Thread: SATs and college...

I would buy an SAT prep book(they're around $20) and take the practice test under realistic conditions. They often include computerized practice exercises, either with a computer or online. Once you have taken a couple practice tests (under timed, realistic conditions), see whether you are happy with your performance and move on from there.

Also, some do better on the ACT test, so you might consider taking that in addition. Many colleges will accept the higher of the two scores.

As for "how important is my score", that all depends on the college. You'll need to research them individually.

A lot of schools use a minimum-score-based entry that uses a combination of your GPA and your SAT score. California State Universities, for example, require anyone with a GPA of 3.0 to score at least 500 on the SAT. This is a very low score, given that the total possible is 1600.

If you are worried about what score you need to get, look into the Schools selection process. If you are going to a more selective university - Harvard, Brown, Dartmouth, any of the big names - your SAT is going to be much more important, as is your GPA. It really just depends on where you go. You can take PSAT (pre-SAT) test to determine where you stand. It's an aptitude test, so you really don't need to study, but some people recommend that you do a short course or purchase some material to get you used to that style of testing.

There are also some rules that may help you - it is better to leave an answer blank because your score is the total you got right minus a percentage of those you marked wrong. You will lose points for marking an incorrect answer, versus not marking one at all. Always go with your first answer, never go back and change something. There are a lot of those types of hints, and strategies for getting familiar with the SAT.

The selection process is almost always based on a combination of GPA and SAT, ACT, GMAT, MAT, or any other standardized test, depending on the program you are entering. Most programs publish their requirements. If you are worried about it, look into it. Also, you can take the test more than once, so don't worry too much.

There are a lot of organizations that help students prepare for the SATs. As with anything, some of them are over-emphasized profit-centers. When it comes to standardized testing, some people have it, and some just don't. It's not necessarily a matter of intelligence, and a lot of univesities realize that.

Your best bet is always to know what you are up against, and then do your best to prepare yourself. Do your research about the universities, and then see how you can be ready.

Joe

Has anyone else had success with the SAT prep game at [url="http://www.testprepugames.com"]www.testprepugames.com[/url]? I colleague recommended it – just seeing if anyone else heard good things about it.

Originally Posted by pdub87

I'm getting ready to take the SAT and apply to colleges. How important is the SAT when it comes to getting in where you want to go and getting scholarships? I'm in the top quarter of my class right now but I don't usually do well on standardized tests so I'm a little worried.

What are some good methods to prepare? And which test prep companies are better suited to the test? I'd be comfortable with either online or in person courses, so any recommendations would be great. I'm going to start doing some research on mine own too, so I'll post up what I can find.

I can't understand the system (I'm not from USA)- is there anything which can replace SAT - for example, Matura?

Originally Posted by Neli

I can't understand the system (I'm not from USA)- is there anything which can replace SAT - for example, Matura?

I think that they would still have to take a SAT unless they are already enrolled as a college student for a semester back home (but I may have understood it wrong, maybe it is something about the GRE test).
It is difficult or impossible to substitute *OUR* Matura to SAT (I don't know about Matura in Bulgaria). We have both Matura and the college entrance exam.

Matura says that you graduated from high school successfully, while college entrance test may be taken whenever in the life you want. We take only the subject tests for the desired college track. For example, if tomorrow I started to study geography from the new HS textbooks, I could take a college entrance test for geography college in June and if I am lucky enroll in geography college for another Bachelor degree (although I got my Matura back in 1992).

My Matura was just a term paper that I composed from biology literature, typed it, and answered orally to our teacher's questions. My theme was on birds of our city (I listed the species and families), one of my classmates wrote about a pituitary gland, one about differences in frog and human heart, and the fourth one had a text about cacti.

It was almost silly how it was simple - but we all chose the subject where we already passed several courses with As or Bs (most of my other classmates took geography and a few took physics).

But then I had to sit down for two months and learn everything from the 6 biology textbooks we had during high school in order to pass the college entrance test in biology. That was really tough, but it prepared me for college-level biology (and for taking the exams in that subject). I did very well, I was (I think) 10th out of 120 accepted.

I wish we had to pass chemistry at the entrance exam as well, as once the freshmen year started I didn't have time to remedy my low knowledge (had some problems with HS teacher's competence).

Zheljko, what you said is important.
It's difficult to explain the Bulgarian system right now, as we have a recent reform about Matura.
Previously, we had compulsory Matura held on definite conditions and excellent students didn't sit for it. Now, we have compulsory - including 2 tests in 2 subjects-for all students and voluntary as well. If they don't pass the compulsory ones, they can't graduate from the secondary education.

As universities are autonomic, they may or may not recognize them as entry results. It depends on the rating.

Preparation for the SAT should begin early. I know many students don't start taking the practice tests until it's the month before the last test of the year. I recommend taking the first test as a junior, if possible, and continuing on to meet a realistic goal. You should purchase a preparation book but don't forget that there are great free resources online also. Some sites offer a free practice question each day and others are more expansive.

As far as leaving an answer blank or guessing on the SAT, here is what we teach and the reason why. For every one answer you get wrong, the College Board subtracts 1/4 the number of answer points. Therefore, if you can eliminate one or more answer choices, then you should make an educated guess. By the law of averages, if you guess, you'll come out even if you have no idea of the answer but have eliminated one answer choice. If you can eliminate more than one answer choice, you'll be stacking the odds of being right in your favor. All the SAT prep books (I teach SAT prep) say the same thing here, if they address the question at all.

I know when my children were in school, they offered a day long seminar on how to take the SAT. My son took this and came through with a very good score but this was only after he barely passed it the first time. I would recommend some sort of training on how to take the test. Yes, institutions do look at these scores.