There are options to prepare for the SAT.
The SAT Reasoning Test (or SAT, for short), the national barometer for general knowledge that most college-bound high school students take every year, can be a daunting proposition. However, there are a number of SAT preparation options, from studying alone to joining a prep class.
SAT Official Website
The first stop on the road to SAT preparation is the College Board's official SAT website. The site is the place to register to take the test and to find scores afterward, but don't overlook its valuable study aids.
Develop a study plan, take practice tests or even sign up for its online course, which gets you "10 online tests, 18 interactive lessons and personalized essay scoring."
Who knows the test better than the people who create it, right? So, be sure to check out (and utilize) its various offerings.
Buy a Book
There are dozens of study books to help you conquer the SATs, starting with The College Board's "The Official SAT Study Guide," "the only book that features official SAT practice tests created by the test maker."
But if that doesn't float your boat (or if you want more than one), try Barron's "SAT 2400: Aiming for the Perfect Score" by Linda Carnevale, MA, and Roselyn Teukolsky, MS, or "Cracking the SAT, 2010 Edition" by the "Princeton Review," to name just a few.
Look for a book with multiple practice tests and complete vocabulary lists (the ones that have printed vocab cards at the end are hugely useful). Also, the SAT is always changing, so look for newer editions and be vigilant if buying a used book.
Take a Class
The College Board offers an online class, but it's not the only resource. Consider the "Princeton Review's" online program or classroom courses or Sylvan Learning's SAT Prep Courses.
These two are good choices because they are well-respected companies, but of course, there are tons of SAT prep classes across the country. Your local high school may offer a class, but if it doesn't, it probably has a list of local preparatory classes.
Form a Group
Most college-bound high school juniors or seniors are taking (or re-taking) the SAT every year. Why not get together a group of classmates to have a study group?
It will give you a support group, not to mention someone to run through vocab cards and take practice tests with. It also will simulate an actual test-taking atmosphere.
For best results, find people with different strengths, so when you don't understand a math problem or grammar question, there's someone who does and vice versa.
Keep Going
The SAT is a major test and cannot be studied for in a single weekend. A big mistake some students make is to think they can glance through a book or take a practice test and be done.
Is it necessary to study for the SAT? No, of course not. Many students take it and get whatever scores they get.
But if you want get the best score possible, it will take time and effort to read through the different techniques, take practice tests, study vocabulary lists, understand math equations and so on.
Start several months before if possible and keep going, even if you have moments of discouragement. It will be worth it in the end.
Tags: practice tests, take practice, College Board, high school, take practice tests, college-bound high