June SAT scores are in

[Karenciavo]

My son did OK I guess. We would love to know how to boost his Critical Reading score at least, his math needs improvement and he'll be using the Chalkdust dvd and LOF over the summer for review. Any tips for boost CR?

 

Critical Reading: 600

Math: 590

Writing: 690

[Teachin'Mine]

What's interesting is that my daughter thought the test was much easier than the practice tests she had done, and yet her scores were a bit lower than the practice tests in both the Princeton and others, and the official SAT one. I wonder if the questions were designed to be easier appearing, but more tricky? Did you have a similar experience?

[Karenciavo]

Yes! My son came home and said he thought it was easier, we used Princeton Review.

 

Is it a pipe dream to think he can boast his overall score by 110 pts? He would like to break 2000.

[Teachin'Mine]

Princeton Review is definitely harder than the "official" SAT test book, but she found it even easier than the tests in there.

 

I would think it would be very easy for him to raise his score by that much, or even more. If this was his first time taking it, a lot of the test anxiety should be much less the next time around. He'll also have a better idea of which areas of study to concentrate on. I think the key to improving a score is to keep practicing sample questions and to read the explanation of how to do the problem when they get it wrong (this applies especially to math). My dd had prepared quite a bit for the math subject SAT test, so when this SAT came around a month later, she wasn't willing to put as much time into study. She was more focused on finishing up her classes for the year.

 

My dd had her lowest score in Reading - which I expected. It's mostly due to her vocabulary which also affects the reading comprehension section. Your son would probably benefit from a vocabulary course - like Vocabulary for the College Bound, and/or any of the programs that concentrate on the roots of words. He did awesome on the writing! :)

 

But all of this is just advice and not from experience since she's only taken the test the one time. Hopefully you'll get some real life experiences shared here. :)

[AngieW in Texas]

My dd had about the same total score as your ds the first time she took the SAT back in January, but math was her highest (about 100 points higher than the others) and critical reading and writing were only 20 points apart (reading was the lowest score).

 

I tried working with my dd using the method that was outlined on College Confidential, but my dd wouldn't work with me. I finally gave up and signed her up for an SAT prep class. It cost $500, but they had a 100-point gain guarantee. She ended up boosting her score by 170 points with the class. Writing and reading each went up by 80 points and math went up by 10 points, so all her scores were between 650 and 690.

 

For the math section, I have seen good reviews of using the Khan Academy videos of the math problems from the college board SAT book.

[Luckymama]

OP, did your son use the College Board's "blue book" to study/review? It contains 10 SAT tests.

 

My son followed a modifided "Xiggi method" for prepping as outlined on College Confidential. I had him go through a blue book test, section by section, without paying any attention to time limits. He checked each question he got wrong to determine WHY he gave the wrong answer. When he worked on the blue book tests, he would do 2 or 3 sections per day. He made his way through 5 of the same tests this spring. Prepping by this method ensured that he was intimately familiar with the type and style of questions asked on the various SAT sections. I knew he wouldn't have a problem with the time limits per section so I didn't require him to try timed tests. However, if he had any test anxiety or past issues with not finishing timed tests, I would have insisted.

 

He scored well, above his goal score and generously above the cut-offs for some schools' automatic merit scholarships (should he apply there), so he won't have to take the SAT a second time :)

[Brenda in MA]

Have you had him try the ACT? Some students (including my son) do better on the ACT. We got a practice book from the library and did some sample tests to find out.

 

Brenda

[Pammy]

but would be great to bring it another 70 or so... She is almost at 1900, and if she can get 2100 total I will be doing flips! I told her she can make this her senior year.. she was in between soph/junior due to health issues her freshman year. I mean, she got better scores than I did and I got a full scholarship back in the day!

[SS in MD]

My son did OK I guess. We would love to know how to boost his Critical Reading score at least, his math needs improvement and he'll be using the Chalkdust dvd and LOF over the summer for review. Any tips for boost CR?

 

Critical Reading: 600

Math: 590

Writing: 690

 

Though my dd is an 8th grader, I had her try the SAT in May. I just wanted her to experience a timed test and since it doesn't stay on her record there's no harm.

 

I had her go thru' the College Boards Blue book one month prior, doing 1 section a day and the same checking her answers and reviews what she got wrong.

 

After she came home from the test, she exclaimed the proctor was terrible - the lady put her feet up on the desk (wearing a skirt!), periodically whispered to another woman and stopped the clock 5 minutes early on the math section and subsequently gave them the 5 minutes later!!!! I told dd it's unfortunate that happened but good for her to experience these "up"s & "downs" now and realize even in a controlled environment things are out of our control and you have to keep focused.

 

She got her results end of May and she scored very well! English has always been a strong subject for her so it was no surprise she scored 770 on writing. CR & Math were very respectible, but she has room for improvement. I'm hoping as she matures and reads more literature, current events CR will go up. Also, when I registered online for the SAT test I paid a little extra to receive the Question & Answer service- they send you a copy of the SAT exam along with dc answers, correct answers, and difficulty level. It also included math student-produced responses. I had dd review her answers that she got wrong. She realized on the math student produced answers she knew the right answer but filled in 2 incorrect bubbles... oh well... it's all a learning experience.

The SAT booklet also has 4 different essays (one of them was the one for May). So, she was able to see what the other essays were - I'll keep them for practice in a few years! :)

 

HTHs-

Sangita

dd(14),dd(12),dd(9),ds(6)

[Sharon in SC]

My daughter (rising senior) took the SAT for the first time June 5 with no real prep. Her scores were less than hoped for *but* we knew before she took the test that her math skills are "behind" and she'll use the summer to bring them up to her potential. Our plan is for her to take weekly practice tests (placing study emphasis on what she misses each time) between now and the Oct 9 test. Folks over at the College Confidential board indicate that it is very reasonable that, with this plan, we can hope for an increase of 200+ points.....

[Karenciavo]

My daughter (rising senior) took the SAT for the first time June 5 with no real prep. Her scores were less than hoped for *but* we knew before she took the test that her math skills are "behind" and she'll use the summer to bring them up to her potential. Our plan is for her to take weekly practice tests (placing study emphasis on what she misses each time) between now and the Oct 9 test. Folks over at the College Confidential board indicate that it is very reasonable that, with this plan, we can hope for an increase of 200+ points.....

 

Thanks Sharon. I guess I should check out the College Confidential board.

[Karenciavo]

Have you had him try the ACT? Some students (including my son) do better on the ACT. We got a practice book from the library and did some sample tests to find out.

 

Brenda

 

It crossed my mind today Brenda. :D Seriously. His CR score on the SAT has me :confused: This kid is very well read and can speak and write well about what he's read. His vocabulary is outstanding too, I don't get it. I think he's taking too much time, I don't know.

[Karenciavo]

I tried working with my dd using the method that was outlined on College Confidential, but my dd wouldn't work with me. I finally gave up and signed her up for an SAT prep class. It cost $500, but they had a 100-point gain guarantee. She ended up boosting her score by 170 points with the class. Writing and reading each went up by 80 points and math went up by 10 points, so all her scores were between 650 and 690.

 

Definitely going to check out CC.

Thanks

[Karenciavo]

She got her results end of May and she scored very well! English has always been a strong subject for her so it was no surprise she scored 770 on writing.

That's great!

 

Also, when I registered online for the SAT test I paid a little extra to receive the Question & Answer service- they send you a copy of the SAT exam along with dc answers, correct answers, and difficulty level. It also included math student-produced responses.

 

I did this too. I look forward to seeing all the info.

 

Thank you. :001_smile:

[Karenciavo]

but would be great to bring it another 70 or so... She is almost at 1900, and if she can get 2100 total I will be doing flips! I told her she can make this her senior year.. she was in between soph/junior due to health issues her freshman year. I mean, she got better scores than I did and I got a full scholarship back in the day!

 

What did she do to improve? Anything special?

[Karenciavo]

OP, did your son use the College Board's "blue book" to study/review? It contains 10 SAT tests.

 

My son followed a modifided "Xiggi method" for prepping as outlined on College Confidential. I had him go through a blue book test, section by section, without paying any attention to time limits. He checked each question he got wrong to determine WHY he gave the wrong answer. When he worked on the blue book tests, he would do 2 or 3 sections per day. He made his way through 5 of the same tests this spring. Prepping by this method ensured that he was intimately familiar with the type and style of questions asked on the various SAT sections. I knew he wouldn't have a problem with the time limits per section so I didn't require him to try timed tests. However, if he had any test anxiety or past issues with not finishing timed tests, I would have insisted.

Thanks. We have the Blue Book, but didn't use it. I am definitely not the best guidance counselor :tongue_smilie: :sigh:

 

He scored well, above his goal score and generously above the cut-offs for some schools' automatic merit scholarships (should he apply there), so he won't have to take the SAT a second time :)

Fantastic!

[Karenciavo]

I would think it would be very easy for him to raise his score by that much' date=' or even more. If this was his first time taking it, a lot of the test anxiety should be much less the next time around. He'll also have a better idea of which areas of study to concentrate on. I think the key to improving a score is to keep practicing sample questions and to read the explanation of how to do the problem when they get it wrong (this applies especially to math). [/quote']

 

Thanks, this is good advice. I'm hoping now that he know what to expect that he'll do better in Oct.

[Sharon in SC]

My daughter also took the ACT (scores due in next week). We'll see if she's one of those kids that performs better on one of these tests than the other.....

[Pammy]

She used the SAT Math Review guide for Math and the IEW SAT DVD's for Essay writing. Her writing score was almost 700. Not bad for first time I guess. We will be using the Chalkdust Math SAT Prep CD's next. FUN!

[Brenda in MA]

It crossed my mind today Brenda. :D Seriously. His CR score on the SAT has me :confused: This kid is very well read and can speak and write well about what he's read. His vocabulary is outstanding too, I don't get it. I think he's taking too much time, I don't know.

 

For my son, I think the issue with the SAT is that so many of the questions have very subtle logic questions worked into them. This includes the verbal questions as well as the math questions. My son that did better (much better) with the ACT is a very literal thinker. Even though he knew the content very well, he missed the subtleties of some of the questions.

 

I just spent some time with a prep book for the American History SAT2 in trying to figure out a testing strategy for my younger guy, and I was quite distressed to see these subtle logic problems in that exam as well. I think my younger guy will do better with these types of questions, but sheesh, so much for testing what the student has actually learned!

 

I also think that these types of questions are why prepping for the SAT can help improve scores so much -- if you've done enough SAT questions and really studied the ones you missed, you get familiar with how the questions are structured to trip up a student who just looks at the questions in a black & white manner.

 

Best wishes to you and your student,

Brenda

[Luckymama]

I also think that these types of questions are why prepping for the SAT can help improve scores so much -- if you've done enough SAT questions and really studied the ones you missed, you get familiar with how the questions are structured to trip up a student who just looks at the questions in a black & white manner.

 

 

:iagree:Exactly! It's not that the content of all the questions is so difficult, it's that the wording and format can be tricky.

 

I also believe in taking a "practice" PSAT sophomore year (or even freshman year) to familiarize oneself with the test before it really counts, especially for the kids who might be close to hitting the National Merit cutoffs.