Help! How do you prep for the SATS?

[gogo90]

How did you prep for the Sats? There are loads of books out there that claim to help you, and some places offer classes, but when it comes down to it, do those tools really even help all that much? And what was your highest Sat score?

 

[amanda]

my highest SAT score was a 1500 - 800 verbal, 700 math (i took it before the test was added the third section, obviously). i did absolutely no preparation, and i think most of the books and courses are a scam. I had a very smart friend that did a TON of private tutoring with Kaplan (one of the main test prep companies) and her score actually went down. taking the test more than once should increase your score anyway, and i think it's hard for those companies to prove that they can make a difference for any given test taker.

i think the best thing you can do for yourself is to understand how the test is graded (if there are penalties for guessing, if a wrong answer deducts points or merely doesn't gain you any, etc.) so that you can make the best choices with the group of questions that you get. don't stress, get a good night's sleep, and eat a good breakfast beforehand since the test is long. remember, if you don't like your score, you can always take it again. i took it twice and got scores in the 1400's before i got my 1500, which i was satisfied with.

 

[mundodabolsa]

the best thing to do is take lots and lots of practice tests. there are only a certain number of types of questions, you can familiarize yourself to the point that it's almost automatic to find the answer. you also get good with the timing and pacing of the test the more you've done it.

(I must be old because I can't even remember my exact score... )

 

[madamefifi]

At my high school we did a lot of practice testing. I never prepped otherwise but got 800 in verbal and I don't know, average in math, which I was perfectly fine with. I had no trouble getting into the college of my choice (Farouk's College of Beauty and Waste Management). (Just kiddin')

 

[kalodie1]

If you can not do Kaplan or Princeton Review try eprep.com. We used this to prep for the PSAT's and found it really helpful. You can download practice tests and there is an online tutor to help.