SATS...

[Ravens1991]

I will be taking the SAT for the first time tommorow, does anybody have any suggestions for taking them?

[familyguy555]

get good sleep before.

[MetSox17]

Don't drink the night before.

And take the ACT instead if your school doesn't require the SAT

[skinzzfan25]

I'm taking them tomorrow as well, first time.

[thefalconer]

gahh.. hate the sats. i took it once prior and am taking it in june as well.

some specific tips:
1) dont think you have enough time for the essay. dont waste a second.
2) since its in the morning you might make some careless bubbling errors if you arent careful. so be vigilant of that.
3) bring snacks and take the breaks to go take a leak.
4) if you finish a section early, dont nap. if you fall into deep sleep you're screwed. it has happened before, not to me thank god.

[Crickett]

Wish I could help. Its a different test now than when I took it. :(

[awfullyquiet]

i will be willing to sit in and take your test. one dollar per point.

[draftguru151]

Steal CGF's brain.

[RoyHall#1]

You just have to stay focused the whole time. Hard as hell.

I don't have much advice, just wanted to post so I could brag about my 30 on the ACT :D

[scottyboy]

i am not looking forward to this tomorrow morning. ugggh not gonna be fun. BUT, if I can manage around a 1300(out of 2400) I'd be above Rutgers' average last year, enroll early in August, hopefully get in, and not take them again! YAY!!!! but thats only if I do well...

[UKfan]

Good luck folks, as with any test, try and get some good sleep night before. Always best thing I found before an exam.

[Brent]

I never understood why they would always start at like 7 am or whatever it was.

[fischbowl]

It was like 8 hours long. Expect to be there into the afternoon.

I got a 1350 out of 1600 and a 2070 out of 2400

[Ravens1991]

yea I plan to bring a couple of pencils and extra batteries for my calculator just in case. Also my teacher said if you dont know a question dont answer it, it wont count against you. But it doesnt mean you can answer one question, leave the rest blank and get 100%.

[abaddon41_80]

I stayed home from school the day before, under the guise that I was studying, and played Madden

[thetedginnshow]

Sleep a lot and eat a lot before you go. When I got there, about an hour in I was dozing off and I was starving like crazy. That and I can't concentrate at all so I was counting those holes in the ceiling. But yeah. Eat and sleep. A lot.

[TitleTown088]

I'm from the midswest, we're too stupid for the SATs... We only require the ACT.

[Ravens1991]

what is the difference between SAT and ACT, do most colleges require both?

[skinzzfan25]

ACT is more science and math oriented.

And it depends on the college you want to get into, but most require the SAT.

[Ravens1991]

yea I know from what I look at they say the average SAT and ACT scores.

[tjsunstein]

I got bored with it after the first two sections. Really didnt know what to expect the first time going in. Take it twice!! No matter how much you prep you wont be prepared the first time. Take it again and your guaranteed to get higher.

[ny10804]

Kinda late for my best advice (which would have been to get the College Board's study guide and take all the practice test).

Bring a watch so you know your time.

If you kinda know how to do a problem, but know it'll take a long time to do it, skip it and come back to it when you're finished with everything else, because its not worth it to waste time (this applies especially to the math sections).

Cross out answers you know for sure are wrong.

For the fill in the blank portions of reading and the find/fix the error problems for writing, stick with your first intuition, and then quickly go over each when you're done to make sure you didn't make a mistake.


Lastly, take the SATs at least twice. I got a 2100 (730M, 730CR, 640W) in May last year and then a 2190 (750M, 720CR, 720W) in October for a superscore of 1480/2200. You're bound to improve in at least one area, and any decrease won't make a difference since 99% of schools superscore.

[TheGreatEscape]

Take the week before off to adjust your body to wake up at 4am so that the test comes right at your mid-day, and smoke a half pack before the test and get a patch for about half way in. As with all tests high doses of caffeine are recommended at regular intervals for the duration of the exam.

Don't waste time but don't get careless, answer what you know for sure off the bat and go back to questions you didn't answer once you hit the end. Don't spend a lot of time on a problem if there are easier problems you could be answering.

Bad handwriting can really hurt you on the essay.

[Hawk]

UT-Knoxville doesn't require the SAT so I just took the ACT.

[Ravens1991]

My AP US teacher said that a private group had a person hold up SAT essays and a person across the room had to guess the score, and the person who guessed the score got 90% of the scores right.

[regoob2]

Don't get tanked the night before, don't go outside and smoke on your break and get locked out for 40+ mins and have to just write anything on your english or whatever portion it was and get a 9 (act) like I did.

[BufFan71]

the SAT is a total crapshoot


you will either get an incredibly hard test, or a very easy one
i dont see how, me-- 24/out of 533 students witha 3.9GPA, all honors class
and my friend not even in top 200, 2.6, reg classes

i get a 860----he gets over 1000

[MetSox17]

the SAT is a total crapshoot


you will either get an incredibly hard test, or a very easy one
i dont see how, me-- 24/out of 533 students witha 3.9GPA, all honors class
and my friend not even in top 200, 2.6, reg classes

i get a 860----he gets over 1000

Eh, High School doesn't really mean a whole lot, IMO..

I was 185 out of 1100, never went to class, almost didn't graduate cause i had too many absences and only had a 3.2 GPA. Seems high, but in High School it's not really anything.

There was a ton of people that got better grades than me, but just because they were dedicated to their work and what not.

And i got a 28 on my ACT.

[TheGreatEscape]

Eh, High School doesn't really mean a whole lot, IMO..

I was 185 out of 1100, never went to class, almost didn't graduate cause i had too many absences and only had a 3.2 GPA. Seems high, but in High School it's not really anything.

There was a ton of people that got better grades than me, but just because they were dedicated to their work and what not.

And i got a 28 on my ACT.

It's really not that bad if you're good at multiple choice and logic. Although review some geometry if you haven't dealt with it recently that and my chickenscratch that I call writing are what hurt me. But we did take a fair amount of practice ACT/SAT sections so I had a good feel for the type of questions they ask.

[TheGreatEscape]

Don't get tanked the night before, don't go outside and smoke on your break and get locked out for 40+ mins and have to just write anything on your english or whatever portion it was and get a 9 (act) like I did.

On this note do go straight home afterwards crack open a beer and sit yourself down for a smoke session afterwards. If you set that reward for yourself you'll work faster letting you review your answers.

PS sleeping through the first half hour of each section is also a bad idea, my good buddy did that on the ACT and got about 5 less than he should've.

[VoteLynnSwan]

I'm glad i wasn't one of those people that needed to study... I predicted my score beforehand, and actually hit it right on the dot. I also took AP Biology and AP AB Calculus and predicted my score ahead of time on those too.


The best advice for taking any test is to be conscience of your time. The most important thing on these tests, where time is pretty short, is to make sure you at least look at every question. Don't answer the ones you have no idea on first; skip those and come back if you have time. If you do them in order, you may run out of time, and will miss some at the end that you may have gotten easily.

[kalbears13]

There's no way to really study for it since it has so much information. Just know the format of the questions and what the directions are. Those are the only things you can do. Taking it twice helps. I got a 1910 and then a 2030 on the second time. Definitely take both the SAT and ACT.

[Rob S]

most colleges dont even count the writing.....they still usually use the 1600 format. Also, with the guessing thing.....make sure u know the rule before the test. I think it was 1/4 lost for a blank answer. Not sure tho, be sure to find that out. Lastly, dont do anything stupid the night before....this is ur future.

Oh, and that book that NY recommended is amazing......i did very well and never took a prep course or anything, just read the book.

[Rob S]

the SAT is a total crapshoot


you will either get an incredibly hard test, or a very easy one
i dont see how, me-- 24/out of 533 students witha 3.9GPA, all honors class
and my friend not even in top 200, 2.6, reg classes

i get a 860----he gets over 1000

some people just arent good at standardized and some are. Idk if that is ur case, but i know some people who get low grades in regular school, but killed on both the SAT and ACT

[Brent]

this is ur future
No offense, but that is bullsh*t. Unless you are trying to get into Harvard or something like that, if you do even moderately well on the SAT, that's usually fine. Most schools allow a ton of transfer students each year so, if you dont kick ass on the SAT, you can always hit up a community college or whatever for a year or two, get all A's and save a ton of money, then transfer to a major university. And when you transfer you know how many questions they ask about your SAT on the application? One: what was your score. Not because they are going to weigh that in your application process but because the state requires they ask, when in reality, they couldn't give a rat's ass. This is what I learn working in an admissions office.

Of course I am not advocating failing the SAT... I am just saying, it's not the end of the world. And for the record, I got a 1120 SAT, 31 ACT (EDIT: I took it before the writing section). Standardized testing is stupid.

[Matthew Jones]

Don't panic! That's probably the best advice you can get. I totally blew off any sort of studying or practice at all, got there about ten minutes before the test started, and still managed a 1360/1600. I'm a very lazy student as well. My friends who spent months in prep courses and such ended up getting in the 1100s and 1200s, and I'm pretty sure the reason I did better was because they probably freaked out over the SATs.

[BamaFalcon59]

I have no idea. Never seen a practice SAT even. I took the practice ACT at my school and got a range of 26-30. I'm in the tenth, so compared to other people that was real good, but I have no idea on the SAT.

[Bills2083]

most colleges dont even count the writing.....they still usually use the 1600 format. Also, with the guessing thing.....make sure u know the rule before the test. I think it was 1/4 lost for a blank answer. Not sure tho, be sure to find that out. Lastly, dont do anything stupid the night before....this is ur future.

Oh, and that book that NY recommended is amazing......i did very well and never took a prep course or anything, just read the book.

What is the book that NY reccomends?

[Rob S]

No offense, but that is bullsh*t. Unless you are trying to get into Harvard or something like that, if you do even moderately well on the SAT, that's usually fine. Most schools allow a ton of transfer students each year so, if you dont kick ass on the SAT, you can always hit up a community college or whatever for a year or two, get all A's and save a ton of money, then transfer to a major university. And when you transfer you know how many questions they ask about your SAT on the application? One: what was your score. Not because they are going to weigh that in your application process but because the state requires they ask, when in reality, they couldn't give a rat's ass. This is what I learn working in an admissions office.

Of course I am not advocating failing the SAT... I am just saying, it's not the end of the world. And for the record, I got a 1120 SAT, 31 ACT (EDIT: I took it before the writing section). Standardized testing is stupid.


no offense....but the SAT/ACT got me a damn big scholarship to a very good school that I wouldnt have had the money for. It is also going to allow me to do a combined program that get me my law degree in 6 years and allows me to retain my scholarship through law school. I also had the money to study abroad in Paris, Dublin, and Rome this semester. Maybe the SAT wasnt everything, but it is going to wind up saving me around around 140 grand.....thats a house right there.

[Rob S]

What is the book that NY reccomends?

any practice book is a good bet.....i forget which one i used. With the SAT, its not about learning new stuff, its learning how the SAT asks questions and the tricks u can use to do them faster.
Most questions on the SAT are actually easy, but can take a lot of time if you dont know how to go about doing them.

[kalbears13]

most colleges dont even count the writing.....they still usually use the 1600 format. Also, with the guessing thing.....make sure u know the rule before the test. I think it was 1/4 lost for a blank answer. Not sure tho, be sure to find that out. Lastly, dont do anything stupid the night before....this is ur future.

Oh, and that book that NY recommended is amazing......i did very well and never took a prep course or anything, just read the book.

None of the schools I know of take the 1600 format. I dont even think they give out that test anymore.

[Rob S]

None of the schools I know of take the 1600 format. I dont even think they give out that test anymore.

they dont give the 1600 test, ur right. but when using scores for admission, most schools only look at the first 2 sections and disregard the writing. At least that the way it was 2 years ago when i applied to schools.

[MetSox17]

Of course I am not advocating failing the SAT... I am just saying, it's not the end of the world. And for the record, I got a 1120 SAT, 31 ACT (EDIT: I took it before the writing section). Standardized testing is stupid.

So you were a few questions off from getting an absolutely perfect score?

Impressive....

[The Unseen]

Got a 1340/2070 the first time, and 1370/2070 the second. For my ACT, I got a 31 the first time and a 34 the second. I don't really have any advice - I studied a good deal for both of them and I didn't get stressed out or anything. Some people do better when it's off their minds, some when they feel well-prepared. I'm more the latter, but I do recommend being relaxed. That always helps. If you aren't relaxed, then neither "plan" works.

[VoteLynnSwan]

So you were a few questions off from getting an absolutely perfect score?

Impressive....

It's not as if there's only 36 questions on the ACT... getting a 31 isn't "just a few questions" It's a pretty big difference. Plus it's divided into 4 sections, and the score people give is the average of those 4.

[skinzzfan25]

I just got back, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It's really just a test of focus, logistics and time management.

The math seemed really easy to me, which is good because I want to go into comp sci or something of that sort.

The reading part was fairly easy too, some of the vocab got me though.

I'm either hit or miss on my writing, I had a very weird subject to write about and I feel that I kinda forced the issue.

[The Unseen]

I just got back, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. It's really just a test of focus, logistics and time management.

The math seemed really easy to me, which is good because I want to go into comp sci or something of that sort.

The reading part was fairly easy too, some of the vocab got me though.

I'm either hit or miss on my writing, I had a very weird subject to write about and I feel that I kinda forced the issue.

SATs give out weird, broad subjects. Yet, my best essay score of the four tests I took (2 SAT and 2 ACT) was on the SAT, a 10. I got an 8 on my 2nd SAT, a 6 on my first ACT (meh) and an 8 on my second ACT.

[Brent]

So you were a few questions off from getting an absolutely perfect score?
No, whoever said it before was right, it is a big different but I kicked ass on the science part.

[Ravens1991]

I think I did alright, I made up some story about a article I read on the internet just to add fluff to the essay, I hope that helped me. I had trouble focusing. I felt Math was the easiest since I had a graphing calculator and all the math is possibly w/o a calculator. The english sections got real boring. I hope I get a high score so I dont have to take it again but I probably will end up taking them again.

[Brent]

a very good school that I wouldnt have had the money for.
What school?

[skinzzfan25]

I think I did alright, I made up some story about a article I read on the internet just to add fluff to the essay, I hope that helped me. I had trouble focusing. I felt Math was the easiest since I had a graphing calculator and all the math is possibly w/o a calculator. The english sections got real boring. I hope I get a high score so I dont have to take it again but I probably will end up taking them again.

What schools are you looking at?

I'm thinking about UMBC and Towson. Maybe a later transfer to UMD because my grades aren't good enough at the moment. (3.3 they require like 3.8+)

[Ravens1991]

York college in PA,Salisbury near the beach, Towson, and WVU. I wanna major in education and Towson has a good program but it is a tad bit close, York and Salisbury are the perfect distance. My parents graduated from York, my dad did twice and that helps a lot when you are applying. My sister is at Salisbury in the business program so that helps to. I am considering WVU but the thing is I dont know how I can handle a large school like that.

[A Perfect Score]

i scored a 1380 (just math and reading, my total with the essay was like 1990) a few years ago, and got a scholarship to ohio state, but i decided to go to school here in canada instead...

and to be honest, i didnt study at all, i just signed up and wrote em. Those test books they give u are stupid anyways

[GaMeTiMe]

I took a practice course that prepped us for the strategies and different kinds of questions on the test...They were the most boring nights of my life, but it helped me to know what was coming. A practice test every three classes or so, probably the most frustrating thing I've ever had to do sitting there for like 6 hours, but again I knew what was coming on the day of the actual test. I know that it's too late for you, but just figured I'd get that out there.

Also, take it twice. They take the highest score on each section, not just one test or the other. I think I did worse overall the second time, but I got higher on like the math section and they took that score over the first one. It bumped me up from like 1500 to something like 1636.

People are going to give you all this BS about sleeping well, eating breakfast, bring a snack, but I didn't do any of that stuff. You have to be an idiot to fall asleep during your SATs unless you literally did not sleep the night before and are that exhausted. Your brain knows you're taking an important test and will keep you awake, even if you crash to earth after the test is over.

The most important part isn't sleep or food, it's knowing what they're gonna throw at you. The SATs are generally regarded as this big life-altering test that you're required to take to move forward in life. It's portrayed that way in the movies and everything, almost like a high school graduation test. But it's really a bunch of random math problems and answering questions about stories you read. Looking back on it now (I'm graduating high school this year, I'm not some 40 year old SAT guru) it's really like such a basic stupid test.

[The Unseen]

No, whoever said it before was right, it is a big different but I kicked ass on the science part.

haha, same here. Got a 36 my second time. Kinda shocked me, though. I mean, I thought I did well, but a frickin' 36?!

[skinzzfan25]

York college in PA,Salisbury near the beach, Towson, and WVU. I wanna major in education and Towson has a good program but it is a tad bit close, York and Salisbury are the perfect distance. My parents graduated from York, my dad did twice and that helps a lot when you are applying. My sister is at Salisbury in the business program so that helps to. I am considering WVU but the thing is I dont know how I can handle a large school like that.

Yeah good choices. I have a bunch of friends that go to Salisbury (and a few from Towson) and say that it's pretty good. I don't wanna go to WVU though, I can take 13th grade here lol.

I've heard good things of York and I like the atmosphere there also (and it's near Hershey Park lol).

[Ravens1991]

yea the problem is I am having a horrible year, i had a 2.3,1.9,2.2 GPA. I went and go ADD medicine and that makes you concentrate a lot more it is crazy. I am usually like a 2.6, so hopefully I can ge a 2.7 this quarter, thats my goal. I may end up having to go to a CC fora year or 2. I would hate that but that may be my only option.

[Rob S]

What school?

Saint Johns in New York- their law school is up there and has better connections in NYC than almost any school. Plus my scholarship carries to law school (so I essentially go for free) and I get to start law school a year early.

[Rob S]

haha, same here. Got a 36 my second time. Kinda shocked me, though. I mean, I thought I did well, but a frickin' 36?!

Yeah I hit 36 on my reading section and was like, Oh My God!

[kwilk103]

York college in PA,Salisbury near the beach, Towson, and WVU. I wanna major in education and Towson has a good program but it is a tad bit close, York and Salisbury are the perfect distance. My parents graduated from York, my dad did twice and that helps a lot when you are applying. My sister is at Salisbury in the business program so that helps to. I am considering WVU but the thing is I dont know how I can handle a large school like that.

wvu doesnt seem as large as it is cuz the campus is spread out

i've had 2 classes so far with 200 other people

most of mine had around 45

english and spanish---20

[kwilk103]

Yeah good choices. I have a bunch of friends that go to Salisbury (and a few from Towson) and say that it's pretty good. I don't wanna go to WVU though, I can take 13th grade here lol.

I've heard good things of York and I like the atmosphere there also (and it's near Hershey Park lol).

top 10 med school

and top forensic science school---gets a ton of money from feds, cuz the u.s. forensics lab is 30 min away, so the equipment they use we get before a lot of labs

[skinzzfan25]

top 10 med school

and top forensic science school---gets a ton of money from feds, cuz the u.s. forensics lab is 30 min away, so the equipment they use we get before a lot of labs

I know the forensics are good, but really how many people are there to do that?

And USNews has them ranked 56th medical school:
http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/grad/mdr/search/title+west%20virginia

But I'm not gonna bash WVU, it just seems like an all party school lol. I'll probably apply there as a safety school.

[kwilk103]

I know the forensics are good, but really how many people are there to do that?

And USNews has them ranked 56th medical school:
http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/grad/mdr/search/title+west%20virginia

But I'm not gonna bash WVU, it just seems like an all party school lol. I'll probably apply there as a safety school.

a lot for forensics

http://www.da.wvu.edu/show_article.php?&story_id=33923

its not the med school, but rural medicine program, my bad; got on these lists though

Rank List Category
#5 Best College Library Academics

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#1 Their Students (Almost) Never Study Academics

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#8 Best College Newspaper Extracurriculars

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#4 Students Pack the Stadiums Extracurriculars

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#6 Lots of Beer Parties

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#7 Lots of Hard Liquor Parties

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#1 Party Schools Parties

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#11 Reefer Madness Parties

[Ravens1991]

I am looking to get into WVU for national security political science and education.

[SeanTaylorRIP]

Got 1280 on my SAT's which was a little higher than I expected.

[Ravens1991]

You were out of 1600 right?


Anyway when applying to schools, does it help to have family as alumni or current students there? My doctor said it did but she isnt a guidance counselor.

[thefalconer]

it is helpful and even more if its a parent cause they can donate money as an alumni.

[kwilk103]

yea, very helpful

usually on applications they have a space for that, and you list family members that are alumni

[Ravens1991]

hey kwilk103, did you live in WV before you attended there? If so how much was tuition?

[scottyboy]

didn't do too bad actually. But who knows. I think I realisticly have a shot of around 1200-1300 or so, which is right around the average SAT to get in Rutgers last year. We'll see what happens.

Oh, and the fire alarm went off in the middle of our test, we had to be evacuated. Apparently the softball team was practicing in this school's upper gym and hit the sprinklers. kinda annoying

[Ravens1991]

that would have been hilarious. It was bored to tears, I really hope I dont have to take it again.

[kwilk103]

hey kwilk103, did you live in WV before you attended there? If so how much was tuition?

http://www.arc.wvu.edu/admissions/costs.html

[Beans]

I think I did really well, hopefully enough to get me to UC