Metal Reviews

It was actually more than six years ago that I took the SAT, so I don't even really remember it. The best thing I can say is that it's a slightly harder version of the ACT (except without a Science section). Also, I don't think the Writing section of the SAT was implemented yet when I took it. It was actually only about four years ago that "Analytical Writing" sections were implemented in standardized tests.

That whole thing about the SAT testing "ability level" is a load of bull. You CAN'T accurately test ability level with a multiple choice test (which is what the SAT is). And truthfully, I know plenty of brilliant students who bombed the SAT and also plenty of not so brilliant students who did really really well on it.

A little forewarning: If you plan on going for a Master's Degree or PhD, you're going to have to take something called the GRE (Graduate Records Exam) - basically the SAT/ACT for college undergrads wanting to go to grad school. There are two kinds of GRE: The general test (which has a verbal section, math section and writing section) and the subject test (which tests you strictly on the subject you plan to study in grad school). The emphasis placed on the GRE varies wildly from college to college. MIT, for example, considers the GRE worthless. While U of M (Ann Arbor) puts heavy emphasis on it.

Ok, thanks. I have no clue about what "rapacious" means, but I don't think I'll need it a lot . My problem is that I don't always know when to place a comma, when to use "these", "this", "that", and "those", and which out of "that" and "which" should be placed in perticular sentences. Word's spell-check should be able to take care of most of the rest, and there's a dictionary for the meaning of words. Oh, I also have trouble feeling what "time" to use; simple present, past perfect, you know what I mean. I try to fill in all of these things based on feeling, but the problem is that I'm not English and that my feeling therefore sucks. When writing messages like these, I really don't care a lot, but I think a review should contain perfect English.

We have SATs over here as well, though they've now been abolished and they mean jack anyway

FOR THE LAST TIME, I KNOW WHEN TO CAPITALIZE, I DON'T CAPITALIZE IN THE FORUM (OR THE INTERNETS IN GENERAL) BECAUSE I'M TOO LAZY!!!!

Carnifex - i could swear that in british english "practice" is spelled with an S :|

Seinfeld - GRE? i've never heard of that... i thought you only had to do specific exams, like the MCAT (for medical school) or GMAT (mba).

The GRE isn't nearly as widely publicized as the SAT, ACT, etc. since fewer people take it (because there aren't nearly as many students going to grad school as there are students going to college - and some grad schools like the almighty MIT don't even require it). That's probably why you haven't heard of it. I myself never heard of it until about a year and a quarter ago.

The general GRE is basically the SAT/ACT for students going to grad school. Meanwhile, there are also "Subject GREs" you take that pertain to your field. For example, if you're a Math major, you'll take the Math Subject GRE. If you're a Literature major, you'll take the Literature Subject GRE. And so on and so forth.

the scores are in.

Critical Reading 660 90%
Math 550 60%
Writing 600 81%
Multiple Choice 65
(score range: 20-80)

Essay 6
(score range: 2-12)

dunno, maybe i'll take it again in december. the math section was a real bitch. it wasn't hard, but i needed more time.

EDIT - i was looking for a score around 1300 (out of 1600 i think). the new scores are out of 2400, and i got 1810 (i'm assuming the Essay is part of the writing score). using the formula:
1600/x = 2400/1810
x= old score

i got x = 1201 (or something). did i do it correctly?

Azrael, to find your score out of the old 1600 score just add your reading and math scores together. I myself got:

Reading: 650
Math: 770
Writing: 650

Hopefully MIT doesn't care I suck at reading. I'll find out in December whether or not they do.

660 + 550 = 1210 all the same. what a coincidence.

MIT? it'd be awesome if you were accepted! i wanted to apply there but they wanted those SAT subject tests for physics or biology or something, and there's now way in hell i'd pass that. in Portugal you start focusing on a certain area right in high-school (in my case, management/economics) and in college there is no generalist core-corriculum. anyway it'd be damn near impossible to get in with my crappy math score.