How can I get my SAT score as high as possible?

[GAM3OVR85]

Originally Posted by oneshare325

steal the test...

lol...once i stole a math test in grade 11 and i failed .

Imagine if u steal the test and u waste ur time memorizing the answers, then u find out that its a different exam .

[xxballinboi786]

Originally Posted by hl0m4n

hey man hows your car? did you find out to be the fuel pump?

this is my first year at college at NYU. i pulled off a 3.4 and a 1880 on the sat.

i highly do recommed you get a tutor and take lots of practices and learn to use your time wisely.

although tututors have different effects on everyone for me it helped alot. first sat i got was 1330 and the my 2nd was a 1780 and last i got 1880. so overall the tutuor got me an extra 550 plus i believe an 9 on my essay.

i also recommend you take the math satII as that shit was easy. i also took the chemistry one as well. i was a chemistery>physics kid in highschool .

i have a few friends that kind of "gave up" studying and are now in a community for 1-2 years and transfering. but hey if you can save yourself the 1/2 year of make up studying and paying tuition for you to transfer thats also great too.

thanks a lot man if you convert your gpa from 0-4 to 0-100 what would it be? my GPA is dropping fast, and im going to talk to my guidance counselor to see what kind of grades im gonna need to get for the next 2 marking periods to get it back up to at least a 90...

[ToothDoc]

Join the math team. I was in the math team and we all got 800's in math. My verbal sucked at 610 - but then again, I didn't speak a word of engrish until I was 6 or so. Or, like the other dude said.. sit next to an Asian dude. LOL No really, the math section is pretty easy - just algebra and geometry. After you take enough practice tests, you'll start to see patterns. They ask the same types/similar stuff over and over again. Learn the tricks - sometimes it's faster to rule out wrong answers than it is to figure out the correct answer. Sometimes it's faster go guess an answer and plug it into the formula until you find the correct one. The verbal part - just memorize Webster's dictionary and practice. For the reading comprehension part - learn to read fast. I used to take a quick glance at the questions prior to reading article so I could pick out some answers quickly initially and the rest of the answers you can just hunt for them in the articles. What's really important is practicing your test-taking stamina. Also, make sure you get good rest before the exam - establish good sleeping/eating habits prior to the actual test. Night before, relax, do some exercise or play a game to wear you out so you can fall asleep. Don't take sleeping pills cuz you'll be groggy next morning. Don't have crazy wild sex and pass out and hit your head on the wall and get a concussion and have to take a major test with a concussion/migraine next morning. I hope this helps...

[RenaultOne]

I took the SAT and IMO i did absolutely HORRID. I got a 1780 the first time and then a 1730 the second time...yea i actually scored lower overall the 2nd time but i did better on the reading part I did well on SAT Subject Test for US History got a 720, but did a horrific job on the SAT Subject Test for Literature (i think i got a 610). If you want to get a high score on a standardized test TAKE THE ACT it is SO much easier than the SAT even though the Science part might be a little confusing with its convoluted questions and graphs. I got a 27 which is equivalent to 1860-1910 on the SAT. Even though schools tell you the SAT "isn't" a big factor in your admissions process IT IS. I recommend you take extracurricular activities to boost your chances of getting into your dream school!

And BTW i didnt take any SAT classes, had no time because of my extracurricular activities. And i applied to Stanford and three IVY Leagues (Brown, U Penn, and Cornell). I have "minority status" so that should help me out a lot.

[FirstClass]

Take them cold. Studying won't help you. If you haven't learned it by now you aren't going to learn much more for the test. It measures your cumulative knowledge, you don't study for something like that. I took them cold and did quite well.

Originally Posted by ToothDoc

No really, the math section is pretty easy - just algebra and geometry.

Both sections are pretty much a cakewalk imo.

[xxballinboi786]

i think for the first time (may) im just gonna get the SAT prep book from barnes and nobles and take few practice tests before...no matter how bad/well i do, im gonna take Kaplan classes (or if you guys reccomend another program)..im kinda scared about my GPA...do you guys think that if i do really well, they might overlook my potentially 80-85 average (im working to get it back to a 90...i really shouldnt of have slacked off the first half of this year

[just4kickz]

Originally Posted by xxballinboi786

i think for the first time (may) im just gonna get the SAT prep book from barnes and nobles and take few practice tests before...no matter how bad/well i do, im gonna take Kaplan classes (or if you guys reccomend another program)..im kinda scared about my GPA...do you guys think that if i do really well, they might overlook my potentially 80-85 average (im working to get it back to a 90...i really shouldnt of have slacked off the first half of this year

really depends on where you plan to apply. you might also want to figure out what the average school your planning to apply to requires you to take in terms of SAT/SAT2/ACT...might also want to figure out what their average GPA is. GPA isn't everything... essays usually count for alot more than people would think.

and for those who are tellin you to wing it... i wouldnt. these days students are getting more and more competitive.

[sinnet112]

I would say take the ACT, but if you're applying to schools in your area, they'll wonder why you didn't take the SAT. In either case, schools are using it less and less as a benchmark. Your GPA matters a lot more so you probably should bring that up.

I scored a 1520 (1600 scale) with self-prep, but it's an exam that you should learn the tricks for and read into how/why they're asking the question. It's as hard as you make it out to be. The more you read the types of questions they ask, the better you get at it. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be scoring consistently higher.

Kaplan and the Princeton Review will only take you so far. You're by no means guaranteed a better score, even though they say they do. I've had friends who used them and scored the same or worse because of it.

In the end, it's all on you. Study hard, practice every book you can, and take it at least twice, and good luck!

Edit :: What year are you? Your Junior year GPA and your first semester Senior year GPA counts the most. If at the very least your Senior year GPA starts out well, then you'll improve your chances of getting into a better school. Colleges like to see improvement, and at the very least if you show that you're better off.

[FirstClass]

Originally Posted by just4kickz

and for those who are tellin you to wing it... i wouldnt. these days students are getting more and more competitive.

Not studying doesn't constitute "winging it" imo. Taking the test cold avoids burnout and stress. To be perfectly honest I enjoy taking the SAT (only took it twice) it's kind of fun. Finish a section and people watch during the left over time, infinitely amusing.

If you stress over it you'll do poorly. Make sure you take it at least twice but not more than three times. If you've paid attention in class and worked, you'll be fine. 80-85 average? That's what, a 2.3-2.5? That's definitely going to hurt. I suggest you work as hard as you can for the rest of your time in school.

[just4kickz]

Originally Posted by FirstClass

Not studying doesn't constitute "winging it" imo. Taking the test cold avoids burnout and stress. To be perfectly honest I enjoy taking the SAT (only took it twice) it's kind of fun. Finish a section and people watch during the left over time, infinitely amusing.

If you stress over it you'll do poorly. Make sure you take it at least twice but not more than three times. If you've paid attention in class and worked, you'll be fine. 80-85 average? That's what, a 2.3-2.5? That's definitely going to hurt. I suggest you work as hard as you can for the rest of your time in school.

taking the test cold... wouldnt that mean not preparing for it? thats what i understood it to mean... which i believe to be "winging it" as well. of course you don't want to burn yourself out... thats why its always good to prepare months before hand... not sure when you took ur SATs, but i know these days, expectations are only growing... i mean right now my biggest fear in terms of standardized tests is getting a really good score at mCATs. anybody can ace the mCATs and have a GPA--after that its just what you do besides studying... such as volunteering, working, internships, etc.

lol SATs usually dont have anything to do with what you learn in highschool... well for me at least. reading comprehension and those writing questions were major problems for me yet i did pretty well in english in my later years in highschool. math was easy but that was because i was beyond algebra and trig i was doing multivariate calculus junior year.

i think the guy means B- to B GPA which would mean 2.7-3.0 based on public school grade point average.

[xxballinboi786]

just found a conversion chart online:

GPA Conversion Chart:
4.0 95-100 A
3.9 94 A
3.8 93 A
3.7 92 A
3.6 91 A
3.5 90 A
3.4 89 B
3.3 88 B
3.2 87 B
3.1 86 B
3.0 85 B
2.9 84 B
2.8 83 B
2.7 82 B
2.6 81 B
2.5 80 B
2.4 79 C
2.3 78 C
2.2 77 C
2.1 76 C
2.0 75 C
1.9 74 C
1.8 73 C
1.7 72 C
1.6 71 C
1.5 70 C

my GPA is approximately a 3.0 right now (WHICH SUCKS...im still beating myself up over being an idiot)...im gonna try my best to bring it to at least a 3.5...

i hope to get AT LEAST a 2000 by the time im done with the SATs...i think my extra curriculars are pretty good...ill list them, please lemme know what you guys think of them, and what you think i can add in the next half year...

[xxballinboi786]

Cross country 1 year
JV football 1 year
Varsity football 2 years
Habitat for Humanity 3 years
Student Government President 2 years (ill be running again next year, hopefully ill win)
Head of Yonkers salvation army food drive

and there are some other things, such as voulnteering at hospitals, nursing homes, etc..

what can i add that might help me stand out when applying to colleges? thanks a lot guys!

[Ryan@Motorwerks]

Your essay can make you stand out a lot as a candidate. If you spend a lot of time working on it and do something original, they will remember you. I really recommend reading "On Writing the College Application Essay: The Key to Acceptance and the College of your Choice" by Harry Bauld. Of course an essay won't make miracles happen, but it will certainly help when you are in the "gray" area between being a clear acceptance and clear denial.

Try spending some of your summer either working or volunteering or studying abroad. That is something that can still be done with your limited time.

[david1026]

I took it on my 18th bday, hungover as shit, and I got a 1480 back in October of '02. The trick is to just relax, the people who tense up and second guess themselves always fuck it up. When I was in about 4th grade my dad told me to go with my first answer and stick with it, and that has served me well so far. I'm in Law School now, so I've seen my share of tests over the years. You can't cram for any test really, it has to be a natural assimilation of the material over a week, a month, etc. When do you take the test? If you're going for the April date, start studying now, get the CD and do practice tests on your computer. Actually READ the books and then have someone time you on the practice tests. Go somewhere uncomfortable when you do it, because you won't be in a "happy place" during the test, that's for sure. I graduated high school with a 3.8 (I slacked a few classes that didn't interest me), undergrad with a 3.6 (again, same deal), and I've got a 3.5 in Law School now. What it ultimately comes down to is you have to decide if you're willing to "pay your dues" now and put in the time and effort to study, not just for this test, but for everything in school, so you can reap the benefits later on in life. Ultimately everyone has to make that call for themselves, and I'm certain if you buckle down now with time to spare, you'll do just fine.

David

[david1026]

I guess I should say when I took the SAT it was out of 1600 still.

[hl0m4n]

i remember i took the ACT for the first time and thought that shit was a joke lol. im not saying i did well on it the first time but compared to the sat, its just longer and has science questions, etc.

i too was deciding if i should go act or sat route. but when i thought about it my grade is only a 3.4 and if i took act and applied for schools what would they think it compared to me just taking sat?

so i just took sat and landed in NYU. took 18 credits 1st semester and now im doing 16.

[xxballinboi786]

Originally Posted by hl0m4n

i remember i took the ACT for the first time and thought that shit was a joke lol. im not saying i did well on it the first time but compared to the sat, its just longer and has science questions, etc.

i too was deciding if i should go act or sat route. but when i thought about it my grade is only a 3.4 and if i took act and applied for schools what would they think it compared to me just taking sat?

so i just took sat and landed in NYU. took 18 credits 1st semester and now im doing 16.

very nice man...NYU is a great school...what do you plan on majoring in?? and would you by any chance know the average SAT and GPA for acceptance to NYU?

[hl0m4n]

Originally Posted by xxballinboi786

very nice man...NYU is a great school...what do you plan on majoring in?? and would you by any chance know the average SAT and GPA for acceptance to NYU?

go to your library or book store and buy the princeton review college book. it will display you all the avg scores, tuition, etc needed.

currently i am majoring in business . i would say on avg as long as you have a 3.2+ and a good sat score of 1750+ you have a chance of getting in. anything 3.4+ and 1800+ sat is a major possibility.

but like i said, look in the college book man. lots of info there with everything you need. race %s, commuters, ethnicity %s, etc. its about $50-$60 or you can borrow from library.

will i be seeing you at NYU next year

o and take at least one satII. like i said if your good at math, take it. its pretty easy.

[BMW_E90]

Sat After School Helped Me A Lot

[xxballinboi786]

Originally Posted by hl0m4n

go to your library or book store and buy the princeton review college book. it will display you all the avg scores, tuition, etc needed.

currently i am majoring in business . i would say on avg as long as you have a 3.2+ and a good sat score of 1750+ you have a chance of getting in. anything 3.4+ and 1800+ sat is a major possibility.

but like i said, look in the college book man. lots of info there with everything you need. race %s, commuters, ethnicity %s, etc. its about $50-$60 or you can borrow from library.

will i be seeing you at NYU next year

o and take at least one satII. like i said if your good at math, take it. its pretty easy.

lets hope so man...NYU and UPENN are my top 2 choices...well, make that 2 years, im still a junior

[khafner]

Its been said before in many different ways. If you want the grades you must put in the time. Study. For a test like the SAT I prefer to just keep going over old tests. Finally you'll see the trends. My way of going thru a test is to look up each answer and to also understand why the other answers are wrong. I must of looked for about a year to find one answer. Get enough sleep for the week before. That's like 8 hours a night. Our brains work better and we learn more that way. Don't ever think that you'll ever learn all the new knowledge you need by craming. It never works. degress BS MPH MD

[McLuVan]

Originally Posted by JoeClothing

Sit next to an asian kid

+1