While Memorial Day picnics beckon us, so does that all-important SAT test – June 1st – cross our radar. June 1st is the last day that students can sit for the SAT this spring, and many high school sophomores and juniors are doing just that. But sophomores and juniors, you can breathe easy. Listen, while an expert shares with you some tips that may drastically cut your prep time in half.
I. Critical Reading · Half the battle in choosing the right answer is knowing how to eliminate the poor answers. These “clunker” answers often sound off-topic, or do not satisfy the text “100%.” (The SAT only looks for answers that fit all conditions of the passage.)
· Practice a zig-zag reading style to switch between the reading passage and the questions. · Don’t get stuck in difficult passages by over-spending time to analyze the text. Instead, learn to skim the passage quickly, then go immediately to the questions for cues.
· If you don’t know the answer right away, move quickly on to the next question; this is what the most successful test-takers do; circle back at the end.
· Guessing is key: Once you can eliminate two answers, then guess; it takes some confidence to do this, but with practice you will be adroit at guessing.
II. Sentence fill-ins: · By now, you should have been reading a handy vocabulary builder such as Hot Words for SAT by Carnevale, or checking online games like Quizlet or Free Rice. (If you haven’t tried these resources, make sure to check them out over the summer.)
· Remember that fill-in questions get progressively harder, so if you don’t get the last two in each section, don’t worry.
· For two-word fill-ins – try identifying one word first, then logically matching the second one as best as you can. It’s more logic than vocabulary skill.
Oh, have I forgotten the math SAT section? Not a chance. Students can still learn to cut their math prep time in half. Just stay tuned for my next blog.
Theresa Michna, M.A. has worked with over 200 students in their SAT/ACT/GRE test prep. She is a former Adjunct at Pace University and Manhattanville College, and and has helped students achieve success on their scores. She holds a B.A. from Cornell University, M.A. from Indiana University, and Cambridge University (CELTA) in E.S.L. Visit her at www.TheresaMichna.com
