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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Bildung
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015
The fast and easy way to score higher on the SAT Does the thought of preparing for the SAT cause you to break out in a cold sweat? Have no fear! SAT For Dummies, Quick Prep Edition gives you a competitive edge by fully preparing you for the SAT. Written in a friendly and accessible style, this hands-on guide will help increase your chance of scoring higher on the redesigned SAT test being launched by the College Board in 2016. The SAT is administered annually to more than two million students at approximately 6,000 world-wide test centers. Nearly every college and university in America looks at a student's SAT exam score or SAT Subject Tests as a part of its admissions process. Your SAT score is nothing to sniff at--in addition to admissions, many schools use these results for course placement. With the help of this guide, you'll maximize your chances of gaining entrance to the college of your dreams--as well as a seat in the best classes. So what are you waiting for? Start practicing your way to a better SAT score today! * Includes coverage of SAT question types and formats * Offers practice SAT tests with full answer explanations * Helps pinpoint where you need more help * Reflects the College Board's new and updated SAT exam for 2016 Whether you're preparing for the SAT for the first time or retaking the exam to improve your score, SAT For Dummies, Quick Prep Edition sets you up for success.
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*SAT For Dummies®, Quick Prep Edition
Published byJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc.,111 River StreetHoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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Library of Congress Control Number: 2014954675
ISBN: 978-1-118-91157-0
ISBN 978-1-118-91157-0 (pbk); ISBN 978-1-118-91141-9 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-91172-3 (ebk)
*SAT For Dummies®, Quick Prep Edition
Visit www.dummies.com/cheatsheet/sat to view this book's cheat sheet.
Table of Contents
Cover
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Where to Go from Here
Part I: Getting Started with the SAT
Chapter 1: Erasing the Worry: Getting to Know the New SAT
Not an ACT: Getting Real with the SAT
A Whole New Ballgame: Comparing the Old and New SAT
Signing Up Before Sitting Down: Registering for the SAT
Meeting Special Needs
Examining Your Mind: What the New SAT Tests
Scoring on the New SAT
Chapter 2: Slow and Steady (Breathing) Wins the Race: Preparing for the Test
Starting Early: A Long-Range Plan
Avoiding Extremes: A Medium-Range Plan
Cutting It Close: A Short-Range Plan
Coping with SAT-Night Fever
Smoothing Out SAT-Day Morning
Chapter 3: Examining the Reading, Writing and Language, and Math Sections
Getting Acquainted with the Reading Section
Making the Most of Your Time
Deciding Which to Read First: Passage or Questions
Writing for (No) Fun but Much Profit: The SAT Writing and Language Section
Refreshing the Math
Part II: The Moment of Truth: Taking a Practice Test
Chapter 4: Section I: Reading
Answer Sheet for Section 1, Reading
Reading
Chapter 5: Section II: Writing and Language
Answer Sheet for Section 2, Writing and Language
Writing and Language
The Essay
Chapter 6: Section III: Math
Answer Sheet for Section 3, Math
Math
Chapter 7: Answers and Explanations
Answers for Section 1: Reading
Answers for Section 2: Writing and Language
Answers for Section 3: Math
Answer Key
Appendix: Scoring Tables for SAT Practice Exams
Converting Your Score
Recording Your Final Scores
About the Author
Cheat Sheet
Advertisement Page
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Begin Reading
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Introduction
Change is good, right? So why do so many people hop on the nervous-breakdown train when they hear that the SAT is changing? Perhaps because the SAT is an important step on your journey to college, and anything to do with the admissions process is enough to give applicants an instant panic attack. Nervous or not, you have to take the SAT when you apply to most colleges or universities in the United States and to some English-speaking institutions abroad. The “old” SAT has been around since 2005 and was actually a redesign of a still older exam. The “new” SAT appears in March 2016. Because it’s new, that version of the SAT may seem extra scary.
You have nothing to worry about, though, because you’ve been preparing for this version of the SAT for many years. What? You say you haven’t been memorizing vocabulary words and drilling key math concepts since you were in your crib? How neglectful of you! Actually, you have been getting ready for the redesigned SAT, because you’ve been studying the necessary material during every single minute you devote to schoolwork, not counting lunch and the time you spend texting your friends from the phone hidden behind your science book. But those small lapses don’t count for much when you consider the amount of time you’ve been analyzing and uncovering meaning when you read, organizing your ideas and writing papers, and solving math problems (more than 10,000 hours between kindergarten and tenth grade, according to a recent survey).
All those skills come in handy on the new SAT. The final step in preparing for the exam is the one you’re taking now. You’re reading this book and therefore becoming acquainted with the format of the test. By the time you’re finished with SAT For Dummies, Quick Prep Edition, you’ll have every possible tool for conquering the 2016 SAT.
Why change at all? The old SAT was loudly criticized for several reasons. It was long, hard, and tricky. Most important, it didn’t accurately predict college success, its stated purpose. The College Board, which creates and administers the SAT, heard the complaints and hit the drawing board. What they came up with is still long and relatively hard, but the test more closely resembles the stuff you actually do in school. The reading and writing passages come from history, science, literary, and career-oriented sources. Some math questions draw on real-world situations. The new SAT also tests your ability to understand information presented visually, often in graphs or charts, and to recognize and evaluate evidence. The 2016 SAT eliminates some of its old tricks, such as the penalty for guessing, and lets you decide whether you want to write the essay. Add everything up, and you arrive at a test that concentrates on the skills you need to succeed in college and the workplace. (For details on the changes, check out Chapter 1.)
About This Book
SAT For Dummies, Quick Prep Edition, is a whirlwind tour of the redesigned SAT. (If you expect to take the old SAT at some point before the spring of 2016, turn to SAT For Dummies, 8th Edition, by Geraldine Woods, also published by Wiley.) This book takes you through each section of the 2016 SAT, explaining what the test-makers are looking for and how you can deliver it. For example, the new SAT makes a point of testing vocabulary in context, and that’s how vocabulary shows up in SAT For Dummies, Quick Prep Edition. As you read, keep an eye out for words and definitions, including in paragraphs that have nothing to do with vocabulary per se. (By the way, per se means “as such” or “for itself.”)
To help you step up your game on the SAT, this book includes in-depth analysis and samples of each type of question that the SAT dumps on you — reading comprehension, math grid-ins, and so forth. To kill still more of your free time (and help you improve your SAT-tested skills), you get a detailed explanation with each answer so you know what you answered correctly, what you got wrong, and why. To give you a feel for how ready you are to take the new SAT, try your hand at the practice test. No, it’s not a real SAT because the company that produces the actual test is sitting on those rights. The test you get on test day may not have exactly the same number of questions in exactly the same order as the ones here, because the test-makers continue to tinker with the format. But the test in this book is as close as anyone can come without invoking lawyerly attention, and it will prepare you well for the real thing. As a bonus, you may find that preparing for the SAT improves your schoolwork, too, as you sharpen your reading skills, polish your grammar, and solve math problems more efficiently.
This book also uses a few special conventions. Keep them in mind as you work your way through this book:
Italics
have three different duties:
To introduce new terms, particularly those that apply to math, analytical reading, and writing
To refer to portions of a question or answer choice
To emphasize a particular word or point
This font
highlights words that may be useful when you take the SAT. Check out the definitions that follow these words, and notice the context. (Mastering words in context can really improve your score on the SAT.)
Boldface
indicates the action part of numbered steps and the main items in bulleted lists.
Foolish Assumptions
In writing this book, we assume several things about you, the reader, including the following:
You probably hate standardized tests (nearly everybody does!) but want to achieve a high score on the SAT with minimum effort and maximum efficiency.
You’ve taken the usual math and language arts courses through, say, algebra, geometry, and sophomore English. If you haven’t taken one of those classes or if you did and still feel puzzled by the subject, you may want to read some other
For Dummies
books that can help you review the material. Take a look at
English Grammar For Dummies,
2nd Edition, for basic information, or go for grammar practice with the
English Grammar Workbook For Dummies,
2nd Edition and 1,001 Grammar Practice Questions For Dummies (all written by Geraldine Woods). Those of you who struggle with the math will find these books helpful:
Algebra I For Dummies,
2nd Edition, and
Algebra II For Dummies,
by Mary Jane Sterling, and
Geometry For Dummies,
2nd Edition, by Mark Ryan. Wiley publishes all these titles.
One assumption we haven’t made is age. True, most people who take the SAT are teenagers, but not everyone follows the same life path. If you’re hitting college after living a little, good for you. This book can help you remember the schoolwork you need for the SAT, no matter how many years ago have passed since you sat in a classroom.
Icons Used in This Book
Icons are those cute little pictures that appear in the margins of this book. They indicate why you should pay special attention to the accompanying text. Here’s how to decode them.
This icon points out helpful hints about strategy — what the all-star test-takers know and the rookies want to find out.
This icon identifies the sand traps that the SAT-writers are hoping you fall into as you take the test. Take note of these warnings so you know what to do (and what not to do) as you move from question to question on the real SAT.
When you see this icon, be sure to file away the information that accompanies it. The material will come in handy as you prepare for (and take) the 2016 SAT.
This icon identifies questions that resemble those on the actual SAT. Be sure to read the answer explanations that always follow the questions.
Where to Go from Here
Okay, now that you know what’s what and where to find it, you have a choice. You can read every single word of Part I first and then take the practice exam, or you can check out only the parts of the book that address your “issues,” as they say on daytime talk shows, concentrating on the kinds of questions you struggle with. (Check out Chapter 3 for an overview and sample questions similar to those on the exam.) If you’re worried about when, where, and how to sign up and actually take the test, look through Chapters 1 and 2. Another good way to start is to take the sample test in Part II, score it using the appendix, and then focus on your weak spots. Feel free to check out www.dummies.com, where you’ll find the “cheat sheet” (which is not for use during the exam) for SAT For Dummies and up-to-the-minute information on any changes the College Board has made to the test.
No matter what you do next, start by doing something simple: Calm down, stay loose, and score big on the SAT.
Part I
Getting Started with the SAT
For Dummies can help you with lots of subjects. Check out www.dummies.com to learn more and do more with Dummies.
In this part . . .
Get to know the new SAT. Find out what it tests, when you can and should take it, where you can find it, and how it affects your chances for admission to college.
Find out how to best prepare yourself for success — from making the most of your time leading up to your testing date to ensuring you have what you need (and leaving home what you don’t) on test day.
Check out the redesigned SAT Reading, Writing and Language, and Math sections of the test and discover strategies to maximize your score on each one.
Chapter 1
Erasing the Worry: Getting to Know the New SAT
In This Chapter
Determining which test to take
Comparing the old and new SAT
Signing up for the SAT
Allowing for special needs
Previewing the SAT Reading, Writing and Language, and Math sections
Understanding SAT scoring
In ancient Greek mythology — and in the Harry Potter series — a three-headed monster guards a magical place. In the real world, a different sort of three-headed monster — the SAT — protects another magical place: the college of your dreams. The SAT’s three heads are tests of your skills in reading, writing, and math. Instead of chomping its victims like an imaginary monster, the SAT chops you up into a series of numbers — scores that play a crucial (extremely important) role in determining whether you receive a please come to our school or a sorry to disappoint you response at decision time.
In this chapter, you find the ABCs of the SAT: how it’s changing as well as when, where, and how often you should take the test. This chapter also tells you what sort of scores you receive, explains how to deal with special needs, and gives you a peek into the structure of the exam itself.
Not an ACT: Getting Real with the SAT
Most college applicants take one of two giant exams on their way into U.S. colleges and some foreign schools. One is the ACT, and the other is the SAT. Most colleges accept scores from either test; check with the admissions office of the colleges on your list to be sure you’re taking the test(s) they prescribe. (A good general rule for college admissions is to give them what they want, when they want it.) The SAT and the ACT are roughly the same in terms of difficulty, but each exam is of a different nature. As of this writing, you can access free PDFs from www.collegeboard.org and www.actstudent.org (homes of the SAT and ACT, respectively). If you’re so inclined, you can download and review each exam and see which one you like more (or rather, which one you dislike less). Because you’re reading SAT For Dummies, Quick Prep Edition, presumably you’re taking the SAT. But if you’re also taking the ACT, don’t forget to check out ACT For Dummies, 6th Edition, by Lisa Zimmer Hatch, MA, and Scott A. Hatch, JD (Wiley).
Don’t confuse the SAT with the SAT Subject Tests, which used to be called the SAT II, a name that is now officially obsolete (outdated, so yesterday). The SAT Subject Tests cover biology, history, math, and a ton of other stuff. Depending on the schools you apply to, you may have to take one or more Subject Tests or none at all.
All colleges have websites, where you can find out exactly which exam(s) your favorite schools require. Many libraries and nearly all bookstores also carry college guides — 20-pound paperbacks describing each and every institution of higher learning you may apply to. If you’re relying on printed material, be sure to check the copyright date. With the advent (arrival) of the new SAT, some colleges may change their requirements, and earlier books may not be accurate. The official website of the College Board (www.collegeboard.org) also lists popular colleges and the tests they want to inflict (impose) on you. The College Board creates the exams, so its website is replete (well supplied) with helpful information.
If college isn’t in your immediate future, you may want to take the SAT just to see how you do. If your plans include a stint in the armed forces or climbing Mount Everest before hitting higher education, you can keep your options open by taking the SAT before you go. Your score on the SAT may be higher while formal “book learning” is still fresh in your mind. Then when you’re ready to return to an actual classroom education, you have some scores to send to the college of your choice, though if a long period of time has passed, the college may ask for a retest. How long is a long period of time? It depends on the college you’re applying to. Some may ask for an updated score after only a couple of years; others are more lenient (easygoing). Obviously, whether you took three years off to relax on the beach or five to create a gazillion-dollar Internet company also influences the admissions office’s decision on SAT scores. Check with the college(s) you’re interested in and explain your situation.
A Whole New Ballgame: Comparing the Old and New SAT
What a difference a couple of months make! If you take the SAT in January 2016 and then again in March 2016, the exams you face will not be identical twins. Like any family members, they may share the arch of an eyebrow or the shape of the nose, but otherwise they’re quite different. Check out Table 1-1 for a side-by-side comparison of the old and new exams.
Table 1-1 Old SAT versus New SAT
Old SAT
New SAT
Critical Reading: 67 questions, 70 minutes
Reading: 52 questions, 65 minutes
Essay: Mandatory, 25 minutes, respond to a prompt with your own point of view and evidence
Essay: Optional, 50 minutes, analyze writing techniques in a passage
Multiple-Choice Writing: 49 questions, 60 minutes
Multiple-Choice Writing and Language: 44 questions, 35 minutes
Mathematics: 54 questions, 70 minutes, divided into 3 sections
Calculators allowed for all 3 sections
Mathematics: 57 questions, 80 minutes, divided into 2 sections
Calculators allowed for 1 section and not for the other
Multiple-Choice and Grid-In Scoring: 1 point for each correct answer, 1/4-point deduction for each wrong multiple-choice answer (no penalty for incorrect grid-in answers)
Multiple-Choice and Grid-In Scoring: 1 point for each correct answer, no deduction for wrong answers
Multiple-Choice Format: 5 possible answers
Multiple-Choice Format: 4 possible answers
Score Types: 200–800 points each for Critical Reading, Writing, and Mathematics (total: 600–2400 points)
Score Types: 200–800 points for a combination of the Reading and Writing and Language sections; another 200–800 points for Mathematics, for a total of 400–1600 for the entire exam, separate essay score, cross-test subscores for analysis in history and science, section subscores for various skills
Now you know the basics. For more information on the changes to the SAT, see the section “Examining Your Mind: What the New SAT Tests,” later in this chapter.
Signing Up Before Sitting Down: Registering for the SAT
The SAT is given at multiple times at select high schools throughout the United States and in English-speaking schools in many other countries. Home-schoolers can also take the SAT, though not in their own living rooms. This section explains how and when to register for an exam and acceptable methods of payment. Note: The SAT waives (drops) fees for low-income test-takers. Check out the section “Meeting Special Needs” in this chapter for more information.
How to register
You can register for the SAT online, by mail, or, if you’ve taken the SAT before, by phone.
Online registration is simple: Go to www.sat.collegeboard.org/register to sign up and to choose a test center and date. You need a credit card or a PayPal account and a digital photo of yourself ready to upload. Be sure the photo meets the College Board’s criteria (standards). The College Board wants what Hollywood agents call “a head shot” — a photo featuring everything above shoulder level. You should be the only one in the picture, and your whole face must be visible. Head coverings are okay only if they’re religious in nature. The College Board accepts JPEG, GIF, and PNG formats.
You can also register by mail. In fact, you have to do so if you’re younger than 13 or older than 21 or if you need to take the exam on a Sunday for religious reasons. Ask the college or guidance counselor at your school for a registration form. If you’re home-schooled, call the nearest public or private high school. Older test-takers (over 21 years of age): Call the College Board Customer Service Center for help (within the U.S.: 866-756-7346; outside the U.S.: 212-713-7789). You have to attach a photo (no smaller than 2 x 2 inches and no larger than 2.5 x 3 inches) to the paper registration. Follow the same guidelines for the online photo, and make sure it shows your face clearly. Tape the photo to the designated area of the application. With the application, enclose payment (credit card number, a check from a United States bank, or a bank draft).
If you’re suffering through the SAT for a second time, you can register by phone, though you pay an extra $15 to do so. Call the College Board’s Customer Service center (within the U.S.: 866-756-7346; outside the U.S.: 212-713-7789). Hearing-impaired test-takers can call the TTY Customer Service number (within the U.S.: 888-857-2477; outside the U.S.: 609-882-4118).
However you register, you’ll be asked whether you want to sign up for the Student Search Service. Answer yes and fill out the questionnaire. Colleges, universities, and some scholarship-granting organizations receive information about you from this service. Expect lots of emails and letters — a little annoying, perhaps, but you may discover a school or scholarship that meets your needs perfectly.
Neither the Student Search Service nor any other part of the College Board markets products to you via email or regular mail, but some scam artists do. Don’t send personal or financial information to any organization unless you know it’s legitimate. Not sure? Call the College Board to check (within the U.S.: 866-756-7346; outside the U.S.: 212-713-7789).
When you register for the SAT, you also choose the type of score reports you want to receive. See the section “Scoring on the New SAT,” later in this chapter, to explore your options.
When to take the test
The last “old” SAT is scheduled for January 2016; the first “new” SAT debuts in March 2016. Keep those dates in mind as you make your own personal test schedule.
The SAT pops up on the calendar seven times a year. You can take the exam as often as you want. If you’re a masochist — that is, you enjoy pain — you can take all seven tests, but most people stick to this schedule:
Autumn of junior year
(about 1¾ years before college entrance): Time to take the PSAT/NMSQT, the exam that serves as a preview of the real thing. Even if you don’t believe you need a preview, take the PSAT/NMSQT anyway; this test serves as a sorting tool for several scholarship opportunities and special programs. The first redesigned PSAT/NMSQT will be given in October 2015.
Spring of junior year
(about 1¼ years before college entrance): Take the SAT strictly for practice, though you can send in your scores if you’re pleased with them.
Autumn of senior year
(a bit less than a year before entrance): The SAT strikes again. Early-decision candidates should take the test in October or November; regular applicants may choose from any of the three autumn dates, including December.
Winter of senior year
(half-year before entrance): Some SAT-lovers take the exam in autumn and again in winter, hoping that practice will make them perfect, at least in the eyes of the colleges. The high scores won’t hurt (and you probably will improve, just because the whole routine will be familiar), but don’t put a lot of energy into repeated bouts of SAT fever. Your grades and extracurriculars may suffer if you’re too
fixated on
(obsessed with) the SAT, and you may end up hurting your overall application.
If you’re transferring or starting your college career midyear, you may sit for the SAT in January, March, May, or June. Check with your counselor or with the college of your choice and go with that recommendation.
Everyone takes the SAT on Saturday except for those students who can’t for religious reasons. If you fall into that category, your SAT will be on a Sunday following a Saturday SAT day. Get a letter from your cleric (religious leader) on letterhead and mail it in with your registration form.
In terms of test sites, the early bird gets the worm. (Do you ever wonder why no one talks about the worm? He got up early, too, and look what happened to him.) When you register, you may request a test site, but if it’s filled, you get an alternate. So don’t delay; send in the form or register online as soon as you know when and where you want to take the exam.
Meeting Special Needs
In a speech introducing the redesigned SAT, the president of the College Board stressed fairness and equal access for all students, including those with special needs. Even if you don’t think you belong in that category, skim this section. You may discover an option that will help you “show what you know” when it matters most.
