Christopher Black - McGraw-Hills SAT 2014 Edition

Welcome to
McGraw-Hills
SAT

Congratulations! Youve chosen the SAT guide from Americas leading educational publisher. You probably know us from many of the textbooks you used in school. Now were ready to help you take the next step and get into the college or university of your choice.

This book gives you everything you need to succeed on the test. Youll get in-depth instruction and review of every topic tested, tips and strategies for every question type, and plenty of practice exams to boost your test-taking confidence. To get started, go to the following pages where youll find:

How to Use This Book: Step-by-step instructions to help you get the most out of your test-prep program.

Your SAT Action Plan: Learn how to make the best use of your preparation time.

SAT Format Table: This handy chart shows the test structure at a glance: question types, time limits, and number of questions per section.

The 50 Top Strategies for Test Day: Use this list to check your knowledge, or as a last-minute refresher before the exam.

The 9 Core SAT Essay Themes: Find out the most common SAT essay themes, based on the SATs from the past 5 years.

The 5 Top SAT Calculator Tips: Learn some smart ways that your calculator can help you.

Getting the Most from the Free Online Practice Tests and Problem-Solving Videos: Log on to the companion website for more test-taking practice and to view videos demonstrating the use of problem-solving strategies to answer SAT questions.

ABOUT McGRAW-HILL EDUCATION

This book has been created by McGraw-Hill Education. McGraw-Hill Education is a leading global provider of instructional, assessment, and reference materials in both print and digital form. McGraw-Hill Education has offices in 33 countries and publishes in more than 65 languages. With a broad range of products and services from traditional textbooks to the latest in online and multimedia learning we engage, stimulate, and empower students and professionals of all ages, helping them meet the increasing challenges of the 21st century knowledge economy.

How to Use This Book

This book is designed for students who want an effective program for the most dramatic SAT score improvements. It is based on the College Hill Method, the elite training system used by the tutors of College Hill Coaching since 1990. It focuses on what works best in SAT prep: mindful training in the reasoning skills at the core of the SAT, and not just test-taking tricks or mindless drills.

This book provides all the material you need to score well on the SAT. It will teach you the knowledge that is required for this difficult exam, including information about each type of question on the test. It also provides ample practice for you to refine the skills you are learning and then test yourself with full-length practice tests. For best results as you work your way through the book and the accompanying online tests, follow this four-step program:

Learn About the SAT

Dont skip . In it youll meet the SAT and learn exactly what academic skills it tests. Youll also find valuable test-taking strategies and information about how the test is scored.

Take a Realistic Practice SAT

Take the SAT diagnostic test in of this book. Take the test strictly timed, in one sitting, and proctored if possible. Then use the answer key to evaluate your results so you can learn your strengths and weaknesses. Fill out the College Hill SAT Study Plan at the end of the test to analyze the strategies, concepts, reasoning skills, and vocabulary that you need to learn.

Study What You Need to Learn with the Lessons, Exercises, and Videos

If you miss a question on your practice SAT, read its answer explanation at the end of the test. If it refers to a lesson in , make that lesson part of your weekly review.

First read each Lesson carefully, underlining important ideas or writing notes in the margins.

Then move on to the Concept Review worksheet, which reinforces the key ideas in the lesson. Try to answer these questions without peeking back at the lesson. Circle any tough questions as you go so that you can review them later. Check your answers with the Answer Key.

Then move on to the SAT Practice worksheet, which gives you questions as they might appear on the SAT. Work through these questions as if you were taking a real SAT.

When youre done, read all of the explanations in the Answer Key, even for questions that you got right. Why? Because very often, there are many ways to get a question right, and some may be much more efficient than the one you used!

To learn more about how to use SAT problem-solving strategies, view the videos on the companion website at MHPracticePlus.com.

Repeat the Cycle Until Youve Surpassed Your SAT Score Goal

Take the practice tests at the back of this book and on the companion website, trying each time to simulate actual testing conditions. After you take each test, fill out the College Hill SAT Study Plan at the end of the test to help you analyze your results. If you are still having problems, go back and review the corresponding lessons in .

To make the best use of your SAT preparation time, youll need a personalized action plan thats based on your needs and the time you have available. This book has been designed for flexibility; you can work through it from cover to cover or you can move around from one chapter to another in the order you want based on your own priorities and needs. However, before you jump in, maximize the effectiveness of your preparation time by spending a few minutes to develop a realistic action plan. Use the tools provided in these pages to help you focus on the areas where you are weakest, plan your study program, and gain the discipline you need to pace yourself and achieve your goals.

Each time you take a practice SAT in this book, on the CD (if you have purchased the book-CD version) or online, take a few minutes to fill out the College Hill Study Plan once you are finished. A copy of the plan is shown on . Blank Plans appear at the end of each test; for the CD or online tests, make your own copy of the plan. The Plan shows you your progress and provides an action plan for improving your score over the next week. Heres how to fill it in: