SAT Help: Tricks of the Trade
Stumped on yesterday’s SAT word of the day: Taciturn?
Well don’t get all Taciturn on us and start freaking out. Here’s is your first SAT Help tutorial.
To start, here’s Taciturn’s definition: 1. inclined to silence; reserved in speech; uncommunicative. 2. dour, stern, and silent in expression and manner. Synonyms: reticent, quiet
Today we’ll cover some general test taking techniques that ring true for both verbal and math.
Tomorrow, we’ll look at specific strategies for each section.
Practice, Practice, Practice
The first thing to do is to get your hands on some sample SAT tests, so you know what you are up against. Although the questions on the test change, the logic you need to use is the same, so you can prepare yourself with strategies for how to answer the questions. You can get free copies of practice tests from your high school college counselor or from the SAT website.
Guesstimate
Even though you are penalized for wrong answers, If you can eliminate even one of the choices…then guess. Statistically speaking, this will work in your favour. (Don’t worry you don’t need to know why—there are no stat questions on the SAT test!)
On the math “fill in your own answer” questions, you will not lose points for wrong answers. So guess to your heart’s content.
Don’t be Fooled
Within each section, the questions go from easier to harder. Here’s a little trick: At the beginning of each section, the answer that seems obviously right—most probably is. As you move on through the question, the one that seems obviously right, probably isn’t—since the later questions try to trick you.
Party of 5
To save time, don’t transfer your answers to the answer sheet after each question. Going back and forth between the question booklet and the answer sheet is a time killer. Instead, circle five answers in your test book and then bubble in those answers in one shot.
Skip It
If you really don’t know the answer, skip it! No use wasting 10 minutes on a question that doesn’t count for more than the others. You may have gotten the next 5 right. So fill in what you know and then come back to the harder ones at the end, if you have extra time.
For more SAT help check out our blogs on the difference between SAT and ACT and general info on the SAT test.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 13th, 2008 at 1:40 pm and is filed under SAT and ACT. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
March 31st, 2009 at 2:18 pm
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