Metal Reviews

right. i signed up to do the SAT I on October 14th.

i'm sure some of you have done this exam, so i'd like to ask a few things of you:
1. tips
2. please be a grammar nazi with me! feel free to correct every grammar and spelling error i make.

thank you very much!

I took it like last March, wasn't as bad as people say it is. Take a scientific calculator for sure. I don't really know what to say about the essay, just try to sound as intellect as possible I guess and make sure you let them know that YOU know what you are talking about...As for the normal reading and math questions...answer the ones you know then go back to the ones you weren't sure about later seeing as if you don't fill in bubbles they don't deduct points from it. I'm not the best person at giving advice. The test did have a few questions in math that I had no idea what it was talking about, but other than that the answers were pretty common sense to me...I also hope you are good at grammar and shit because you will be given plenty of sections where you have to correct sentences that are given to you. Basically all in all it's not really that bad, it's kind of like state assesment tests they give you in school. Good luck man, just relax and don't be nervous about it.

As for your grammar, it looks like you should get used to capitalizing. That helps.

1. Go get (if you can) a book called Up Your Score! The Underground Guide to the SAT. It helped me immensely the first time I took the test, when I was 14 (don't ask, I was always on the "gifted" track). Learn all the vocabulary words they give you. A good way to do that is to make mnemonic flash cards; draw the word into some sort of simple picture that will help you remember its meaning. For example, for "esoteric," I drew a UFO landing at Devil's Tower, a bunch of stick figures with question marks over their heads, and a single stick figure with an exclamation point. Because that one guy knew what was going on, while the rest didn't. Because it was an esoteric subject.

2. If you really want, I will rip your grammar to shreds. I used to want to go into publishing and editing, and I am merciless. I once made a girl in my high school creative writing class cry (unintentionally, of course).

I'll be taking the PSAT this year (I'm fifteen). Next year will be the SAT...I'll probably go to a tutor or something to help me out.

what the fuck is a SAT?? I did one when i was 10 but i don't think thats what your talking about.

The SAT I (Scholastic Aptitude Test) is a standardized test with two parts, a math part and a verbal/reading part you usually take at the end of high school. The two sections are scored from 200 to 800, and most American colleges require you to take them and report your scores (mine keeps it optional, but that's highly unusual). There's also a whole range of SAT II tests on specific subjects, but they're usually not required by colleges.

I thought it was required to graduate high school.

Nope. Some states have their own standardized test requirements (VA passed that law the year after I graduated) but I'm unaware of any states that require the SATs.

apparently you're supposed to be unable to study for a SAT, as it's it's supposed to test your innate abilities and not your studying capabilities, but that's just bollocks. go study.

For the math portion you either know it or you don't. As for the english portion, try to learn all the vocabulary you can. And as for writing, just wing it. It doesn't matter as much as Reading and Math.

at my cousin's recommendation i bought the Kaplan "comprehensive program". it's got tips and 4 complete tests and all that shit.

for the math part i think i'm at a slight advantage, as i did a year of that in college.

Sifl: i don't capitalize in this forum out of laziness, but when i'm "really" writing i use them just like everyone else.

Carnifex: go ahead, but be gentle, no one likes to see a man cry

kaplan's a genius. he was the first guy who realized that you could actually study for the SAT.

alot of schools don't even look at the writing section.


Its really hard to study for them, because there are so many things to study, you more or less are just lucky if the stuff you study comes up.

I did a brief review with the stuff they had on college board.com and did really well. The best thign you can do is go in calm and awake. I have heard it helps to do something to get your brain goign in the morning as a warm up, so your not getting the lead out in the first few sections.

yeah, the kaplan thing also says that. they say it's a good idea to read part of a newspaper or magazine in the morning.

You actually have pretty good grammar, except for the capitalization thing. I can't give you any help with the writing section; they instituted that after I graduated (I feel old now).

Would you mind another pupil?

i have good grammar, i have good grammar, na na na na na na

i've been practising, the English parts seem quite easy (save for the vocabulary, but i can work on that), the math bit is harder than i expected though. some of the stuff, like statistics and "special triangles", was hardly touched during high school.

I have now fixed your grammar. I didn't bother with the capitalization, as you've said you already know that.

*This is very, very formal. It is generally acceptable to say, "...which I can work on."

Nope. Though there's not much for you to learn; just follow my vocabulary building advice.

Quick, what does "rapacious" mean?

1. Quit school.
2. Capitalize.