Killersup was pulled from one of his classes today from the guidance counselor to be told that he and 20 other people did so well on the state test that they would be taking the S.A.T's to learn upon where Killersup needs improvement. That failing it was fine, and pretty much expected from Killersup and his fellow 8th graders, but if they were to pass....it is a whole 'nother story.
There was a thread that was made on the same topic a few months ago. I guess I'll just paste my response from there.
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.
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.
Killersup's feels mildly confident in everything but algebra. Not even in the algebra one class....let alone algebra two.
Given that your test seems to be unofficial, you have nothing to stress over in the first place, unless your school is trying to identify students for Center for Talented Youth (CTY) or related programs.
Oops. Sorry, I meant to actually reply. What I was getting at was what kind of simple stuff? Simplifying equations, graphing lines, solving equations?
Yes. Also, from what I remember: understanding functions; determining formulas to solve word problems; quadratic equations; and systems of equations. There is also some geometry as well. Look up practice problems.
