Elizabeth King - Outsmarting the SAT

What will it really take for you to improve your score on the SAT? Look, youre a teenager, youre busy, and you probably have what feels like way too much on your plate already. Youve got sports, clubs, a job, community service, stacks of schoolwork, friends, and family, and you dont have a minute to waste on anything, let alone SAT prep that isnt going to pay off. Maybe you even have college applications on your mind.

I know you. I talk to and teach students like you every day. Of course you want a higher SAT score, but not at the expense of what feels like your last few hours of freedom during the week. Believe me, were on the same page.

So heres the truth: maximizing your score on the SAT takes effort, no matter what your score already is. Fortunately for us, the SAT is not a test of everything you were ever taught in high school. In fact, the SAT tests a relatively short list of specific skills. Even the questions themselves are fairly predictable. You will see incredible score gains if you master these specific skills and become familiar with the tests different types of questions. If youre an average student, I can help you brush up on skills that may always have been tough for you, show you what this test is really all about, and bump your total score a good 200 to 300 points. If youre one of those naturally good standardized test takers, I can help you get well into the 700s on each section. (Perfection? I leave that to you.)

Well go through the process together. Heres the plan: This book is written as though I were sitting right next to you during a series of private tutoring sessions. Since my end of the bargain is to show you everything you need to know and expect on the test, Ive tried to make sure the book directly reflects what I would teach you and the sort of notes we would generate if we were to meet and work together. Just like I would if we were hanging out at your kitchen table, Ive broken up the material into smaller lessons and taken the time to explain the most important details of each topic. Looking at each topic individually can completely change how you see, understand, and answer its questions.

Still, for your score to increase, you need to hold up your end of the bargain. Merely owning this book or sleeping with it under your pillow the night before test day isnt going to cut it. But dont worry: most likely you wont have to read the book cover to cover, either. Since this book is written for students from all sorts of different schools and backgrounds, youre bound to find topics with which youre already comfortable. I do not expect you to pore over things you already know. Instead, your best bet is to grab a highlighter and mark the stuff that is new to you (even those concepts that are explained differently than you originally learned them)then follow through and review! I want you to treat this book like its a personal notebook, not the Holy Grail of standardized test prep. Make it your own. Scribble. Highlight. Circle. After all, this is your SAT.

You may use this book either by itself or concurrently with the sample tests in The Official SAT Study Guide. Whats most important is that you believe you can do this. This process and these ideas will work. They always do. Be patient. Keep going. Good luck.

Fact: You should prepare for this test the way youre going to take it. Before we even begin, I should warn you not to hang out in your room watching TV with your cat and talking on the phone while you try to study. You can be flexible while you start to learn new math concepts or study vocabulary, but be sure you take at least one full, timed practice SAT before test day.