sat test prep
TRANSCRIPT
SAT P
REP COURSE
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WHAT
IS T
HE SAT
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WHAT IS THE SAT?
The SAT Reasoning Test (formerly Scholastic Aptitude Test and Scholastic Assessment Test) is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a not-for-profit organization in the United States. It was formerly developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service[1] which still administers the exam. The test is intended to assess a student's readiness for college. It was first introduced in 1901, and its name and scoring have changed several times.
The current SAT Reasoning Test, introduced in 2005, takes three hours and forty-five minutes, and costs $47 ($75 International), excluding late fees.[2] Possible scores range from 600 to 2400, combining test results from three 800-point sections (math, critical reading, and writing).
WHEN DO I TAKE THE SAT?
The SAT is offered seven times a year in the United States; in October, November, December, January, March (or April, alternating), May, and June. The test is typically offered on the first Saturday of the month for the November, December, May, and June administrations.
Candidates may either take the SAT Reasoning Test or up to three SAT Subject Tests on any given test date, except the first spring test date, when only the SAT Reasoning Test is offered. Candidates wishing to take the test may register online at the College Board's website, by mail, or by telephone, at least three weeks before the test date.
TEST DATES – SATURDAYS
Oct / Nov / Dec / Jan / April / May / June
MOST STUDENTS – May of Junior Year
Oct / Nov of Senior Year
RECOMMENDED - Nov / Dec of Junior Year
May / June of Junior Year
SAT – TEST DATES
SAT VS ACT COMPARISON CART
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WHY
TAKE T
HE SAT
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TO
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ON
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1.Make up for a low GPA2.Win scholarships3.Get accepted to better colleges4.Go through college faster5.Get a job!
TOP FIVE REASONS
SAT Writing25 minutes – Essay
25 minutes - 35 questions (improving sentences and paragraphs, identifiying sentence errors)
10 minutes - 14 questions (improving sentences)
SAT TIME BREAKDOWN
SAT Critical Reading25 minutes - 24 questions (sentence completion, short and reading comprehension)25 minutes - 24 questions (sentence completion, short and reading comprehension)20 minutes - 19 questions (sentence completion, long reading comprehension)
SAT TIME BREAKDOWN
SAT Math25 minutes - 20 questions (multiple choice)25 minutes - 18 questions (multiple choice, grid-in)20 minutes - 16 questions (multiple choice)
SAT TIME BREAKDOWN
Average scores are calculated annually based on the most recent SAT scores of all students of a particular graduating class.
For the class of 2010, average scores are: Critical reading: 501Mathematics: 516Writing: 492
SAT – GENERAL SCORE INFORMATION
1. Review the “This is Your SAT” brochure2. Create an account on collegeboard.com3. Email your instructor and notify him of the date you plan to take the SAT
To register for the SAT – you need to create an account at www.collegeboard.com
ASSIGNMENT 1
Identify three colleges you are interested in attending. Research these colleges on the collegeboard.com website or other sites and identify their average SAT scores for the latest year published.
Email these scores to your instructor.
ASSIGNMENT 2
OVERALL TEST TAKING STRATEGIES
OVERALL TEST TACTICS:
Learn the section directions now. Use the time saved during the test to work on questions.
Answer easy questions first. Mark skipped questions in your exam book so you can quickly return to them later.
Guess...if you can eliminate at least one choice.
You can write in the test book: cross out wrong answers; do scratch work.
Take care when filling in the answer grid for the student-produced response questions.
Avoid stray marks on the answer sheet. A machine scores your test and can't distinguish between a correct answer and a careless doodle.
OVERALL TEST TAKING STRATEGIES CONTINUEDEasy questions usually precede hard ones.
Mark only one answer per question.
Skip any question if you haven't the faintest idea about the answer. You don't lose points.
Understand the scoring! You get a point for a right answer. You lose a fractional point for a wrong answer. There is no deduction for omitted answers, or for wrong answers in the math section's student-produced response questions.
Keep checking that you are placing your answer in the correct section and number on the answer sheet.
OVERALL TEST TAKING STRATEGIES TIME MANAGEMENTDon't spend too much time on any one question.
You should spend only seconds on the easiest questions, and hesitate to spend more than 1-2 minutes on even the hardest ones.
Remember that the SAT consists of a series of small, timed, mini-tests. Keep track of the time you're allotted for each one and how much time remains.
Bring a watch to the test center. You can't be guaranteed that there'll be a working clock there.
OVERALL TEST TAKING STRATEGIESBE PREPARED!
Don't change an answer unless you're sure you made an error.
Read the words in the question carefully. Be sure to answer the question asked and not the question you recall from a practice test.
Know the Question Types to Expect on the SAT I: * 19 sentence completion * 40 reading comprehension * 35 math multiple-choices * 10 student-produced responses
SAT ANSWER SHEET
ASSIGNMENT 3
Refer to the sample SAT answer sheet from Rcampus and take Quiz 1 regarding the answer sheet
ASSIGNMENT 4
During this course you will select 1 novel and 2 movies created from novels to read/watch. Literature analysis forms will be due in week 3, 6 and 8. Review the list on the Rcampus course website and choose the novel and 2 movies you intend to watch. Email these selections to your instructor.
WHEN TO GUESSCorrect = 1 pt
Omitted = 0 pt Wrong = Negative Pts
Guess when you can positively eliminate 1 answer
Exception: -- Math Quantitative Comparison -- Grid-In-- GUESS: No penalty for wrong answers
SAT – GUESSING STRATEGIES
10 questions / 5 answer choices ( - ¼ for wrong answers)
JOHN
6 right + 6
4 wrong - 1
Score + 5
SARAH
6 right + 6
4 omitted 0
Score + 6
SAT – GUESSING SAMPLE
Questions in each section begin with the easiest and get harder (except critical reading)
• Know where the easy questions are, and do them first.
• Know where the hard questions are, and consider omitting them. If a hard question looks easy, your answer is probably wrong.
• Generally, students who answer 50% of the questions right will have an average SAT score,
1000
SAT – PACING STRATEGIES
Know the answer sheet(especially the “grid-in” section)
SAT – ANSWER SHEET STRATEGIES
Memorize thetest directions
SAT – TEST DIRECTIONS STRATEGIES
• Make up a sentence that shows the relationship between the two words:
CRUMB:BREAD:: (A) ounce : unit(B) splinter : wood(C) water : bucket(D) twine : rope(E) cream : butter
SAT – ANALOGY STRATEGIES
• Make up a sentence that shows the relationship between the two words:
CRUMB:BREAD:: (A) ounce : unit(B) splinter : wood(C) water : bucket(D) twine : rope(E) cream : butter
“A crumb is a small piece of bread”
Correct answer: B – A splinter is a small piece of wood.
SAT – ANALOGY STRATEGIES
• Read all answer choices
• Be careful that your sentence isn’t too general
“A crack is a sound made by a whip.”
CRACK:WHIP::
(A) music : guitar(B) murmur : crowd(C handle : spoon(D) slam : door(D) trickle : water
New sentence:
“A crack is a sudden, sharp noise made by a whip.”
SAT – ANALOGY STRATEGIES
• Always compare the relationship between the pair capitalized words with the relationship between the two words in the answer choices.
CLAY : POTTER(A) stone : sculptor(B) machines : mechanic(C hems : tailor(D) bricks : architect(E) chalk : teacher
• Think about the precise meaning of the words.
• Remember, words can have more than one meaning.
• Consider each of the five answer choices.
• QUESTIONS GET HARDER / DO NOT GUESS
SAT – ANALOGY STRATEGIES
At a recent press conference, the usually reserved biochemist was unexpectedly _____ in addressing the ethical questions posed by her work.(A) correct(B) forthright(C) inarticulate(D) retentive(E) cautious
Because King Phillip’s desire to make Spain the dominant power in sixteenth-century Europe ran counter to Queen Elizabeth’s insistence on autonomy for England, _____ was _____.(F) reconciliation .. assured(G) warfare .. avoidable(H) ruination .. impossible(I) conflict .. inevitable(J) compromise .. simple
SAT – SENTENCE COMPLETION STRATEGIES
Read the sentence carefully
Pay attention to the precise meaningful of words
Look for the logic of the sentence
Be careful of words that change the logic of the sentence:although / but / however / usually / if / but
Two blanks – be sure each word is correct
Two blanks – try answering one blank at a time
Consider all answer choices
After choosing an answer, check it by reading the entire answer to yourself
QUESTIONS GET HARDER / DO NOT GUESS
SAT – SENTENCE COMPLETION STRATEGIES
Passages are from 400 – 850 words
College-level reading
Some selections include a pair of passages
Types of questions: Meaning of a word in context Demonstrate understanding of significant information Identify cause and effect Relate parts of the passage to each other or the whole Make inferences Recognize implications Follow the logic of an argument Recognize the consistency or inconsistency of an
argument Compare or contrast two related passages
SAT – CRITICAL READING STRATEGIES
Read each passage thoughtfully
Don’t spend too much time taking notes as you read
Consider reading the questions before the passage
Answer questions based on the passage (not on your knowledge of the subject)
Read all answer choices:
Answer choices may include true statements that don’t answer the question
Some answers may only be partially correct
QUESTIONS NOT SEQUENCED BY DIFFICULTY
DO NOT QUESS
SAT – CRITICAL READING STRATEGIES
Content Arithmetic Algebra Geometry (no proofs)
Formulas are provided
Bring a calculator (and a backup)
QUESTIONS GET HARDER
GUESSING: Multiple Choice – NO
Quantitative Comparison – YES
“Grid-In” - YES
SAT – MATH, GENERAL STRATEGIES
Read all answer choices
The correct answer may be written in a variety of formats:
½ or 0.5 or 3/6
If a diagram is given, use it
Information may be given which is not required to answer the question.
SAT – MATH, MULTIPLE CHOICE STRATEGIES
Memorize the answer choices
Understand the layout
Variables could stand for negative numbers, zero, fractions, etc.
HARDER AS YOU GO
GUESS – NO PENALTY
Column A Column B
1
2
3
3m 5m
The number of positive
divisors of 21
The number of positive
divisors of 12
0 < a < b < 1
a3 b3
A if the quantity in Column A is greater
B if the quantity in Column B is great
C if the two quantities are the same
D if the relationship cannot be determined
SAT – MATH, QUANTITATIVE COMPARISON STRATEGIES
No negative answers
No answers greater than 9,999
Write your answer in the boxes above the grid
Always begin at the same point – left or right
Must grid percents as decimals or fractions
25% becomes .25 or ¼
No mixed numbers. 2 ½ becomes 5/2 or 2.5
Do not use a leading zero. 0.44 is less accurate than 0.444
Fractions do not have to be reduced unless they don’t fit on the grid
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SAT – MATH, “GRID-IN” STRATEGIES
The Night Before Get a good night sleep
Lay out your identification, test admission ticket, pencils, and calculator
The Morning Of Don’t be rushed
Have a good breakfast
Leave plenty of time to get to the test center and find your test room
SAT – BEFORE THE TEST
Taken by: College Bound Juniors & Sophomores preparing for the NMSC
PSAT Test DatesYear Tuesday Saturday2002 Oct 15 Oct 19
Cost = $9.00 The state will pay for either the PSAT or PLAN for every junior
Same as SAT without equating section
PSAT results interpretation projected SAT scores guessing and pacing strategies difficulty with one type of question concept of college “match”
PSAT – GENERAL INFORMATION
ACTBASICS
FORMATfour sections / 3 hours
ENGLISH75 questions / 45 minutes
MATH60 questions / 60 minutes
READING40 questions / 35 minutes
SCIENCE REASONING40 questions / 35 minutes
ACT NOTES
• Accepted by all Indiana colleges
• No negative points for wrong answers,
students should guess
• Scores range from 1 – 36Average score – 21 (1998)
• Middle 50% of Freshmen- Indiana State 17 - 23- Indiana Univ 21 - 27- DePauw Univ 25 - 29
TEST DATES: Oct, Dec, Feb, Apr, June
ACT - FORMAT
Given to: All 10th graders
Guidance Use: Career Interest Assessment
Student Needs Assessment
Scores: Not adjusted for guessing
Test Dates: Anytime during a two-month window as convenient for the school
Instructional Use: Interpretive reports link results with curricular content
Cost: $ 8.00
PLAN (PRE-ACT)