAT and ACT Test Scores Are Important Criteria For College Admissions and Scholarships

Students will be taking the most important tests in their high school career sometime in the next few months. SAT and ACT scores are among the top three criteria for college admissions at the majority of schools. When students do well on these tests, it can greatly improve their college opportunities and chances for scholarships. It is much easier to improve a student’s test scores than it is to improve their GPA. These tests are coachable and when students learn the necessary strategies and gain some invaluable practice, they can increase their scores.

With this in mind, wouldn’t it make sense for high school juniors to prepare for these tests before they take them for the first time? Too often students think that test prep is something that is not necessary. They feel they can do whatever test prep they need on their own. Most, however, do not take the time or have the discipline to do enough to make a difference. Recent studies show that earlier critics now agree that test prep works and can make a difference in a student’s performance. Even the College Board and ACT, publishers of the two tests, provide test prep materials for students to purchase. Test prep has become a big business, but you can help your student prepare for these tests by finding affordable and effective courses or tutoring.

Many parents listen to college representatives who tell them that they look at each college applicant in a “holistic manner” and that test scores are not a big deal. However, research shows that more than 70% of colleges and universities consider SAT and ACT test scores a significant factor in college admissions. Too many students are rejected from colleges because of low test scores. Many lose out on merit scholarships because their test scores are not high enough.

Students often find the SAT and ACT tests intimidating. They seem very unlike anything they have studied in school. In addition, the tests are timed and the race to finish each section can be very frustrating. Students need to become familiar with the tests and gain practice on the types of questions that are asked. They must learn to work within the allotted time frame and find out which questions they should tackle or skip depending upon the section and their strengths and weaknesses. Students need to practice, review, and practice some more to gain confidence in their test-taking abilities. They also need to find ways to cope with the stress that accompanies these tests and can adversely affect their test scores.

Parents should look into their test prep options early and decide which is best for their high school junior. There are good test prep courses and tutoring available in your community that are not expensive and do not require five or six hours a week of a student’s participation. A course should have no more than twelve students and the teacher should be an experienced test prep coach, not just someone who has scored well on the tests. Students should practice on real SAT and ACT tests, not samples that are developed by a test prep company. It doesn’t make sense to practice on anything but the real test.

The SAT and ACT need to be kept in perspective. Students do not need to be in a test prep course that takes time away from their high school classes and studying or other important activities they enjoy. Each student is more than a test score. However, by not giving your student the benefit of some good test prep, you could hurt his or her college opportunities or qualifying for merit scholarships that are based on test scores.

by teacherhax

SAT and ACT Test Scores Are Important Criteria For College Admissions and Scholarships

Students will be taking the most important tests in their high school career sometime in the next few months. SAT and ACT scores are among the top three criteria for college admissions at the majority of schools. When students do well on these tests, it can greatly improve their college opportunities and chances for scholarships. It is much easier to improve a student’s test scores than it is to improve their GPA. These tests are coachable and when students learn the necessary strategies and gain some invaluable practice, they can increase their scores.

With this in mind, wouldn’t it make sense for high school juniors to prepare for these tests before they take them for the first time? Too often students think that test prep is something that is not necessary. They feel they can do whatever test prep they need on their own. Most, however, do not take the time or have the discipline to do enough to make a difference. Recent studies show that earlier critics now agree that test prep works and can make a difference in a student’s performance. Even the College Board and ACT, publishers of the two tests, provide test prep materials for students to purchase. Test prep has become a big business, but you can help your student prepare for these tests by finding affordable and effective courses or tutoring.

Many parents listen to college representatives who tell them that they look at each college applicant in a “holistic manner” and that test scores are not a big deal. However, research shows that more than 70% of colleges and universities consider SAT and ACT test scores a significant factor in college admissions. Too many students are rejected from colleges because of low test scores. Many lose out on merit scholarships because their test scores are not high enough.

Students often find the SAT and ACT tests intimidating. They seem very unlike anything they have studied in school. In addition, the tests are timed and the race to finish each section can be very frustrating. Students need to become familiar with the tests and gain practice on the types of questions that are asked. They must learn to work within the allotted time frame and find out which questions they should tackle or skip depending upon the section and their strengths and weaknesses. Students need to practice, review, and practice some more to gain confidence in their test-taking abilities. They also need to find ways to cope with the stress that accompanies these tests and can adversely affect their test scores.

Parents should look into their test prep options early and decide which is best for their high school junior. There are good test prep courses and tutoring available in your community that are not expensive and do not require five or six hours a week of a student’s participation. A course should have no more than twelve students and the teacher should be an experienced test prep coach, not just someone who has scored well on the tests. Students should practice on real SAT and ACT tests, not samples that are developed by a test prep company. It doesn’t make sense to practice on anything but the real test.

The SAT and ACT need to be kept in perspective. Students do not need to be in a test prep course that takes time away from their high school classes and studying or other important activities they enjoy. Each student is more than a test score. However, by not giving your student the benefit of some good test prep, you could hurt his or her college opportunities or qualifying for merit scholarships that are based on test scores.

#1 Gre Preparation Site :
My-GRE.com – The #1 site for people who want to succeed in their GRE exam.
Why fail if you can score the exam easily? When its so cheap to get professional help
Dont stay behind Visit My-GRE.com right now!
You need the other ‘intangible’ qualities & smart Studying Strategies to make it
work.
Go through this [...]

Which Graduate Schools admit students with modest GPA and not so good GRE scores? is a post from: The GRE com

The GRE com

#1 Gre Preparation Site :
My-GRE.com – The #1 site for people who want to succeed in their GRE exam.
Why fail if you can score the exam easily? When its so cheap to get professional help
Dont stay behind Visit My-GRE.com right now!
You need the other ‘intangible’ qualities & smart Studying Strategies to make it
work.
Go through this [...]

Chances of getting into PhD programs…GRE scores, gpa, etc…? is a post from: The GRE com

The GRE com

by MeltCupid

Tips for Improving your Standardized Test Scores

Standardized test taking can be a very stressful experience. Don’t freak out. Standardized test scores are important, but they are not the primary factor in deciding whether or not you get accepted by the college of your choice. If tests make you cringe, you can compensate for less-than-stellar test scores by having a solid GPA, volunteer work, well-rounded abilities and a heavy amount of extra-curricular activities.

Even though your standardized test scores aren’t the sole deciding factor in your application, you should still make every effort to ensure that your scores are up where they should be. Here are a few suggestions to help you improve your standardized test scores.

Take the PSAT. The PSAT is offered to juniors in high school during the month of October. The PSAT is just a Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test. It does not count toward your real SAT scores. The PSAT is optional, but you should really take it. It’s like a trial run that will familiarize you with the format and process of taking a standardized test. These tests take hours and have different sections, so you can practice your test taking stamina and see what subjects you score strongly in and what subjects you still need work on. Because it’s not the real thing, you’ll still have time to improve the areas that you need to work on, before you sit down and take the real test. There’s also a preliminary ACT test known as the pre-American College Test.

Consider getting a tutor, buying a study guide or enrolling in a test-taking course. The more you prepare for your standardized test, like the SAT or ACT (most colleges accept both), the less surprised you will be come test day, and the better you will be able to perform. These tests are marathons of scholastic output, and the more familiar you are with the format, the better you’ll be.

If you work well in a one-on-one environment, get a tutor before you take the test. If you learn better on your own, just buy a study book with sample tests and familiarize yourself with the format at your own pace. If you require a more structured approach, consider enrolling in a professional test taking course. These courses can be pretty expensive, but they can teach you valuable tricks and strategies that’ll give you noticeably better scores.

Get a good night’s rest before you take your test. Don’t show up late, don’t forget to eat a good meal and make sure you have a water bottle, some snacks, some headache medication and extra pencils handy. Practice controlling your stress. Try meditation, massage your temples or do whatever it takes to stay relaxed, calm and focused on the task at hand.

If you prepare properly, your standardized test taking experience will be a breeze. You will not be surprised or confused by particular sections or questions. If you invested your studying time accordingly, then you will not freak out. If you just have a crippling fear of multiple choice questions, that’s okay. Spend time developing your other application attributes (like grades, activities, an award winning personal essay, etc). Make every effort to improve your scores, and if your quantitative scores are not up to par, then overshadow them with your superior qualitative features.

Related Sat Scores Articles

The Sat Essay Formula: That Gets High Scores

Increase your SAT Essay score in only minutes a day with proven strategies that have already helped thousands of students. Many of the powerful techniques in this book are inspired by the research done at MIT on what high-scoring essays have in common. When you follow this model, you’re SAT Essay scores will rise.

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Price: $ 17.61

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The Sat Essay Formula: That Gets High Scores

Increase your SAT Essay score in only minutes a day with proven strategies that have already helped thousands of students. Many of the powerful techniques in this book are inspired by the research done at MIT on what high-scoring essays have in common. When you follow this model, you’re SAT Essay scores will rise.

Rating: (out of 15 reviews)

List Price: $ 24.95

Price: $ 17.61

Find More Sat Scores Products

#1 Gre Preparation Site :
My-GRE.com – The #1 site for people who want to succeed in their GRE exam.
Why fail if you can score the exam easily? When its so cheap to get professional help
Dont stay behind Visit My-GRE.com right now!
You need the other ‘intangible’ qualities & smart Studying Strategies to make it
work.
Go through this [...]

I gave my GRE computer based test on 16th oct an I have not yet received hard copy of scores? is a post from: The GRE com

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#1 Gre Preparation Site :
My-GRE.com – The #1 site for people who want to succeed in their GRE exam.
Why fail if you can score the exam easily? When its so cheap to get professional help
Dont stay behind Visit My-GRE.com right now!
You need the other ‘intangible’ qualities & smart Studying Strategies to make it
work.
Go through this [...]

What are the two GRE scores shown during test? is a post from: The GRE com

The GRE com

#1 Gre Preparation Site :
My-GRE.com – The #1 site for people who want to succeed in their GRE exam.
Why fail if you can score the exam easily? When its so cheap to get professional help
Dont stay behind Visit My-GRE.com right now!
You need the other ‘intangible’ qualities & smart Studying Strategies to make it
work.
Go through this [...]

GRE Scores and phd in art history? is a post from: The GRE com

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by Ken Lund

Sat Writing, Math & Critical Reading – How to Significantly Improve Your Scores

The SAT can be a daunting and nerve-racking test for high school students all over California. After all, it’s a huge part of the journey on the way to applying to colleges! That’s why we’ve put together a list of ways you can significantly improve your score. Just follow these tips and you’re on your way! (Remember: You will have 3 hours and 45 minutes to take the SAT. Students with learning disabilities will receive time and a half.)

The Writing Section:

1. The highest score that you can receive on the SAT is 2400 (800 for the writing, critical reading, and math sections). The essay counts for 30% of your writing score. You will have 25 minutes to write a well-developed essay, for which you will receive a score of 1-6.

2. Decide if you agree or disagree with the essay prompt and write your thesis. Then give yourself no more than 5 minutes to quickly outline your essay response! Your essay should consist of 4-5 paragraphs: an introduction, one paragraph each detailing two or three different examples that support your thesis, and a conclusion. Try to use one example from literature / history / current events and your own personal experience.

3. After briefly outlining your essay, give yourself about 5 minutes to write each of the two or three supporting paragraphs and another 4 minutes to write your conclusion. Use the remaining time to proofread. This may seem overwhelming now, but the more you practice taking the essay portion of the SAT while timing yourself, the easier it will become!

4. Review the types of multiple-choice questions on the writing section: approximately 18 identifying sentence errors, 25 improving sentences, and 6 improving paragraph questions. Two sections will take 25 minutes each and 1 section will take 10 minutes. There is generally an unknown experimental section (an additional math, writing, or critical reading section) on the SAT that will not count toward your score.

5. Common errors tested are: subject-verb agreement, faulty parallelism, incorrect tenses, inappropriately used adjectives and adverbs, wordiness, irregular verbs, and idioms (common phrases/expressions). Examples of idioms are “better late than never” or “forget about it.” An answer choice may say “better late than forever” or “forget over it,” and you must determine that this answer is incorrect.

6. Since you will receive 1 point for correct answers and lose ¼ of a point for each wrong answer, don’t randomly guess! Eliminate incorrect answer choices to help you determine the best answer choice.

The Math Section:

7. There are approximately 44 multiple-choice and ten grid-in questions that test your knowledge up to Algebra II. One section is 20 minutes, and two are 25 minutes each. Topics tested in the math sections are: numbers, operations, algebra, functions, geometry, measurement, data analysis, statistics, and probability.

8. Always answer grid-in questions. Although you will lose ¼ of a point for each incorrect multiple-choice question, you will not lose any points for incorrect grid-in answers.

9. Make diagrams when tackling word problems; they’re especially useful for answering geometry, probability, and some algebra questions.

10. Become comfortable using your calculator before the test day. Also, the reference information at the beginning of each math section, including formulas, will help you answer many questions.

11. Underline exactly what the question is asking. For example, the question may ask you to find 2x – 4. Although the value for x may be listed in the answer choices, the question specifically asks you to find 2x – 4.

12. Try plugging in numbers for variables. For example, if the question asks for the solution of |b – 1| < 4 such that b is an integer, you can plug in different values for b.

The Critical Reading Section:

13. The critical reading section contains 2 sections that are 25 minutes long and 1 that is 20 minutes long (about 19 sentence completion questions and about 48 passage-based questions). Sentence completion questions are listed in order of difficulty: the first few questions are easier than the next few, which are easier than the last.

14. If you are unsure of the meaning of a word in the sentence completion section, you can usually tell if the word has a negative or positive connotation. Therefore, read the sentence first and determine if the blank(s) should contain words that have either positive or negative connotations. Clue words that indicate that the blanks will have opposite connotations are “despite,” “but,” “yet,” “rather,” “although,” and “however.” Clue words that indicate that they have similar connotations are “and,” “since,” “therefore,” and “because.”

15. If you know that the blanks must contain words that are similar in connotation, then immediately eliminate an answer choice like “cynical and joyful.” You can also plug in words that you would choose yourself to complete the sentence, and then pick an answer choice that is similar. Reread the sentence with your answer choice(s).

16. For the passage-based reading, read the italics before the passage, underline important key words in each line as you read, and then read the first and last line of each paragraph to get the main idea of the passage.

17. Answer line reference questions before more general questions on the passage’s tone and main idea. This way by the time you answer the more general questions, you will understand the focus of the passage. Remember: Any answer you choose must be directly supported in the passage, for example, with a quote from the passage.

Before that big day, determine what areas of the test are the most difficult for you, and improve the skills needed to do well on those sections. Practice test-taking strategies for the SAT, but also improve your ability to quickly write essays, identify grammar rules, determine appropriate vocabulary words, analyze a passage, and answer complex Algebra and Geometry questions. Apply these principles and you can dramatically improve your SAT score!

Related Sat Scores Articles

by ericskiff

Sat Writing, Math & Critical Reading – How to Significantly Improve Your Scores

The SAT can be a daunting and nerve-racking test for high school students all over California. After all, it’s a huge part of the journey on the way to applying to colleges! That’s why we’ve put together a list of ways you can significantly improve your score. Just follow these tips and you’re on your way! (Remember: You will have 3 hours and 45 minutes to take the SAT. Students with learning disabilities will receive time and a half.)

The Writing Section:

1. The highest score that you can receive on the SAT is 2400 (800 for the writing, critical reading, and math sections). The essay counts for 30% of your writing score. You will have 25 minutes to write a well-developed essay, for which you will receive a score of 1-6.

2. Decide if you agree or disagree with the essay prompt and write your thesis. Then give yourself no more than 5 minutes to quickly outline your essay response! Your essay should consist of 4-5 paragraphs: an introduction, one paragraph each detailing two or three different examples that support your thesis, and a conclusion. Try to use one example from literature / history / current events and your own personal experience.

3. After briefly outlining your essay, give yourself about 5 minutes to write each of the two or three supporting paragraphs and another 4 minutes to write your conclusion. Use the remaining time to proofread. This may seem overwhelming now, but the more you practice taking the essay portion of the SAT while timing yourself, the easier it will become!

4. Review the types of multiple-choice questions on the writing section: approximately 18 identifying sentence errors, 25 improving sentences, and 6 improving paragraph questions. Two sections will take 25 minutes each and 1 section will take 10 minutes. There is generally an unknown experimental section (an additional math, writing, or critical reading section) on the SAT that will not count toward your score.

5. Common errors tested are: subject-verb agreement, faulty parallelism, incorrect tenses, inappropriately used adjectives and adverbs, wordiness, irregular verbs, and idioms (common phrases/expressions). Examples of idioms are “better late than never” or “forget about it.” An answer choice may say “better late than forever” or “forget over it,” and you must determine that this answer is incorrect.

6. Since you will receive 1 point for correct answers and lose ¼ of a point for each wrong answer, don’t randomly guess! Eliminate incorrect answer choices to help you determine the best answer choice.

The Math Section:

7. There are approximately 44 multiple-choice and ten grid-in questions that test your knowledge up to Algebra II. One section is 20 minutes, and two are 25 minutes each. Topics tested in the math sections are: numbers, operations, algebra, functions, geometry, measurement, data analysis, statistics, and probability.

8. Always answer grid-in questions. Although you will lose ¼ of a point for each incorrect multiple-choice question, you will not lose any points for incorrect grid-in answers.

9. Make diagrams when tackling word problems; they’re especially useful for answering geometry, probability, and some algebra questions.

10. Become comfortable using your calculator before the test day. Also, the reference information at the beginning of each math section, including formulas, will help you answer many questions.

11. Underline exactly what the question is asking. For example, the question may ask you to find 2x – 4. Although the value for x may be listed in the answer choices, the question specifically asks you to find 2x – 4.

12. Try plugging in numbers for variables. For example, if the question asks for the solution of |b – 1| < 4 such that b is an integer, you can plug in different values for b.

The Critical Reading Section:

13. The critical reading section contains 2 sections that are 25 minutes long and 1 that is 20 minutes long (about 19 sentence completion questions and about 48 passage-based questions). Sentence completion questions are listed in order of difficulty: the first few questions are easier than the next few, which are easier than the last.

14. If you are unsure of the meaning of a word in the sentence completion section, you can usually tell if the word has a negative or positive connotation. Therefore, read the sentence first and determine if the blank(s) should contain words that have either positive or negative connotations. Clue words that indicate that the blanks will have opposite connotations are “despite,” “but,” “yet,” “rather,” “although,” and “however.” Clue words that indicate that they have similar connotations are “and,” “since,” “therefore,” and “because.”

15. If you know that the blanks must contain words that are similar in connotation, then immediately eliminate an answer choice like “cynical and joyful.” You can also plug in words that you would choose yourself to complete the sentence, and then pick an answer choice that is similar. Reread the sentence with your answer choice(s).

16. For the passage-based reading, read the italics before the passage, underline important key words in each line as you read, and then read the first and last line of each paragraph to get the main idea of the passage.

17. Answer line reference questions before more general questions on the passage’s tone and main idea. This way by the time you answer the more general questions, you will understand the focus of the passage. Remember: Any answer you choose must be directly supported in the passage, for example, with a quote from the passage.

Before that big day, determine what areas of the test are the most difficult for you, and improve the skills needed to do well on those sections. Practice test-taking strategies for the SAT, but also improve your ability to quickly write essays, identify grammar rules, determine appropriate vocabulary words, analyze a passage, and answer complex Algebra and Geometry questions. Apply these principles and you can dramatically improve your SAT score!

by avlxyz

Sat Writing, Math & Critical Reading – How to Significantly Improve Your Scores

The SAT can be a daunting and nerve-racking test for high school students all over California. After all, it’s a huge part of the journey on the way to applying to colleges! That’s why we’ve put together a list of ways you can significantly improve your score. Just follow these tips and you’re on your way! (Remember: You will have 3 hours and 45 minutes to take the SAT. Students with learning disabilities will receive time and a half.)

The Writing Section:

1. The highest score that you can receive on the SAT is 2400 (800 for the writing, critical reading, and math sections). The essay counts for 30% of your writing score. You will have 25 minutes to write a well-developed essay, for which you will receive a score of 1-6.

2. Decide if you agree or disagree with the essay prompt and write your thesis. Then give yourself no more than 5 minutes to quickly outline your essay response! Your essay should consist of 4-5 paragraphs: an introduction, one paragraph each detailing two or three different examples that support your thesis, and a conclusion. Try to use one example from literature / history / current events and your own personal experience.

3. After briefly outlining your essay, give yourself about 5 minutes to write each of the two or three supporting paragraphs and another 4 minutes to write your conclusion. Use the remaining time to proofread. This may seem overwhelming now, but the more you practice taking the essay portion of the SAT while timing yourself, the easier it will become!

4. Review the types of multiple-choice questions on the writing section: approximately 18 identifying sentence errors, 25 improving sentences, and 6 improving paragraph questions. Two sections will take 25 minutes each and 1 section will take 10 minutes. There is generally an unknown experimental section (an additional math, writing, or critical reading section) on the SAT that will not count toward your score.

5. Common errors tested are: subject-verb agreement, faulty parallelism, incorrect tenses, inappropriately used adjectives and adverbs, wordiness, irregular verbs, and idioms (common phrases/expressions). Examples of idioms are “better late than never” or “forget about it.” An answer choice may say “better late than forever” or “forget over it,” and you must determine that this answer is incorrect.

6. Since you will receive 1 point for correct answers and lose ¼ of a point for each wrong answer, don’t randomly guess! Eliminate incorrect answer choices to help you determine the best answer choice.

The Math Section:

7. There are approximately 44 multiple-choice and ten grid-in questions that test your knowledge up to Algebra II. One section is 20 minutes, and two are 25 minutes each. Topics tested in the math sections are: numbers, operations, algebra, functions, geometry, measurement, data analysis, statistics, and probability.

8. Always answer grid-in questions. Although you will lose ¼ of a point for each incorrect multiple-choice question, you will not lose any points for incorrect grid-in answers.

9. Make diagrams when tackling word problems; they’re especially useful for answering geometry, probability, and some algebra questions.

10. Become comfortable using your calculator before the test day. Also, the reference information at the beginning of each math section, including formulas, will help you answer many questions.

11. Underline exactly what the question is asking. For example, the question may ask you to find 2x – 4. Although the value for x may be listed in the answer choices, the question specifically asks you to find 2x – 4.

12. Try plugging in numbers for variables. For example, if the question asks for the solution of |b – 1| < 4 such that b is an integer, you can plug in different values for b.

The Critical Reading Section:

13. The critical reading section contains 2 sections that are 25 minutes long and 1 that is 20 minutes long (about 19 sentence completion questions and about 48 passage-based questions). Sentence completion questions are listed in order of difficulty: the first few questions are easier than the next few, which are easier than the last.

14. If you are unsure of the meaning of a word in the sentence completion section, you can usually tell if the word has a negative or positive connotation. Therefore, read the sentence first and determine if the blank(s) should contain words that have either positive or negative connotations. Clue words that indicate that the blanks will have opposite connotations are “despite,” “but,” “yet,” “rather,” “although,” and “however.” Clue words that indicate that they have similar connotations are “and,” “since,” “therefore,” and “because.”

15. If you know that the blanks must contain words that are similar in connotation, then immediately eliminate an answer choice like “cynical and joyful.” You can also plug in words that you would choose yourself to complete the sentence, and then pick an answer choice that is similar. Reread the sentence with your answer choice(s).

16. For the passage-based reading, read the italics before the passage, underline important key words in each line as you read, and then read the first and last line of each paragraph to get the main idea of the passage.

17. Answer line reference questions before more general questions on the passage’s tone and main idea. This way by the time you answer the more general questions, you will understand the focus of the passage. Remember: Any answer you choose must be directly supported in the passage, for example, with a quote from the passage.

Before that big day, determine what areas of the test are the most difficult for you, and improve the skills needed to do well on those sections. Practice test-taking strategies for the SAT, but also improve your ability to quickly write essays, identify grammar rules, determine appropriate vocabulary words, analyze a passage, and answer complex Algebra and Geometry questions. Apply these principles and you can dramatically improve your SAT score!

by omaniblog

Single most important criterion: SAT scores

Did you ever wonder what schools like Harvard think about the admissions process? If you haven’t been deeply involved, it might come as a shock. A lot of it is fairly cut and dry, at least for the vast majority of students.

Harvard typically spends more than ,000 for every student they admit to their program for screening, interviewing and research on each person who enters its gates. The school puts a high price on getting the very best people they can find — young people who will help contribute to the quality of the student body. That letter of acceptance means that Harvard truly wants you to enroll.

I use Harvard as the archetype. All highly-selective post-secondary institutions — including the military academies — are competing for the same pool of highly charged candidates. So what is the big news about getting into college?

In the movie, “The Graduate,” Dustin Hoffman’s character received some timely ’60s career advice: “One word. Are you listening? Plastics.”

This year, I have an update: “One word. Are you listening? SAT.”

To be more accurate, I’m referring to the newly-revised SATs. Why all the hubbub?

I’ll quote a bit of tomfoolery from The New York Times: “Today’s test consists of only one question, so think carefully. The ‘A’ in SAT stands for: (a) aptitude; (b) achievement; (c) assessment; (d) all of the above; (e) none of the above. I haven’t the slightest idea what the answer is, so I’ll guess (a) aptitude. Wait a minute — since the SATs penalize you for guessing, maybe I’ll take the ACTs, which does not. Now I am confused.”

Welcome to the wonderful world of the SATs.

First some history.

A few years ago, the president of the University of California (my alma mater) decided that the old SAT tests, which the school used to admit students, were a bit too biased in favor of people who have been brought up in a culture of disciplined thinking.

The College Board was put on notice by the University of California that if it didn’t change the test to make it more “relevant” to today’s admissions guidelines, the school was going to drop the SATs entirely.

When the largest public university in America revolts against something like the SATs, it sends tremors all across the national consciousness of academia.

Thus began the process that led to the birth of the SATs we use today.

The College Board had to come up with something that would not only measure some of the “elements” of academic performance but would also measure it so everyone had a chance to do better.

It seems that the old SATs had too many analogy questions, which favored people who think analogously about things (i.e., doctors, lawyers, scientists, carpenters and the rest of us who like to reason things out by comparing one thing to another).

They also threw in a 45-minute writing section. The old test was deemed to be insufficient in testing students’ writing abilities.

Simply put, it means that now students will have to sit for three hours and 45 minutes to take the test instead of the usual three hours. And how the new writing tests will be scored is another matter — partly by machine and partly by human interference, they tell us.

For students at schools like New Trier or Stevenson High School along the North Shore, it’s probably no big deal. They have been prepped to get into Harvard and Yale since they could walk … and the culture supports that process. If there is a change to the test, they simply bring in Kaplan or The Princeton Review to teach a class on the new SATs. Ipso facto, kids adapt to the changes and score higher.

Of course, educators (even in the ritzy suburbs) hate the idea of outsiders coming in. But parents know the importance of the SATs and demand that schools deliver those services.

The last three students I interviewed for Harvard were all No. 1 in their class, along with a dozen other classmates. Clearly, if your son or daughter is going to compete effectively for entrance to an elite college, they had better start preparing now to take the SATs — and do well.

This is probably the single most important criterion used by admissions committees. To combat the effects of grade inflation, an ever-increasing emphasis is being placed on test scores. An extra 100 or 200 points can make or break a student’s chances for admission.

Your SAT scores also have a value beyond helping to get into the right school.

Many employers require students to report their scores as part of their resumes. For many elite jobs, the cutoff lines are about the same as for the elite universities. A score of 700 in math and reading is mandatory.

Find More Sat Scores Articles

by dougbelshaw

Single most important criterion: SAT scores

Did you ever wonder what schools like Harvard think about the admissions process? If you haven’t been deeply involved, it might come as a shock. A lot of it is fairly cut and dry, at least for the vast majority of students.

Harvard typically spends more than ,000 for every student they admit to their program for screening, interviewing and research on each person who enters its gates. The school puts a high price on getting the very best people they can find — young people who will help contribute to the quality of the student body. That letter of acceptance means that Harvard truly wants you to enroll.

I use Harvard as the archetype. All highly-selective post-secondary institutions — including the military academies — are competing for the same pool of highly charged candidates. So what is the big news about getting into college?

In the movie, “The Graduate,” Dustin Hoffman’s character received some timely ’60s career advice: “One word. Are you listening? Plastics.”

This year, I have an update: “One word. Are you listening? SAT.”

To be more accurate, I’m referring to the newly-revised SATs. Why all the hubbub?

I’ll quote a bit of tomfoolery from The New York Times: “Today’s test consists of only one question, so think carefully. The ‘A’ in SAT stands for: (a) aptitude; (b) achievement; (c) assessment; (d) all of the above; (e) none of the above. I haven’t the slightest idea what the answer is, so I’ll guess (a) aptitude. Wait a minute — since the SATs penalize you for guessing, maybe I’ll take the ACTs, which does not. Now I am confused.”

Welcome to the wonderful world of the SATs.

First some history.

A few years ago, the president of the University of California (my alma mater) decided that the old SAT tests, which the school used to admit students, were a bit too biased in favor of people who have been brought up in a culture of disciplined thinking.

The College Board was put on notice by the University of California that if it didn’t change the test to make it more “relevant” to today’s admissions guidelines, the school was going to drop the SATs entirely.

When the largest public university in America revolts against something like the SATs, it sends tremors all across the national consciousness of academia.

Thus began the process that led to the birth of the SATs we use today.

The College Board had to come up with something that would not only measure some of the “elements” of academic performance but would also measure it so everyone had a chance to do better.

It seems that the old SATs had too many analogy questions, which favored people who think analogously about things (i.e., doctors, lawyers, scientists, carpenters and the rest of us who like to reason things out by comparing one thing to another).

They also threw in a 45-minute writing section. The old test was deemed to be insufficient in testing students’ writing abilities.

Simply put, it means that now students will have to sit for three hours and 45 minutes to take the test instead of the usual three hours. And how the new writing tests will be scored is another matter — partly by machine and partly by human interference, they tell us.

For students at schools like New Trier or Stevenson High School along the North Shore, it’s probably no big deal. They have been prepped to get into Harvard and Yale since they could walk … and the culture supports that process. If there is a change to the test, they simply bring in Kaplan or The Princeton Review to teach a class on the new SATs. Ipso facto, kids adapt to the changes and score higher.

Of course, educators (even in the ritzy suburbs) hate the idea of outsiders coming in. But parents know the importance of the SATs and demand that schools deliver those services.

The last three students I interviewed for Harvard were all No. 1 in their class, along with a dozen other classmates. Clearly, if your son or daughter is going to compete effectively for entrance to an elite college, they had better start preparing now to take the SATs — and do well.

This is probably the single most important criterion used by admissions committees. To combat the effects of grade inflation, an ever-increasing emphasis is being placed on test scores. An extra 100 or 200 points can make or break a student’s chances for admission.

Your SAT scores also have a value beyond helping to get into the right school.

Many employers require students to report their scores as part of their resumes. For many elite jobs, the cutoff lines are about the same as for the elite universities. A score of 700 in math and reading is mandatory.

More Sat Scores Articles

by avlxyz

Parliament Tutors Unveils State-of-the-Art Diagnostic Software to Improve Students’ SAT Scores

As the importance of SAT scores in the college admissions process continues to grow, so does the demand for private tutoring and test-prep services. Last year, over 1.5 million students took the SAT.

Parliament Tutors recently invested in state-of-the-art software to better diagnose students SAT strengths and weaknesses. “We want to be ahead of the curve,” explains Parliament Tutors President, David Greenberg. “We consider ourselves the most forward-thinking private-tutoring service in the nation. Our software engineers have developed a grading program to assess students’ strengths and weaknesses based on their correct and incorrect answers immediately upon submission. Our tutors are trained to respond to these evaluations.”

Parliament donates a percentage of its profits to sponsor free private tutoring sessions for students in need. “This campaign is special because is provides those in need with the same advantages as those who can afford first-class tutoring services,” explains Ari Smith, Parliament regional director. “Students that can’t afford group courses, let alone private tutoring, are at a serious disadvantage when it comes to competitive standardized-testing. I am proud to be a part of this effort and to give back to the community and provide these needy students with the same state-of-the-art software and top-notch tutors available to the wealthy.”

Academic Advantage, another exclusive New York City test-prep company, uses creative methods to lure students as well. Academic Advantage gives students exams under the most authentic test conditions. Studypoint and other companies offer a “200 Point Increase Guarantee” and other gimmicks to grab students’ and parents’ attention.

College admissions officials are reacting to these SAT advantages by giving increased attention to secondary tests, including Advanced Placement (AP) Exam results and SAT II Subject Test scores.