Getting Started on Your SAT Study Plan: 5 Preliminary Steps
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May 16, 2017 · Public high schools are often judged on their ACT/SAT scores, and even the smallest dip can lower a school’s credibility, or worse, funding. If you’re tasked (like I once was) with creating an ACT (or SAT) preparation course from scratch, it probably feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. But there is hope. Let’s get ...
Aug 18, 2017 · Step 1: Set a Target Score. First and foremost, you'll need to set an SAT goal score. A goal score is the score most likely to get you into all of the schools you’re applying to. To get your goal score, you must find the 25th and 75th percentile SAT scores for each of your schools (excluding any safety schools ).
Jun 17, 2010 · A good preparation method is to consider how much time will be devoted to each section during the week, then choose exercises and materials for this time. These may be practice questions, discussions about common SAT topics, practice essay prompts, vocabulary drills or math questions.
Nov 10, 2016 · Establish a timeline. Before you can effectively plan your study time, you need to know exactly how much of it is available. If you’ve got a year until the test, you’ll study differently than if you’re taking the test in two months. Know your test date and time frame.
Study outside the box. Mix up your SAT prep with some general skill building. Read and summarize long articles and scientific studies to prepare for the Reading Test. Read editorial articles or essays and pay attention to how the writer constructs his or her argument to prepare for the optional essay.
The test comprises three parts: Math, which contains multiple-choice and gird-ins; Critical Reading, which contains sentence completions and reading comprehension; and Writing, which includes identifying sentence ...
In 2012, more than 1.5 million students took the SAT; of these, only 360 obtained the highly desired perfect 2400 score. Of course, teachers can’t guarantee that an SAT prep course will lead students to reach this perfect score.
Before you can effectively plan your study time, you need to know exactly how much of it is available. If you’ve got a year until the test, you’ll study differently than if you’re taking the test in two months. Know your test date and time frame.
It’s hard to study for a test you aren’t familiar with, so take this opportunity to open up the test and explore. Figure out the logistics (time requirements, tools you’re allowed to have, etc.) and learn how the test is portioned out. Also note new changes to the SAT’s format, such as the elimination of the guessing penalty.
After you’ve taken a practice SAT, you should be able to identify areas of possible weakness. You’ll be able to see where you score well too, which tells you where to focus less of your efforts. Take a practice test a few times to make sure your results are accurate and consistent — then, start studying.
After you’ve taken a practice test, it can be helpful to meet with an SAT tutor to review the questions you got wrong and areas you continue to struggle with. A tutor can help clarify why you may be answering these incorrectly and shed light on the spots that are tripping you up.
It will be important that you track your progress as you continue to prep for the SAT. A great way to do this is not only by taking the practice tests, but by monitoring your scores each time as well. Are you consistent in subject areas of strength and weakness? Are your scores getting better?
Confident students tend to do better on tests, and this is especially true for long exams like the SAT. If you approach the test with confidence, your score could show it! To build yourself up, come prepared. By following an SAT prep plan, you’ll approach the exam with the knowledge and skills necessary to get the score you hope for.
An important part of preparing for the SAT is learning the best strategies to approach the test. This includes learning how to best eliminate answers, guess when you need to, manage your time, and additional section-specific tips.
If you’re totally unfamiliar with the SAT, I would advise picking a date at least three months in advance if possible. If you have to work on a compressed timeline because of application deadlines, you can do that too!
The SAT is out of 1600 points distributed into two chunks: 800 points for the Math section, and 800 points for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (made up of a Reading test and a Writing test). The lowest possible score is 400 points (200 on each section).
A good tutor is truly invaluable. They’ll help you make a study plan, identify your weaknesses, explain concepts you’re shaky on, and help you come up with an SAT strategy that works best for you. From a high-quality tutoring professional, tutoring both provides you with an expert to guide you and takes the guesswork out of creating a study plan.
This is great if you have a good idea of exactly what you need to work on, because you can easily tailor your studying program to your own needs.
SAT prep courses can be completed in under a day if you select a quick-prep course, but others may take up to a year to complete. It’s important to consider your own schedule and needs when searching for a course — many offer the opportunity to work at your own pace if you have a busy schedule.
Khan Academy offers free SAT prep courses, as well as a broad range of practice tests. The site personalizes courses based on student needs. Its courses are interactive and adapt to an array of learning styles with features such as videos, test-taking tips, and on-demand lessons.
Its courses are meant to detect the strengths and weaknesses of every student while providing them with customized learning plans that help them gain confidence and skill in weaker areas. Practice tests are designed to simulate the real SAT, which helps you know what to expect when you take the actual test.
Higher Scores Test Prep helps students by providing a clear study plan as soon as they register for their course. These plans are designed to suit your unique learning needs and style, even if you have a learning disability. They include customizable subject-level strategies, as well as access to a test prep expert who provides one-on-one support for students in any areas they need. Video courses are available on-demand and are accompanied by access to personalized support. Higher Scores Test Prep’s SAT Quick Prep course can help you prepare for your SAT in as little as four hours while the SAT Complete Package offers a more comprehensive course plan that you can take as long as a year to complete.
The Princeton Review’s SAT 1400+ course guarantees a minimum score of 1,400 for those who successfully complete the program. For students who enroll in the SAT 1500+ tutoring program, The Princeton Review guarantees a 99th percentile SAT score. In-person, on-demand online, and live online courses.
College Prep Genius offers a wide range of learning offers for its students. That includes online courses, which students have one year to complete, as well as live virtual and in-person boot camps for those looking to improve their scores as quickly as possible. Both the online courses and boot camps include a complete webinar library, journal for success, eReader templates, notebook video, and checklist for success. These courses focus on helping students prepare themselves mentally for testing and identifying the areas in which they need the most improvement. Practice tests are administered regularly. Tutoring is available if you require additional support, and the company offers a money-back guarantee. They also offer a sample class of reading, writing, and math on their site that you can check out before making a purchase. College Prep Genius was voted the top SAT prep class by BestSchools.org.
The Princeton Review has been helping students improve their SAT scores for more than 35 years. Its online courses are specifically designed for students who seek to work independently. Its courses focus on the reasons that students typically score poorly on SATs, including inefficient problem-solving and poor studying techniques. In these courses, students learn the best methods for studying and the most efficient ways to answer test questions. Delivery options include live instruction, and there’s a money-back guarantee if your score doesn’t improve. The Princeton Review’s SAT 1400+ course guarantees a minimum score of 1,400 for those who successfully complete the program. For students who enroll in the SAT 1500+ tutoring program, The Princeton Review guarantees a 99th percentile SAT score.
SAT prep courses are a great way to learn new material and refresh yourself on old material. Some factors to consider might be your budget, learning style, and self-discipline. SAT prep courses will help identify strengths and weaknesses, simulate the actual test, and provide a study plan.
SAT prep courses will help students become more comfortable taking the SAT by offering strategies and test taking tips. The more comfortable a student is with the material and concepts, the better the student will do when taking the SAT. Determining your best approach to preparing for the SAT can be tough.
Many colleges require the SAT for admissions. The SAT is challenging and high scores are vital. Your SAT score is a factor not just for admissions but can also influence the amount of funding you’ll receive. Many undergraduate programs also use SAT scores to determine scholarships and academic financial aid.
Budget – SAT prep courses can get expensive . If money is tight, consider our best value recommendation, or self-study with SAT prep books. Learning style – if you have a history of successfully studying with books, a self-study approach with a good SAT prep book may be your best plan.
Prep Expert is our choice for most comprehensive SAT prep course. Every instructor teaching an SAT prep course with Prep Expert has scored in the top 1% of the SAT – you know you are getting the best of the best in terms of instructors.
Magoosh offers one of the most affordable SAT prep courses available on the market. Their courses range from $100-$129 with the biggest difference being the amount of time student get access to the course.
Magoosh SAT offers a free 7-day trial (with a no questions asked refund policy) and a course that can be canceled at any time, for any reason. There are a couple of different options for students looking for SAT test prep courses – the best offer is the 12-month course for $129.