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It was a bit of a shock when I got my SAT scores back. I’m not going to tell you what they were. I’m not telling all of Los Angeles I bombed on the SATs! Let’s just say my scores were average. So I know I’m not going to Stanford or Harvard, okay?
But I would like to go to the best school that I can. Taking the SAT doesn’t have to be a horrifying experience, or make life a living nightmare. This is a standardized test, designed for students all over the country and even around the world, to enable colleges and universities to see how students measure up to each other. Your grades matter too, but schools vary so much in the way they grade students that the SAT makes it possible to judge applicants more fairly.
A while ago, I was told that it would be virtually impossible to study for the SAT’s. But that is really not true. The SAT is a standardized test meaning that the same material shows up. Practically the only things that are changed are the numbers on the math section and the vocabulary on the verbal section. If
you’re the kind of person that can study by yourself, than you can buy an SAT Preparations book in any bookstore, but if you’re like me and you do better in a class environment where there is an instructor, there are many programs out that can help you prepare. I am taking the SAT Revolution with Kaplan right now and the cost is around 600 dollars, but I think that it’s worth it. Kaplan is actually a really large company and they are quite experienced with standardized tests. In the course itself they give you many books, flash cards for both math and verbal, software programs, practice tests and class explanations
and discussions.
In class they go over many problems to show you how they’re phrased in misleading ways. For example:
Michelle read a book from page 500 to page 600. How many pages did she read? Answer: Michelle actually read 101 pages, not 100.
Tricky, huh? Kaplan shows you how to handle problems like this one, and teaches you to think in the “SAT” kind of a way. Kaplan is just one of the hundreds of programs that are out there. If you want to find out about other preparatory classes than talk to your teacher or counselor. But if you’re interested in the Kaplan program they have many locations in the greater Los Angeles area and may be reached at 1-800-KAP-TEST.
The three-hour test has three verbal sections and three math sections and one experimental section. Here is another good hint that I learned: Don’t try to figure out which is the experimental section, because if you guess wrong you’ll be deducted points.
The thing about the SAT is that it is designed for a person with average grades, so, with some preparation and common sense you’ll be fine. Just remember the test dates, and don’t forget to send in your application and fee. Fee waivers are available from your counselor if you are in the need of some financial assistance, and to receive an application just ask or go to your school college center; they should have plenty of SAT applications and information.”
