Monday 25 July 2016

How to maximise your SATs

I scored a 2210 on my SAT subject tests.
Your score may matter a lot (depending on the college/university you have on the wish list) on your merit ranking. My university allotted a 75% weightage to the SAT Scores. That's a lot!
It is important you give it it's due share. Preferably during your holidays.
In this post I recommend a few resources for the tests I gave(math, physics, chemistry) that will hopefully  help you score higher than me!
The higher your passions the more your score. The works man! The works! (usually)

How do I go about the SAT Subject tests?

The SAT's are fun to go about. That's because it is on a different level. So despite your hating math for instance, or the 'not so happy' to look at chemistry, it all swaps.
You can go about math (level 2) from a different angle and still score 800/800.
I Personally found A-level chemistry to be tough, but SAT chemistry, my advice is to go through this first!
Now Chemistry has the highest number of questions between math and physics. But chemistry wont drain you like math might. Choose the tests wisely.
Both my math teacher, and a senior student who scored 2400 , had these books to suggest:
  • Barons,
  • Kaplan
  • And Princeton Review.
According to the senior student, Kaplan has the easiest tests and Barons have the hardiest.
I advice you to study math from Princeton Review(Contains both math I and II). I scored 720 with this book and my other sources tell me an 800 with this book alone has been achieved. (Had I only given it more importance I may have scored more. Don't make the same mistake.)
Now Barons math is tough. Princeton covers it very frankly. It can hardly be called a book of math. You'll be taught tricks to go about it. After all, its just an entry test.
Don't be deceived by the size of this book. They probably made it that way because of the wrong notion students have : "the bigger the book the better."
An estimably 75% of a page is only used.
Math can be finished in one week.
Version 2013-2014 had 2 papers each( level 1, level 2)
Cost is high but definitely worth it!

Buy the latest version of Barons.
I scored 770 in chemistry and 720 in physics. Pity I don't have personal experience to share about other subjects.
Find out from your seniors which books may be most helpful. Be kind enough to share in the comment section so others like you can benefit.
When you choose which ever subject you want to start off with, do it all. Assuming you started physics, after you have read the whole book, go on to practice papers. Don't move to another subject without having done papers. You will forget. If the test is months away Revision will be necessary as well. A chapter a week will do good.

Things are tough when your going through them. When you look back, its a different picture.

What about advice for test day?

Have plenty of sleep. You don't have to panic or rush on the test. A satisfactory preparation will help you avoid so.
Chill!  Your not gonna die. Take some nice chocolates to eat during breaks.
 Time is a greater asset than scoring. You don't have to get every single question right to score full. Skip hard questions for later. If the question is easy but will clearly take time to solve, skip again. You will learn that there are many ways to solve a question. The time consuming good practice way is a no no. The books will help you there.

A lot of people may read this post but not everyone will score high.
Not everyone listens.
Not everyone who listens practices.
Not everyone who practices practices well.
Not everyone who, ok you get the point! (Haha)



1 comment:

  1. some students take only one test per session. Most of take all 3 in one. I advice you toughen up and take all 3 on the same day and if you don't do well on one then you repeat it. This will save your money iA.

    ReplyDelete