How should I start SAT® preparing?

[Sputniksignals]

hello.
i will be taking my sat on the 24th of January.
i've just finished exams, so i wasn't able to start preparing earlier.
BUT OH NO, I ONLY HAVE LIKE A MONTH LEFT.

do you believe that is enough time?
and how should i start preparing?
your help would be greatly appreciated.
thank you!


ALSO, if someone would know of a site where i can post a sat practice essay and have it graded, it would be a huge amount of help. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[Medkid06]

have you taken any practice exams? this will give you a better sense on where you are and how to get where you want to be.

College Board has its own book of tests (8 from what i recall), if you haven't already, take some full tests under testing conditions to figure out your goal score, strengths and weaknesses.

based on that, target either your weak spots or analyze which areas you can improve most efficiently. Since you only have 1 month, you should decide where your time is best spent.

e.g. if your math score is higher than writing, but you are good in math or are confident in it, you may just want to try and max out your math score (esp since you don't have a lot of time)

if you need to boost your critical reading score quickly, try using the Princeton Review's Hit Parade - it has a lot of the common SAT vocab words that are used. For the long term, reading and looking at new vocab will help here.
There are some neat ways to easily remember words here: http://teennotebook.com/2008/03/26/excercises-to-really-learn-vocabulary/

good luck!

[Saumil.shrivastava]

@Sputnik: Now you around 16 days left for the exams....I think the best way to go about is...appear for some practice tests..based upon your performance ...focus on Maths or English (specific topics)...then again appear for tests and evaluate your performance.

You can post your essays and get it graded. link for the same is: http://sat.learnhub.com . Post your essay one of the expert will either mail you or call you to give you feedback. There are more than 6000 students appearing for SAT 2009 are posting their queries, that will also help you.

[Saumil.shrivastava]

For Essays you can do this: sat.learnhub.com/lesson/page/1506-how-to-structure-a-clear-essay

[Johnmarydoe]

For essay, you better check out this one: http://www.academichacker.com/sat-essay/how-to-write-a-12-essay-in-just-10-day-part-1-4/

It's a guaranteed 12 and anyone can do it. The essay portion is the most predictable portion, so it's not about the English level, it's about knowing the way, and THAT is the way. Good luck!

[Peter Tanguay]

First get The college Board's Official SAT study guide has all you need from test taking strategy to 8 sample SAT tests. It is by the people who make the test so you cant get closer to the real thing. Then get the book Answers and Explanations by Peter Tanguay. It gives you the FASTEST way to answer the 8 sample tests in the college board's official SAT study guide. Any book can show you how to answer these questions, this book shows you how to get them the Fastest way. Since the SAT is a timed test this is what you really need.

[Eflect]

Well...since you mention you have a very short time.Reading things and remembering them is going to be a tough ask.How about using some video lectures.They would be very helpful and quick way of learning things.You can find them at this site www.grevocabulary.org

[Tennisstar99]

blue book all the way