Ten Terrific Tips To A High SAT Score

Waiting to take your first SAT in your senior year is a mistake! But sadly, many students start thinking about this important test in their last year of high school. Preparation is the key to conquering this right-of-passage for college applicants, and it needs to be treated with respect. Delaying the inevitable can add enormous stress to an already taxed final year—full of college searches, career decisions, and graduation. More than that, a good SAT score can have several great benefits, so it should not be put off or trivialized, but made a priority long before a student becomes a senior.

Here are ten tips that can help students prepare for the SAT:

1.) Make the SAT a priority; the right score not only means college entrance, but also could result in substantial scholarships to college.

At many universities, each department offers several full scholarships based on students’ abilities and their SAT scores. Many of these scholarships start with a score of around 1400 (math and verbal). So, make a game plan on how much time you will spend daily or weekly working on practice SAT questions and then stick to it.

2.) Learn the hidden patterns and tricks that the College Board likes to use on their tests.

The SAT has profiles of recurring patterns and hidden strategies in its problems that can be decoded. Students who learn these secrets will usually score higher on their SAT tests. Even smart students can do poorly on this test because they don’t understand how to take it.

3.) Practice only with the SAT prep books that contain real SAT problems.

The prep books that will give students the best SAT results are those books created by the test makers themselves—The College Board. Many of the prep books found in local bookstores are filled with made-up problems that can be irrelevant to the actual test. If students have discovered the patterns of the real SAT, then working other prep book problems may be fruitless.

4.) Start working on the SAT in your ninth grade year.

Starting early will familiarize you with the test and give you time for lots of practice. The later you wait, the less time to improve. Most colleges drop a student’s lowest score and keep the highest one. By getting a jump start on the SAT, this will also help prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT test. As of March 2005, the two tests are now very similar.

5.) Schedule two to three real SAT tests in a row.

Since you should be practicing tests at home before the real test, it makes sense to schedule more than one real test in a row instead of spreading them out over several months. This is easily done since the SAT is offered seven times a year, starting in October and ending in June. Scores can be viewed on The College Board web site in about two weeks following the test.

6.) Read a lot of good classic books.

Reading a lot of classic books over the years will help in several ways. They are usually filled with great vocabulary words that may be found on the SAT. Also, storing up knowledge about these books can come in handy when writing the SAT essay; The College Board seems to like it when you recall famous works. And of course, having a storehouse of great literary works won’t hurt when you interview for college.

7.) Work some logic curriculum.

The SAT is not a test about knowledge; rather, it is a reasoning and logic test. This is why the same test can be administered all over the nation to students with different curriculum backgrounds. By being aware of this, students can prepare early by taking some logic classes that can help them with their critical thinking and reasoning skills.

8.) Practice at home as if you were taking the actual SAT test.

Creating a testing environment at home that mimics the real test environment can help with success on the SAT. Students should take practice tests around 9:00 in the morning with only a five minute break between sections. Pace yourself by keeping a watch or timer nearby and be sure to have several sharpened pencils ready. Use the same calculator you will use on the real test. Since the real test is over three hours long, practicing like this can help your endurance.

9.) Take the required math before your senior year.

Make sure you are up to date on the required math of the SAT. If at all possible, take Algebra 1 and Geometry before eleventh grade. This will cover the math on the PSAT/NMSQT which only counts in your junior year. The new SAT has some Algebra 2 which should be taken as soon as possible.

10.) On test day, be prepared, rested and confident. Remember, your SAT score is not the sole representation of your abilities.

If you have done your “homework,” taking the SAT should not feel like the end of the world. Make sure you rest the day before the test, go to be early, and have all your supplies ready before you wake. Arrive early, take some deep breaths and start in.

If you have prepared for the SAT before your senior year, taking the test should be old hat to you. Remember, everyone else there is taking the same test, so relax. The main difference in scores between you and them can be determined by your preparedness beforehand.

This article is the work of author, Jean Burk. It is the property of Maven of Memory Publishing, and may be reproduced according to the following terms.