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Is anyone planning to take the SAT this year? Or maybe next year? Or has anyone taken the test in the past few years?
How was it? Does anyone have any tips or recommendations? Or persuade me not to take it :P
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I've taken the SAT and done fairly well on it (2350).
What're you hoping to get on it? It's a conquerable test, and the first thing you should do is take a few practice tests to familiarize yourself with the test format.
Addressing each section:
Writing - It's easy for the most part, but you have to be careful. The sentence correction questions are almost trivial, and with some practice, they can be easily mastered. The questions where you have to identify the errors are a bit trickier, and I advise you to read each question carefully. The passage questions are also easy and for the most part common sense. Basic grammar knowledge should get you through most of the writing sections, but for those more obscure grammar rules, I suggest checking out the Sparknotes guide. As for the essay, read a few sample essays and model your essay accordingly. You don't have to be an amazing writer. Just address the prompt and support your argument with references from history or literature. Personal experiences are okay, too, but the former are better.
Math - The math section is by far the easiest. As long as you have a decent background in Algebra II and basic critical thinking skills, scoring 750+ is not an issue. Just do practice problems and review unfamiliar concepts afterwards.
Critical Reading - The hardest section in my opinion. The vocabulary questions are usually easy until the last one or two of each section. Don't waste your time memorizing 3,000+ words though unless you can do it quickly and easily. As for the passages, no, you don't have to be a voracious reader, but it takes time to understand what the test writers are looking for. Do some practice sections and read the passages slowly. Don't worry about time. Process the questions, re-read, and do whatever it takes to come up confidently arrive at your answers.
Just address the prompt and support your argument with references from history or literature. Personal experiences are okay, too, but the former are better.
This is the problem that I am most worried about, the essay section. I've never been good at writing essays and I don't have a lot of knowledge of historical figures or events to use as references to support my points - it would look even worse if I used the wrong ones.
i dont take the SAT (even though i really wish to do that) but i take something similiar here in israel. they call it the psychometry and this year its different from the last few years and they made it pretty much the same as the SAT (by that i mean the parts, im not sure of the level difference).
writing- we have to write 20 lines about something they told us to. cant give any suggestion (this is my weakest area even though i do realise its supposed to be easy). our teacher said that theres NO WAY you get a 100% in this part if you just write 20 lines so definitely write more. (again, this might be different over there).
math- over here this is the most difficult part. and the horibble truth is that we have to answer 22 questions in 20 minutes. theres geometry, algebra, and many other sub-subjects there but you have to understand what kind of question it is on your own.
what i learned is that you shouldnt look at it as if your trying to answer all questions but to look at it as if you try to solve as many questions as possible. see a difficult question? skip it, go back to it. cant answer it? guess. another trick (even though im sure everybody knows it) is to know what the answer is by looking at the answer. if its algebra you will usually be able to take the answers, put them in the question instead of solving and see if its right. id personally guess that our math part is much more difficult then the SAT one.
hebrew- we get 4 types of questions. something called analogies where you have to find the connection between 2 words (i doubt this appears in your english part so i wont explain), logical thinking, and then reading an article and answer questions about it.
english- the easiest part (for those who have basic knowledge of english). its really nothing. most of you would take a look at the questions and think its stupid. but maybe the type of questions is closer to the english part at your place. you have to put a word in a sentence to make it mean something logical, you get a sentence and then have to pick the answer that has a sentence that the closest to the first and then reading an article and answer the questions.
over all, the most tips and tricks usually go to the math part of the test. but maybe you wont need them because as ray said: its not that horibble over there.
This is the problem that I am most worried about, the essay section. I've never been good at writing essays and I don't have a lot of knowledge of historical figures or events to use as references to support my points - it would look even worse if I used the wrong ones.
its not that much of a problem. they mostly look at your language and how you explain and base your opinions. techincally, you can even make some stats up. i doubt they will check if they are true. they really dont care about the little techincal stuff because its not a history test. they want you to write to test other skills
Well good luck to anybody taking them this year.
The SATs always confuse me. Every section is multiple choice, minus one essay section, did i pick up on that right?
Where i'm from, the equivalent is all essays.
it would look even worse if I used the wrong ones.
Which is why you don't use a single term (such as The French Revolution), rather you say, "The overthrow of the French government in the late 1800s."
The one I have the most trouble with is the Critical Reading, mostly because I get bored quickly and lose patience.
This is the problem that I am most worried about, the essay section. I've never been good at writing essays and I don't have a lot of knowledge of historical figures or events to use as references to support my points - it would look even worse if I used the wrong ones.
Your knowledge can be superficial, and you don't need to know your history or books to support your arguments. Just review whatever you already know, and you'll find a way to address the prompt somehow.
The one I have the most trouble with is the Critical Reading, mostly because I get bored quickly and lose patience.
Yes, this is why I rarely did practice questions for critical reading. (Though I DO recommend you do them.) However, in a pressure situation, you're pretty much forced to pay attention and keep on track. I suggest taking your time with the Critical Reading sections. As long as you understand what they're looking for, you should be fine on the actual test day.
Personally, I took the SAT in 7th grade, about a year and a half ago. I found the critical reading part fairly easy, the math part really hard because I had no knowledge of Algebra or Geometry, and the essay was sort of in between. Make sure that when you answer the essay question that you pick a definite side and don't "ride the fence" (advice from an AP English teacher) Good luck, and if you do all the study guides and such for it, you should do pretty well
I took the SAT a few months ago, score sharing really isn't important....
Just make sure you get a good nights sleep, and eat a good healthy breakfast.
The last 5 questions in every section are the hardest. It's advised you leave them blank unless you are 1000% sure you know it.
Lol, don't bother studying if you think it's too stressful. I should have though, 2250 is quite horrible for a foreigner trying to get into an American university.
The math is very very easy. It's just a pain without calculators. The algebra is really beginner stuff mostly, tedious simultaneous equations but nothing that can kill you. The biggest joke by far was when they gave two angles in the triangle and asked for the last one.
Critical reading, just pay attention to details, think logically and you're in. No contextual knowledge needed whatsoever. I lost more marks in grammar because I usually speak a creole form of English. So my grammar rules weren't even in place haha.
As for the essay, please don't restrict yourself to how many lines, how many examples and all that straight jacket stuff. Just makes it worse. Use your personal voice at times. Throw in some vocab to impress. Keep writing till the end. Just write stylistically and make it interesting for the reading. Granted it was easy for me since I'm an arts student, but ven my brother got his 10/12 and he's a science geek of the Asian kind. You don't need to go into details and examples too much.
Above all, treat it like a quiz not a test. Then it will become fun. Serious. I was upset when it ended.
2250 is quite horrible for a foreigner trying to get into an American university.
Is it? What is the score you should aim for?
The algebra is really beginner stuff mostly, tedious simultaneous equations but nothing that can kill you.
I'm not too worried about the math section, but I do have some trouble with functions/recognizing equations on graphs and that type of stuff. Some permutation questions screw me up as well.
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I'm also somewhat slow at the "reading comprehension" sections where you have to read an article and answer questions based on that sample. The time limit is quite stressful and I often find myself thinking over questions too much.
Above all, treat it like a quiz not a test. Then it will become fun. Serious. I was upset when it ended.
This isn't going to work for me. I've always been the worrisome kind.
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What type of topics do they give on the essays? Is there often American history?
Is it? What is the score you should aim for?
2200 is enough for most Ivy League for Americans. Foreigners need higher scores, 2300 at least. The national average is less than 2000, and Maine's is around 1400 if I'm not wrong, so don't sweat it.
Doubt there are many on American history cause it would kill off most foreigners, not to mention there's a specific SAT II test on American history. They would ask more general questions. Doesn't hurt to search some up and think through them. The one I got was on advertising and society so it wasn't hard to answer.
Well, I tended to just think of it not as a test, since you can always retake it. There are frequent breaks so no worries. Advise, spend just a couple of minutes on the reading parts before answering.
Can you take the SAT at any age? From any country?
Or do you just get your equivalent qualifications transferred?
Can you take the SAT at any age? From any country?
well... socer took her when she was 16 (right? too lazy to go a page back) but maybe its because of something special? idk about age but i can tell you you can take it in israel so from that im guessing you can take it in most countries too. i do know it also costs more to do it in israel though
2200 is enough for most Ivy League for Americans. Foreigners need higher scores, 2300 at least. The national average is less than 2000, and Maine's is around 1400 if I'm not wrong, so don't sweat it.
This depends, actually. Ivy League universities are holistic in their admissions process, so your SAT score does not have much weight. It's typically agreed that 2250+ is enough to get "looked at," (assuming strong grades) but afterwards, they focus in on what you've done outside of the classroom, your extracurriculars and awards.
If you're aiming for a public school, the SAT generally carries more weight. For example, the UC system, especially Berkeley, is somewhat notorious for placing a lot of weight on the SAT. For a top public school like Berkeley, you should aim for at least 2100.
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