The original purpose of the standardized test was to level the playing field for applicants for degree programs. As we all know, the sheer scale of expensive preparation programs and materials has tipped the balance in favor of those who can afford them. However, there is still a way to decipher these tests without spending such a large sum. The great thing about preparing for standardized tests is that many of the things you learn while studying can also help you in the rest of your academic work.
At home, preparing for the test requires some effort, especially the motivation to get it right in the first place. For many test prep classes, this is the instructor’s job. The instructor monitors performance and supports improvement. However, if you are self-disciplined enough, you can be your own teacher.
The first step to home preparation is to develop a realistic study program. If you plan to study for the SAT during the school year, you must allocate a day and / or time that you will keep until the test date. Ask yourself: how much time will you give before your recorded test date to study? 6 months? One year? Will you be willing to study daily in small increments or study weekly in larger increments? Planning is another thing you pay exam prep companies to do it for and if this seems overwhelming already, check out my time management section. I must warn you that I am still working on this section (I only have 2 articles at the moment), but if you would like any personalized advice, feel free to email me.
The first thing you can do to improve your English punctuation is to memorize your vocabulary. My favorite tool for this task is the visual education flashcard sets. Instead of buying the SAT vocabulary, I highly recommend the English I and II flashcards. The great thing about VisEd is that they include a sentence that uses the word on the flash card, which made it easier for me to learn the definitions and incorporate these best-used words in my own writing. So, in many ways, this method kills two birds with one stone – you’re improving your verbal punctuation and your ability to write concisely. Also, you don’t need to buy these vocabulary sets. You can always create your own flashcards inexpensively by extracting specific vocabulary lists from the online test.
Although it may seem like a mundane task, vocabulary is one of the most important aspects of any standardized test, and you can never learn too many words. If you opt for VisEd card games, there are a total of 2000 words to memorize. Regardless of what you choose as preparation for the vocabulary test, recognize that vocabulary is important in both critical reading and the grammar sections of the test. Improves understanding of passages, clarifies grammatical use of words, and reveals redundancy.
Learning 2,000 words may seem impossible, but this is when time management comes into play. For example, if you are spending your entire 10-week summer testing and want to learn all the words by then, you will need to memorize 200 words per week. This means 40 words / day if you want to have the weekends free. It took me about an hour to really understand the words.
You will also need test prep books from any major test prep company. These can be found in the library for free and the sample tests, the most important part, are copied at a fairly inexpensive price. Otherwise, you can always buy them used or new. I also found that these books typically don’t vary much from year to year, but it’s more helpful to use books that are geared toward a newer version of the test, such as the new 2400 SAT rather than the old 1600.
Getting the most sample tests and their answer keys with explanations is key to getting good results on standardized tests. Finding a resource that provides real background testing is even better. But in the end, once you have a method for developing your vocabulary and your practice tests, you are ready to go.
Increasing your vocabulary is sure to affect your performance, but there is still that dreaded reading comprehension section. Is there a solution for this. For me, reading comprehension always did well because I described each passage as I read. By describing, I mean to quickly write a summary of each sentence. For example, the following passage is the current Sparknotes example:
Galileo Galilei was born in 1564 in a Europe devastated by cultural ferment and religious struggles. The popes of the Roman Catholic Church, powerful in their role as religious and secular leaders, had proven vulnerable to the worldly and decadent spirit of the time, and their personal immorality brought the reputation of the papacy to an all-time low. In 1517, Martin Luther, a former monk, attacked Catholicism for having become too worldly and politically corrupt and for obscuring the foundations of Christianity with pagan elements. His reforming zeal, which appealed to a notion of an original, “purified”
Christianity launched the Protestant Reformation and divided European Christianity in two.
My schematic would look like this:
-Galileo was born in Europe when there was a cultural boom and religious upheaval.
-Even the popes succumbed to pressure and yielded to their immorality
-Martin Luther appeared later to denounce Catholicism and its corruption and proposed a more “purified” form of Christianity.
-This led to the division of Christianity into Catholicism and Protestantism.
Now the question:
Which of the following was not a reason for Martin Luther’s attack on the church?
to. pagan elements in their practices
B. the amorality of his leadership
vs. his excessive attention to godliness
D. his corruption and worldliness
me. the political participation of the popes
As you can see, the answer cannot necessarily be found in the sketch (that is, I did not include that Luther had a problem with pagan elements in it) but by the act of outlining, you have increased your understanding by having to reflect on the content. of the passage. Also, you can see that knowing the definition of words like ferment and strife could have significantly improved your understanding of the purpose of the passage. The answer to this question is C.
This generally works best with non-narrative passages, where you will most likely be asked a question that speculates the author’s opinion and / or argument. The outline format could also work with narratives, but the trick is also to identify points of ambiguity in the passage, such as vocabulary words, that are likely to be challenged in multiple choice.
There are many other methods that you can find in test prep books, but this is the most effective for me. The secret is to find the method that works best for you, which can only be discovered by practicing as much as you can. Realistically, your outline won’t look like the one I wrote above due to time constraints. Usually my sketches were sloppy words or phrases, but it was well worth the effort. This plan can serve as a disadvantage at first as it will take longer to finish a section. However, it is enough practice, I am sure you will be able to pick up the pace.
With the math part, I suggest you go over all the algebra and geometry rules outlined in the test prep books. Usually any test prep book that has an overview of the topics can work and if you find that there is a topic, such as the rules of right triangles, that you don’t know about, make sure you have solved it before the time of the test. . For any difficulty in the math section, the best way to overcome it is with PRACTICE. Practice increases your speed and familiarity with common math problems, as well as identifying leading questions.
When taking practice tests, I think the best way to start is to measure the time it takes to complete each section rather than trying to beat the clock. This way, you know how much to accelerate. I can almost guarantee that your speed will increase with enough practice and you should not insist on limiting time unless you are experiencing circumstances where your speed does not increase as much as you expected.
As you take these tests, it is important to write down your answer and how you feel about it. Are you sure? Unsafe? Make sure to do this because it is the best way to measure its accuracy during the actual test. When you go back and correct the test, don’t just mark the wrong answers and give yourself a score. Review the detailed answers for each question, if available, and if you made a mistake on the question, write down why you made a mistake. Was it a misconception? Attention to details? Time constraints? If it is a misconception, be sure to note that you will need to relearn this concept. If it was more logistical, be sure to read the passage more carefully next time and take your time with those kinds of questions.
There are stories of people who have been out of school for years and managed to score in the 98th percentile in both math and English on the GRE. I don’t think it’s impossible to do well on a standardized test without spending a lot of money on test prep companies. It is very possible and the secret ingredient is practice. If you want more tips and help, please let me know at http://www.meeraonthewall.com.