Studying for the SATs

[AcemanPB]

I'm sure I'm not the only member here taking SATs this fall. I took my SATs my first time last year (Junior year) in the Spring. I decided to take them without studying or looking at anything, I wanted to know what I had to work with. Anyways I made a 1360, although I was expecting a little higher I was happy with my score. Now its fall and I'm filling out college applications and I figured I should take the SAT again to see if I can do better. Well my question is, do you think studying for the SAT actually helps? I've heard both from several people. I just want to know from your personal experiences. My SATs are this Saturday anyways so I don't know how much studying will help with me starting only a few days before the test. (I'm pretty much set on going to Georgia Tech and 1360 is plenty good enough to make it in the school so part of me wants to slack off and forget it.)

[CaptaiN_JacK]

I'm taking them next weekend for the first time. Haven't studied, and probably won't. A great way of taking tests, IMO, is to spend as LITTLE time on questions as possible. Not only does it help with a timed test, but your first hunch is probably the right answer (scientifically proven). In my case, if I don't know the answer to a question the first and second times I read through it, I won't ever know it. If you think you need to study, go for it. You're really the only person on this forum that would know if you need to study or not.

[Gitaroo Man]

It definately helps if you put time into it. I took a course and raised my score about 200 points, so..in short..yes but it takes a little more than reading a SAT book (i think)

[Remington]

Wow, a 1360 on your first attempt! I only got an 1140 on mine (but, like you, I went in blind with zero preparation). I have an SAT tutor that goes through the basics of how to take the SATs and he gave me a book that The College Board puts out. Basically, its a compilation of 10 real SAT tests (obivously not ones that the board will be using sometime in the future). In my opinion doing several of those (and scoring well on them) is one of the better choices for preparing yourself for the SATs. Good luck!

[Mr.mike]

i'm taking my sat in spring, they told me not to take it fall because they were changing the format of it or something, have you guys heard about this?

[MayAMonkeyBeYourPinata]

I'm pretty sure they are adding a writing portion.

Boo!

Boo!

[Mr.mike]

Crap! They're out to get me i tell you, im a terrible writer as it is and probably fail a bunch of CAPTs (a bunch of written tests they force ct kids to take) and now theyre goint to make me mess up my sats??
how dare they

[MaChu]

1360 is damn good for a first time. All I got on my PSAT was a 1180 going in blind. Also anything above 1300 in Texas will get you automatic admission into any state school. I need to study for the test thats coming up on Nov 6 too. Im gonna rack my brain I swear.

[MayAMonkeyBeYourPinata]

I got a projected 1400 on my psat's

[Miscue]

1360 is pretty good - awesome! That's about what I got the first time. Then I got a 1400, and a 1440. I didn't do any additional studying to improve my score - actually I didn't study much at all to begin with.

Math if you take enough, you can get 750-800 if you're even modestly good at it - and there isn't really much to study.

The best thing you can do for yourself on the English is to memorize vocabulary. A lot of the analogies and various questions - trip you up on the vocabulary, not the logic.

1360 will get you in the door to anywhere, take it a couple more times for giggles and try to get into the 1400-1500s. I wouldn't worry about it though - 1360 is good.

[SCpoloRicker]

It is also worth noting that (at least when I applied five years ago) you could combine Math and Verbal scores from different tests for some schools.

I took it the first time and did well on the English, but not as well as I would have liked on the math. Retook it a month later and didn't worry about the verbal at all. Ended up at 1500 (800 verbal, 700 math)

Worth another try if you think you can improve, probably.

[CaptaiN_JacK]

wow, the sats just kicked my *** today. the sats were twice as hard as the acts. holy crap, the english part killed me and i read 24/7. jesus.

[-Carnifex-]

I'm taking it in May along with my SAT IIs, ACT, and AP tests.

[tony3]

I'm takin' the PSAT wednesday, just took the "plan" which is basically the pre-ACT test, that was really hard, good thing it doesn't mean anything.

[AcemanPB]

Well I took the SATs today, I think I did pretty well. I didn't skip any questions and was pretty sure of myself on all of them. I think I crushed the math, unless I made some stupid mistake I don't see why I wouldn't have a 800.