Transcript Test Taking Strategies to Improve Your SAT Score

What do you need to know
to get the Best SAT Score
Mrs. Volynskaya
Average SAT for Admission in 2013
for all testers by section:
Overall: 1498; Critical Reading: 496
Mathematics: 514; Writing: 488
What does the test look like?
Section
Content
Number of
Questions
Critical Reading
Extended Reasoning
Literal Comprehension
Vocabulary in Context
Sentence Completions
Total
36-40
4-6
4-6
19
67
Number & Operations
Algebra & Functions
Geometry & Measurement
Data Analysis, Statistics &
Probability
Total
11-14
19-22
14-16
5-8
Essay
Improving Sentences
Identifying Sentence Errors
Improving Paragraphs
Total
1
25
18
6
50
70 minutes
Two 25-minute sections
One 20-minute section
Mathematics
70 minutes
Two 25-minute sections
One 20-minute section
Writing
60 minutes
One 25-minute essay
One 25-minute multiple choice
One 10-minute multiple choice
54
How difficult is the SAT?
• On average, students answer 50 or
60 percent of questions correctly
• 80 percent finish nearly the entire
test
• Almost all students complete at least
75 percent of the questions
SAT
Timing
• Test is 3 hours and 45 minutes of testing time, plus three 5-minute
breaks, for a total of 4 hours to complete the entire test.
• Don’t spend too much time on any one question.
– Spend seconds on the easiest questions
– Hesitate to spend more than 1-2 minutes even on the hardest
questions
• Remember the SAT consists of a series of small, timed, mini-tests.
– Keep track of the time allotted for each one and how much time
remains.
• Wear a watch to the testing center.
Understand the Scoring!
• You get a point for a right answer.
• You lose one-quarter 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.
• Each of the 3 sections is on a 200 to 800
point scale.
Overall Test Tactics
• Learn the section directions now.
• Answer easy questions first.
• Mark skipped questions so you can quickly
locate them.
• Guess….. IF you can eliminate at least one
answer choice.
• Skip any question if you don’t have the
faintest idea about the answer. You
DON’T lose points!
Overall Test Tactics
• Easy questions usually precede hard ones.
• Don’t change an answer unless you’re sure
you made an error.
• Read the words of the question carefully.
Be sure to answer the question asked and
not the question you recall from a practice
test.
Recording Your Answers
• You MAY and SHOULD write in the test booklet.
– 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.
• Make sure you are using a No. 2 pencil.
• Mark only one answer per question.
• Keep checking that you are placing your answer in the
correct section and number on the answer sheet.
Retaking the SAT
• About 55% of juniors taking the test
improved their scores as seniors
• Approximately 35% had score drops
• About 10% had no change in score
• On average, juniors repeating the SAT
as seniors improved their combined
critical reading, mathematics, and
writing scores by approximately 40
points
Using SAT Skills Insight
Sign in for FREE Practice with
www.sat.collegboard.com/practice
Shows which academic skills students can
concentrate on to improve their scores
Using the College Board site to
prepare for the SAT
www.sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-practice-questions
Sample questions for each area of the test as well as a
full length practice test
www.sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-study-plan
Allows you to create a personalized plan to prepare for
the test based on the number of times you’ve previously
taken it and your testing date
Using the College Board site to
prepare for the SAT
www.sat.collegeboard.com/practice/answers-imagined
Helps provide suggestions for how to handle tough SAT
questions
www.sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-question-of-the-day
Sign up for a daily emailed question of the day
Answers will include explanation of the correct answer
Calculator Policy
• Calculators are highly recommended.
• You may NOT share calculators.
• Calculators permitted during testing are:
– Graphing calculators
– Scientific calculators
• Unacceptable calculators
– Models with typewriter keypad, pen-input stylus, or touch-screen
capability
– Models that use paper tape, “talk” or make unusual noises
– Modes that can access the Internet, have cell phone capability, or
have a digital audio/video player or a camera
Mathematics Section
• Contains two types of questions
– Standard multiple choice (44 questions)
– Student-produced response questions
that provide no answer choices (10
questions)
Strategies for the
Mathematics Section
• READ carefully directions ahead of time.
• SAT test does NOT require you to
memorize formulas.
– Commonly used formulas are provided in the
test book at the beginning of each
mathematics section.
– It is up to you to decide which formula is
appropriate for a given problem.
Strategies for the
Mathematics Section
• Read the problem carefully.
– Note key words that tell you what the
problem is asking.
• Ask yourself the following questions
before you solve each problem:
– What is the question asking?
– What do I know?
Strategies for the
Mathematics Section
• With some problems, it may be useful to draw a
sketch or diagram of the given information.
• For multiple choice questions, you may want to
refer to the answer choices before you determine
your answer.
• Eliminate choices with wrong answers
• Make sure your answer is a reasonable answer to
the question asked.
• All figures are drawn to scale unless otherwise
indicated.
Grid-In Guidelines
• Answers are NOT multiple choice
– Written in a grid as numerical values
• All fractions should be expressed as improper
fractions, NOT mixed numbers
• Start the answer in the left-most grid column
• Never forget to fill in the bubbles as well as
writing the number at the top of the grid
• If you have no idea of how to solve the problem,
Always guess on this section
– You are not penalized for a wrong answer in this section
Calculator Tips
• Remember to bring your calculator to the test and be
familiar with how to use the calculator you bring.
• Make sure it is in good working order and contains
fresh batteries.
• Do NOT try to use a calculator on every question.
• Get your thoughts down before using your calculator.
Math Topics on the SAT
•
Numbers and Operations (2025%)
– Arithmetic word problems
• Including percent, ratio
and proportion
– Properties of integers
• Even, odd, prime
numbers, divisibility, etc.
– Rational numbers
– Sets
• Union, intersection,
elements
– Counting techniques
– Sequences and series
(including exponential growth)
– Elementary number theory
•
Algebra and Functions (35-40%)
– Substitution and simplifying
algebraic expressions
– Properties of exponents
– Algebraic word problems
– Solutions of linear equations
and inequalities
– Systems of equations and
inequalities
– Quadratic equations
– Rational and radical
equations
– Equations of lines
– Absolute value
– Direct and inverse variation
– Concepts of algebraic
functions
– Newly defined symbols based
on commonly used operations
•
Math Topics on the SAT
Geometry and Measurement
(25-30%)
– Area and perimeter of a
polygon
– Area and circumference of a
circle
– Volume of a box, cube and
cylinder
– Pythagorean Theorem and
special properties of
isosceles, equilateral, and
right triangles
– Properties of parallel and
perpendicular lines
– Coordinate geometry
– Geometric visualization
– Slope
– Similarity
– Transformations
•
Data Analysis, Statistics, and
Probability (10-15%)
– Data interpretation (tables
and graphs)
– Descriptive statistics (mean,
median and mode)
– Probability
•
•
•
•
Final Preparations
Relax and SLEEP well the night before exam
Eat breakfast
Be aware of traffic and other potential delays
Arrive early to select a seat you are comfortable sitting in for
the test
• Things to take with you to the test
– Admission ticket, acceptable photo ID, number 2 pencils with a
good eraser, calculator with fresh batteries
– Snacks (to eat during breaks), a watch (without an audible alarm),
a backpack or bag (to be kept under the seat), and extra
batteries
• DO NOT BRING
– Any electronic device, scratch paper, notes, books, a dictionary,
compass, protractor, or ruler. NO CELL PHONES!!
– Highlighter or colored pencils; Portable listening device or recording
device; Camera
• If you are easily distracted don’t sit near the door or test
administrator