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Day 1

• Complete the Introduction , Verbal , and Writing Skills Sections of the Presentation.
• Take a minimum of one verbal section of the test (2 is better) remembering not to skip any question
• Take a wrriting skills section and review the Essay presentation.
• Check the score and read the explanations for the questions as needed. Whenever you are reading the explanations, BE SURE that you understand how to answer the question. This is crucial. (1 ¾ hours)

Day 2

• Complete the Math Section of the Presentation.
• Take a minimum of one math section of the test (2 is better) - Check the score and read the explanations for the questions as needed. (2 hrs)

Day 3

• Review the Verbal Section of the presentation. Review the Writing Skills presentation.
• Take 2 verbal tests (being certain one of them has the comparative reading passages), check the score, and read the explanations as needed. (1 ½ hrs)
• Take one Writing Skills section, check the score, and read the explanations.
• Write one Essay, responding to one of the prompts in the SAT Guide.
• Read as much of the novella as time permits. (See the “How to Vocab” instructions for the best way to remember the words) You have a choice here. Utilize the method that best suits your learning pattern (i.e. The one you will do)

Day 4

• Review the Math section of the presentation.
• Take 2 math tests, check the score, and read the explanations as needed. (1 ½ hrs).
• Work on your vocabulary in the method you decided upon.

Day 5

• Take 2 verbal, 2 math, and 1 writing skills sections of the test. Check the score and read the explanations for the questions as needed. (2 ½ hrs).
• Do as much vocabulary work as time allows.

After you have finished the first 5 days, then set up a schedule of taking at least one test section a day, initially alternating between verbal, and math sections. If you find you are consistently scoring high on the verbal or math side of the test, then take two sections of the weaker side for every one section of the stronger. For instance, you might take 2 verbal sections for every 1 math. Again, don’t neglect one side of the test totally. And don’t neglect the writing skills sections, but the verbal and math make up more of the test and the colleges are used to interpreting those scores.

As far as vocabulary work is concerned, you should set up a regular, daily routine of working on the vocabulary. “How to Vocab” will offer some good techniques for learning the words efficiently. Take advantage of the fact you have 4 weeks to really add a lot of words to your vocabulary.

When the test date approaches, begin practicing your essay skills. Review the material we have online and practice the prompts you find in the SAT Guide.

As you approach the test date use the suggestions we use above for the last three days leading into the test. This should take you into the test sharp and ready to beat it.

READ THE QUESTIONS FIRST. Do not read the answers. That gets confusing. Before you read the reading passages, read the questions. This tells you what the passage is about, gives you an idea of what you are looking for, and, most importantly, leads you to a way to attack that passage. And that is what you are doing with every one of the reading passages. You are attacking them. You are taking them apart to get points. All you see in that reading passage and those questions on that page are points. You can pull the information out of that passage easier if you know what type of questions you have. Look at the reading passages as a means of collecting points.

There are also two types of questions you must know about before reading the passage. Knowing about any questions regarding the structure of the passage is very important. You can then pay attention to the structure as you read. Questions where they are asking what was - or more importantly - what was NOT part of the passage are difficult and very time consuming if you aren’t looking for the answer as you read.

You don’t want to read the answers, because if you read the answers you will start reading the answers into the passage because they will have phrases lifted from that passage over there available and it will be confusing. So just read the questions so you see what style of questions you have to be answering.

I’ve been preparing kids for the SAT since 1992, which means I have worked with a lot of different kids. Since I work with them individually rather than in classes, I get to know the students pretty well. And over the years I have seen how the SAT punishes a certain type of student……….the student who studies, does homework, and plays by the rules, just the type of student a college would want.

Does that surprise you? I know it sounds goofy, but I have seen it time after time. Good, solid, over-acheiving students have to wrestle with the SAT and its adverserial nature.

When examining the problem, it makes sense. These students play the game right. They do their homework and prepare for tests. They trust tests because they have prepared for them, and know what the right answers are. These students are not used to playing in the “grey” areas. The answers are right or wrong, tests are black and white.

So a test in which you look for the “best answer,” which can mean the best of 5 poor choices, or the better of 2 “correct” choices, will give these students trouble. Math problems that are more like puzzle problems than math problems can trip them up.

That’s the bad news. These kids have trouble with the test. The good news is that, with some practice and instruction, they can assimilate the test and do well on it. It just takes them a while.

It just concerns me that these kids, without practice and help, get “punished” for “doing school” the right way.

Final review and Test Week
The student does a final review of all the tests he or she has taken. He or she also follows our Final Week Schedule.
Mon, Tues, Wed – According to your evaluation, take appropriate test sections.
Thurs – Review tests you have completed and any materials you have..
Thur night – Get a good night’s sleep. If you are nervous Friday night and have trouble sleeping, you are young enough to not be bothered by one bad night if you slept well earlier in the week.
Fri – Review tests and work on any weak points.
Fri night – rent a movie and relax. Don’t cram.

Test Day
Make sure you know where the test site is located, and allow time to get there. Take tests you have completed with you, and get to the test site 15 – 20 minutes early so you can review prior to the test.

Guessing versus skipping questions……always a topic of debate. There is a technical rule of thumb for guessing. The rule is that if you can eliminate any of the answer choices, guess. Let’s say you do a reading passage. You guess on 5 and get three of five questions wrong and two of them right. You get 20 points for the 2 questions and lose 37.5 (10 points each and 2.5 points each for a guessing penalty - see below) for the other 3. You are 17 points down where you would have been 50 down had you skipped all 5. That’s picking up 33 points.

When practicing the test, absolutely guess. First, that’s the only way to get better at reasoning out answers that you don’t know you know, you only think you know. Secondly, it’s the only way to find out where you are good at guessing and where you don’t do it well. Last, but not least, this will help you tune into that little voice that can lead you to some correct answers. You want to be able to “feel” that some of the answers are right. Your intuition can help you steal a few points. Learn to listen to your little voice — that little whisper or feeling that you get about answer choices or word meanings — because that’s a crucial idea in getting those last few points you need to beat this test.

The score you’re shooting for also determines your guessing strategy. Choose the range of score you want. Up to 1500, you want to be conservative and focus on the questions you know you know (usually the first 2/3 of the questions). 1500 to 1800, you need to be more aggressive and go after questions you feel uncomfortable with. 1800 and up you have to answer everything except those you have absolutely no clue as to which might be the correct answer.

One of the ways they try to distract you is by trivializing the Scoring . They tell you that you get one point for every answer you get correct. Answers you skip won’t count for you or against you. Answers you miss will count 1/4 of a point off. You take the test thinking the questions are only worth one point, so it becomes easy to dismiss questions since a perfect score equals 800 points.

But think about it. There are only 67 questions in the verbal SAT! There are only 54 questions in the math test and only 49 in the writing skills section! So there’s absolutely no way the questions can be worth only one point. When you take the test, think of every question being worth 10- 15 points each.

This means the “1/4″ point guessing penalty really means 2.5 points.

1. Quickly get a copy of The Official SAT Study Guide. It is published by the College Board and has 8 real tests to practice with. It should be available in any of the major book stores.
2. The test book has correct answers in it. Explanations are available in several places I am sure. The affiliate sites have them.
3. As you take the tests, try to analyze your errors and put your efforts into working to improve those ares. This may seem obvious, but most students don’t do a good job of self-monitoring mistakes.
4. There are numerous test preparation books, websites, and classes. With 2 weeks to go you need to focus on your specific weaknesses you need to improve. Focus on tips and techniques in those areas.
5. If you have taken the SAT, you realize it is a 4 hour test. If you haven’t taken it, you now know it is a 4 hour test. In either case, after you have taken a few sections, make a determined effort to take more and more sections at a time. Stamina is crucial.

There will be more tips and last minute suggestions to come, so check back.

Welcome to satblog.com where you will find opinions, facts, and advice regarding the SAT, PSAT, ACT, and a few other test, - and all the activities and concerns surrounding them.

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All test names and other trademarks are the property of the respective trademark holders. None of the trademark holders are affiliated with, or in any way endorse, this website.

And a personal disclaimer:

I have owned and operated The Study Hall in Dallas, Texas since 1992. The majority of the work I do is preparing students for the PSAT and SAT. I also created the two affiliate sites. SATBlog is not meant to promote those sites; the comments here will be as objective as possible, but I do have opinions.