Standardized Test Preparation

College Applications

2009-08-16T13:41:00.000-07:00

Summer is almost over, and the question parents always ask is "When should I start working on college applications and essays?" If you find yourself asking that same question, the answer is now! Most students procrastinate until the very last week, and their essays are not refined, and just plain bad. Do not make this mistake! Ask for any application advice in the comments

Applying early to colleges

2008-12-16T16:28:00.001-08:00

The top colleges like Harvard, Yale, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Stanford, and Priceton are sending emails and regular mail announcing whether you got in, or got rejected. Another possibility is Deffered. Post in the comments if you got accepted to any colleges for early action or early decision.

Should you rush send your SAT scores

2008-11-07T15:42:00.000-08:00

I've recieved many questions about rushing SAT scores to colleges for early decision such as Stanford and the Ivy League colleges. I recommend you do not rush the SAT scores, as it is simply not worth the money.

October SAT results will come out soon!

2008-10-21T18:36:00.001-07:00

October SAT I and SAT II results will be available on the college board 19 days after you took the test, which was October 4th. Thus you should be able to see your scores on www.collegeboard.com on Thursday October 23rd. Leave your SAT scores in the comments!

How to get National Merit on the PSAT

2008-09-15T19:14:00.000-07:00

Quite a few people have asked me how to get national merit on the PSAT. First off, it is not easy by any means. This opportunity is usually reserved for overachieving 10th and 11th graders. The most common question I hear is what the minimum score you need to qualify for national merit. The answer is "it depends" on the state that you live in. Some states have lower standards for education, and have lower minimum cutoff scores for the PSAT national merit scholarship. Of the more than 1 million applicants (people who take the PSAT each October) only 50,000 qualify, and can become semifinalists, or finalists. More than half of the finalists win scholarship money!

Summer is officially over, so start college essays!

2008-09-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

With the end of summer, there isn't much time before you have to start to get cranking on last minute test prep, and the dreaded college essays. Here are a few tips to help you get started on college essays (which you should asap).

The common application essays are due December 31 for most colleges. You can access the common app at https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/default.aspx.

UC applications are due on November 30, which means you will have roughly 2 months from today to finish the applications if you wish to apply to University of California schools such as UCLA and UC Berkeley. Start the application if you wish to apply at http://www.ucop.edu/pathways/

If you don't know what to write about, you should start brainstorming for the college essays. Think about your talents, passions, achievements, etc.

National 2008 SAT scores remain unchanged from 2007 scores

2008-08-26T09:43:00.000-07:00

The collegeboard has released its annual statistics for 2008 SAT scores. The number of SAT test takers increased by about 8% to 1.5 million (1,518,859). This year, more minorities took the test than in the previous year, however SAT scores remained changed. Perhaps this is good, since in the past 10 years SAT scores have been on the decline. Also the number of first generation students increased by 1%. Interestingly, females constituted the largest portion of test takers among all ethnicities.

Where to take a free IQ test

2008-08-15T10:04:00.000-07:00

You've seen those IQ advertisements everywhere, but don't trust the IQ scores they give? Now I'll tell you where you can take a few free IQ tests.

http://www.free-iqtest.net/

http://www.quizrocket.com/free-iq-test

I took a test at each, and got 155 on the first link, and 149 on the quizrocket test. Post your IQ in the comments.

Last minute SAT tips?

2008-08-09T13:58:00.000-07:00

The title is a joke, because it's not last minute yet, so don't freak out about the SAT just yet. The next test is in October, so you have about 2 months left to prepare. How do you plan to spend those last two months prepping for the SAT or subject tests?

Possible New SAT and PSAT Scores

2008-07-31T13:31:00.000-07:00

Here is a list from low to high of all possible SAT scores. Notice that the scores on the SAT range from 600 to 2400. Also note that the scores must all be multiples of 10.

600
610
620
630
640
650
660
670
680
690
700
710
720
730
740
750
760
770
780
790
800
810
820
830
840
850
860
870
880
890
900
910
920
930
940
950
960
970
980
990
1000
1010
1020
1030
1040
1050
1060
1070
1080
1090
1100
1110
1120
1130
1140
1150
1160
1170
1180
1190
1200
1210
1220
1230
1240
1250
1260
1270
1280
1290
1300
1310
1320
1330
1340
1350
1360
1370
1380
1390
1400
1410
1420
1430
1440
1450
1460
1470
1480
1490
1500
1510
1520
1530
1540
1550
1560
1570
1580
1590
1600
1610
1620
1630
1640
1650
1660
1670
1680
1690
1700
1710
1720
1730
1740
1750
1760
1770
1780
1790
1800
1810
1820
1830
1840
1850
1860
1870
1880
1890
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
2030
2040
2050
2060
2070
2080
2090
2100
2110
2120
2130
2140
2150
2160
2170
2180
2190
2200
2210
2220
2230
2240
2250
2260
2270
2280
2290
2300
2310
2320
2330
2340
2350
2360
2370
2380
2390
2400

These is just a list of all possible SAT/PSAT scores. In the future we will compile data for a gaussian bell curve of all SAT scores by seniors and juniors.

Summer studying for the new SAT

2008-07-26T18:45:00.001-07:00

There is little doubt that the best time to study for the SAT is during the summer. The only problem is people get incredibly lazy during the 3 months of summer, and rarely study for the SAT. This is where you can gain a competitive edge over many people who are lazy!

Here are some tips on how to study for the SAT during the summer.

1). Get the right preparation - Either take a class, get a private tutor, or get the right SAT book.

a). While the first two might be expensive, self studying with an SAT prep book might be the best choice. I recommend the TutorFox SAT guide, Princeton Review, and the blue Collegeboard book to help you prepare for the SAT.

2). Memorize 5-10 SAT vocab words per day. Many students fail to memorize SAT vocab words, and do poorly on the critical reading section. Even though there are hundreds of words, if you pace yourself, you should have no problem. Summer is especially the best time to learn vocab words, since you aren't plagued by memorizing information for other classes.

3. Take lots of practice tests, the more you take the better prepared you will be for the New SAT.

All you need to know about the ACT

2008-07-10T11:33:00.000-07:00

What is the ACT test?
The ACT stands for American College Test.
What is the average ACT score?
The average composite score is 21.1.

What is the highest score you can get on the ACT?

The highest score possible is 36

What is the breakdown of the test?

There are 75 English questions, 60 math questions, 40 reading questions, and 40 science questions.

How much does the ACT cost?

It costs $30 to take the ACT without the writing section, or $44.50 to take the ACT assessment plus writing.

AP scores are out!

2008-07-09T15:51:00.000-07:00

In Los Angeles, California, students are recieving their AP scores today - July 9th 2008. If you didn't get your scores today, keep in mind you should get the results in the next few days.

How did you score on the AP, and what methods did you use to study?

2008 AP scores

2008-07-02T16:15:00.000-07:00

When will the May 2008 AP scores be released? Very shortly! In fact, you will get your AP scores in the mail by Mid July. This means you should get your AP scores before July 15th.

If you cannot wait that long to see your AP scores, you can give the collegeboard a call at: (888) 308-0013
it costs $8 per call though

You can find more information about receiving AP scores at: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/exgrd_rep.html

TutorFox New SAT Guide

2008-06-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

I have received a few questions this week about the New SAT guide by TutorFox, so I'll attempt to clear any doubts. First off, this guide was written by 2 students (1 from Stanford who scored 2400, and another from UCLA who scored 2350). I myself purchased this guide back in 2006 to help me study for the New SAT, so I can attest to how great this book is. First of all, I've tried every single book there was, including those by the Princeton Review, Kaplan, Barrons, Up your score, and McGraw-Hill's SAT guide. None were as direct in the approach or as useful as the TutorFox SAT guide.

If I had to rank the guides I used to prepare for the SAT, here's the ranking from best to worst:
TutorFox > PrincetonReview > Barrons > Kaplan > McGraw Hill > Up your score

If you want to raise your SAT score by a few hundred points, and are willing to work at it, you really can't go wrong with the TutorFox SAT guide.

New Collegeboard SAT policy

2008-06-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

Starting with the class of 2010, Collegeboard will allow students to pick and choose which scores they wish to send to colleges. Obviously this is better for students who take the test more than once, since they can make sure only their highest SAT score is seen by colleges.

I was always wondering why it wasn't possible to do this for the SAT and SAT subject tests in the past, but it seems like increased competition from the ACT has forced the collegeboard to adopt this measure.

Lastly, there has been talk that this is disadvantageous to students who are poor, and students who choose not to retake the SAT. This is an obvious consequence, but this new SAT policy will also reward students who study hard, and get higher scores.

June 7th SAT results

2008-06-26T10:11:00.000-07:00

The results from the June 7th SAT and SAT subject tests are officially online. Here's how to check your SAT scores:
1. Log onto the collegeboard website at http://www.collegeboard.com
2. Click Check official SAT scores

Also post how you scored on the SAT and subject tests here in the comments, and any study tips you may have.

June SAT results

2008-06-24T19:15:00.000-07:00

June SAT and SAT II results will be available starting 19 days after the test date. This means the June 7th SAT score results will be available on June 26th. You can check your scores on the collegeboard website at about 8 AM Eastern Time, or 5 AM Pacific Coast time.

Summer time

2008-06-15T23:41:00.000-07:00

So it's officially summer time (for most students anyway)! Many people like to enjoy their summer by relaxing, however the student who wants to get into a good UC or an ivy league college will be working hard in addition to relaxing this summer. In order to raise your SAT scores this summer for the October, November, or December test dates, you should definitely pick up a good SAT guide or a good SAT tutor. The best guides are the TutorFox New SAT Guide, Kaplan's SAT guide, or Princeton Reviews SAT guide. Getting an SAT tutor for a good price will depend on the area where you live. Typical prices for a good SAT tutor range from about $40 to $300 per hour for the most expensive tutors. Keep in mind that the best tutors are not necessarily the most expensive ones.

Colleges and SAT scores vs IQ scores

2008-06-13T22:04:00.000-07:00

Many people have asked whether colleges accept IQ scores instead of the customary SAT scores. Unfortunately, there aren't any colleges which do accept IQ scores. Logically though, the IQ test is simply a measure of intelligence, which is essentially the same thing the New SAT tests. The only difference however, is that the SAT is one step above being merely an intelligence test, as it tests high school intelligence moreso than intrinsic or natural intelligence. This is the primary reason why colleges do not accept IQ scores, but do accept SAT scores.

June 7th SAT test date

2008-06-03T19:44:00.000-07:00

The upcoming June 7th SAT is VERY soon. Of course it's not too late to start preparing, although it definitely is too late to start if you haven't already done so, seeing as the SAT test is in less than a week. What strategies are you going to use for the upcoming SAT? Also how much did you prepare for the SAT, and how did you prepare?

What is a good IQ score

2008-05-24T17:06:00.000-07:00

First off, the IQ score is based on the mean using a guassian distribution. This means that the average IQ score is "curved" to a score of 100. Consequently, this means that 50% of the people score above a score of 100, and 50% of people score below 100. A histogram of IQ scores looks like this:

Lastly, here are the descriptions of IQ scores:
If you have above 144, then you are assigned into the Genius category
If you have between 130 and 144, then you are in the gifted category
Between 100 and 130, you are in the above average category
Anything below 100 is below average.

May 3rd SAT results

2008-05-22T17:07:00.001-07:00

Rejoice, or be upset, but May 3rd SAT scores are now available! Log onto your collegeboard account to check to see how you did. You could also call by phone, or wait a few weeks to recieve the score report by mail. Post how you did in the comments, and what you did to prepare for the SAT.

AP exams

2008-05-19T21:19:00.001-07:00

Now that AP exams are officially over, what did you think about them? Which ones did you take and how hard did you think they were. Also, predict your AP score in the comments.

Perfect score on the SAT

2008-05-18T23:46:00.000-07:00

I have receieved many emails asking what a perfect score is on the SAT, so here is the answer. A perfect SAT score is 2400, meaning you get 800 on each section of the SAT. This means the the best SAT score you can get, the highest SAT score, the perfect score is 2400 points. This also means that it is impossible to get higher than a perfect score of 2400 on the SAT.

On a side note, it is also impossible to get a score such as 2125, because the last digit needs to be a 0. Essentially, SAT scores must be multiples of 10.

How Important is the SAT?

2008-05-17T20:14:00.001-07:00

It is not understatement that the SAT is the most important test you will ever take in your life. In college admissions, your New SAT and SAT subject test scores count for about 1/3 of your total chances, and GPA counts for about 1/3 also. The last third is made up of extracurriculars and the personal statements (college essays).

In case you missed it the first time, SATs count for as much as your entire GPA. That means ALL the grades you ever got in high school added up! Imagine how much time you spent studying for every test for every class, doing every homework, and add up all that time. That is how much the SAT is worth, and clearly shows how the SAT should not be taken lightly or underestimated.

What is a good score for the SAT?

2008-05-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

SAT scores are rather relative, since they truly depend on your aspirations, and more generally, what colleges, and for what major you are applying for.
If you desire to go to an Ivy League college such as Harvard, Brown, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Dartmouth, your SAT score needs to be at least 2200 to have a fighting chance. Thus if you aspire to get into a top tier college, a good SAT score would be 2200+.

Now say you want to apply for a competitive major such as engineering or biology at a top college, then your SAT score needs to be higher, at least 2250.

Next if you want to go to a top public college like UC Berkeley (UCB), or UCLA, then you need an SAT score higher than 2050 to have a decent chance. Now say you want to get into UCLA or UCB for a competitive major like computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, biology, or chemistry, then you need a higher SAT score. 2100 will give you a higher than 30% chance of getting into these top public colleges, but a great SAT score for you would be higher than 2150, which will give you higher than 50% chances for the engineering and science fields.

Lastly if you want to get into the really competitive math/science/engineering schools like Caltech or MIT, then a good new SAT score for you would be anything above 2250. If you really want high chances, then you will need an SAT score of above 2300.

Cancelling SAT results

2008-05-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

If you know you did not do well on the SAT, you can still cancel your New SAT score. Of course, you will not be refunded the cost of the test. You also cannot cancel an individual section score, ALL your scores will be canceled. For example, if you know you didn't do well on math, you can't cancel that one score in particular, you will need to cancel all your scores, including writing and critical reading.

For SAT subject tests, you can cancel individual section scores ONLY if you report that your calculator stops working, whether it is due to faulty batteries, or a fried motherboard. Otherwise, you have no choice but to cancel ALL your SAT subject test scores.

You can cancel your SAT scores anytime before 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, on the Wednesday after you take the SAT or SAT subject tests.

For more information, read this article on how to cancel your SAT scores.

Where to get SAT subject tests

2008-05-07T13:29:00.000-07:00

One of the best ways to prepare for the SAT subject tests is to take REAL SAT subject test practice tests. Can you download free SAT subject tests online? The collegeboard has a list of subject tests available which will help you decide which you subject tests you should take.

Also you can find a preparation booklet for the subject tests, which has sample questions for each subject test, like literature, SAT subject test in math level 1 and level 2, subject test in US History, chemistry, and physics.

Lastly the best book to prepare for the SAT subject tests is made by the collegeboard:

This book has practice tests from every single SAT Subject test available, which will immensely help you prepare for the SAT subject tests.

If anybody has any links to download free sat subject tests, then post them in the comments.

How to prepare for AP exams

2008-05-05T19:05:00.000-07:00

AP exams are upon us, so now is the time to crack open the books, and start to prepare for the AP exams. Now the question arises, how should you be preparing for AP exams?

There are several ways to prepare, the possibility of rereading every single page of your class textbook, but at this point in the game it is too late to do this.

The best way to prepare for the AP exams is to get a good review book, which will summarize all the AP course material, and best of all give you practice tests for the APs. For APUSH (AP US history) the best practice book is:

For AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC, the best practice book is

For AP Chemistry the best practice book is by princeton review:

For AP Physics B and AP Physics C Mechanics + Electricity and Magnetism, the best books to prepare are:

For AP Computer Science, the best book to help you learn all that Java is by Barrons:

May means AP exams!

2008-05-04T22:40:00.000-07:00

AP examms are next week, and the following week. Are you ready? Here's a schedule of upcoming AP exams in May:

May 5: AP Government, AP French
May 6: AP Computer Science A, AP Computer Science AB, AP Spanish, AP Statistics
May 7: AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Chinese
May 8: AP English Literature, AP German, AP French literature, AP Japanese
May 9: AP US History, AP European History, AP Studio Art
May 12: AP Biology, AP Music Theory, AP Physics B, AP Physics C (Mechanics and Electricity and Magnetism)
May 13: AP Environmental Science, AP Chemistry, AP Psychology
May 14: AP Italian, AP English, AP Art History
May 15: AP Macroeconomics, AP Microeconomics, AP World History
May 16: AP Human Geography, AP Spanish Literature, AP Latin

May 3rd SAT

2008-05-03T23:41:00.000-07:00

So the dreaded May 3rd SAT is finally over! Now you can relax until the June 7th SAT test date (and remember to register before May 6, 2008 to avoid paying the late fees!). A few people have been asking me when the results of the SAT or subject tests will be released. Typically the SAT results are mailed 4 weeks after the test date (June 2nd for the May 3rd test date), but who wants to wait that long to see how you scored on the SAT? Instead you can view your scores online at the collegeboard website exactly 19 days after your test date. For the May 3rd test date, you can see your SAT scores on May 22nd. Usually the scores come up at 8 AM Eastern Time 19 days after your test date. 8 AM Eastern Time tranlates to 5 AM Pacific Coast Time.

Your other alternative to see SAT and SAT Subject test scores is to give the collegeboard a call at (866) 756-7346 (Domestic US), however there is a fee, and the phone scores are available at the same time as the web scores, so why pay an extra $12?

So check your SAT scores online on May 22nd!

Getting an SAT test center

2008-05-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

In some of the larger cities, registering late for the SAT has obvious disadvantages, since you may not get your first choice, second choice or even 3rd choice test center. In this case, unless you want to drive a few hours to a far away test center, you still have an option to take the SAT: stand by testing. You go early to the test center and wait if somebody does not show up, then you can pay the stand by testing fee and take the SAT or SAT subject tests at any test center you choose.

SAT vocab

2008-04-26T21:43:00.000-07:00

How important is vocabulary on the SAT? It is in every single crtical reading section (3 total), so obviously it is an important part of your SAT score. Now the question becomes how can you study the vocab words you will find on the SAT.

There are several ways you can study the vocab on the SAT. First off you should obtain a list of the 1000 or 2000 most common SAT words, which can easily be found and downloaded at sparknotes I recommend you make your own flashcards to study. One for each word.

If you don't want to make flashcards, sparknotes writes novels that help you learn SAT vocabulary words.

How can you get a perfect score on the SAT?

2008-04-25T22:10:00.000-07:00

First off, not very many people get a perfect score of 2400 on the SAT. Out the approximately 1 million juniors and seniors who take the SAT, only 200 get a perfect 2400 SAT score.

SAT I vs SAT II subject tests

2008-04-23T19:44:00.000-07:00

Can you take SAT I and SAT II subject tests on the same date? The answer is no. The SAT I takes about 4 hours, and each subjec test takes about an hour. There simply isn't enough time to take the new SAT and SAT subject test on the same test date.

Where to download free SAT practice tests

2008-04-22T18:19:00.000-07:00

The best place to download a free SAT practice test is from Collegeboard practice test

After doing this free SAT practice test, a great place to find practice tests is:

Sending SAT scores to colleges

2008-04-22T16:58:00.000-07:00

Since you are allowed to take the SAT as many times as you want, colleges might see some scores that are not as high as you wanted.

Obviously you want colleges to see your highest scores, but will they? The answer is no, colleges will see ALL your SAT scores. The method of sending scores to colleges can be accomplished when you take the SAT. You can only send scores to 4 colleges, and to send scores to more than 4, you can do so at the collegeboard website for a fee of $9.50 per score report.

Upcoming 2008 SAT test dates

2008-04-19T13:21:00.000-07:00

The SAT is just a little over a month away on May 3, and June 7, 2008. Post in the comments if you think you are ready to take the SAT. Also What strategies/study habits did you employ this time around?

Remember it is not too late to start preparing for the May SAT, as there is still over a month left. Studying with a tutor, or by yourself for a few hours a day will ensure you get a high score on the SAT.

Which colleges have the highest SAT scores?

2008-04-17T17:55:00.000-07:00

Colleges and Universities that are more competitive tend to have higher average SAT scores. When I say average SAT scores, I mean the average SAT scores of accepted students to the respective universities. Harvard for instance has an average New SAT score of 2250. Here is a useful list of average SAT scores of accepted students to some very elite universities:

Harvard average SAT: 2250
Princeton average SAT: 2220
Yale average SAT: 2240
Cornell average SAT: 2095
MIT average SAT: 2175
UCLA average SAT: 2000
Caltech average SAT: 2250
USC average SAT: 2045
Duke average SAT: 2170

Of course just because a college has a higher average New SAT score, it is not necessarily better than another college. However, this gives you an idea of the SAT score you need to get into the best colleges in America.

How to prepare for the new SAT and the SAT subject tests

2008-04-13T16:44:00.000-07:00

There are many ways that a student can prepare for the SAT. The most common are alone, with a tutor, or with an SAT group class.

I have tried all 3 methods, so perhaps my experiences with preparing for the SAT will shed some light on the best ways to increase your score.

First off, I thought I could prepare for the SAT alone, but boy was I wrong! I spent an entire summer (between 10th and 11th grade) studying by myself with the collegeboard SAT guide, and the princeton review guide. My score went up by about 30 points, but it could just be due to random fluctuations. Thus, I highly discourage studying for the new SAT alone, since the results will most likely be limited, and you will only waste your time.

The next way lots of people get ready for the SAT is by taking a prep class, such as those given by The Princeton Review and Kaplan in Los Angeles. You can probably find SAT prep classes in other cities than LA, but might have to do a little more driving. I personally went for the Princeton Review class, which cost me about $1500 total. My experiences were not ALL that bad, but for the most part, I saw the class as a waste of time. Strangely enough, my score actually went down after taking this class. The SAT prep class at princeton review was very unfocused, and the teacher didn't exactly know the SAT as well as he should have. I doubt the Kaplan one in Los Angeles is any better, as some of my friends later told me it was worthless. Also I felt like I wasn't receiving individual attention for my SAT problems since the class had 20 other people in it. This brings me to my next point, and what I consider to be the best way to prepare for the SAT.

If you really want to increase your score, with a minimal amount of time (but not money), you should get 1 on 1 SAT tutoring. This method worked best for me, since the tutor focuses the attention on only ONE student (YOU!). As a warning, the prices can vary greatly for Los Angeles SAT tutoring, as the big companies can charge several hundred dollars an hour. You can find a nice comparison of SAT tutoring in Los Angeles here. Keep in mind that the higher the price, the quality of tutoring is not necessarily better. For example, tutorfox offers the lowest price tutoring of the three test prep companies, and employs all UCLA students who scored above 2200, while princeton review and Kaplan charge much more money, and their SAT tutors can sometimes be in their 30s.

Once again, I strongly recommend tutoring when it comes to preparing for the SAT.

How many times should you retake the SAT?

2008-04-12T20:05:00.000-07:00

There are so many different times to take the SAT, that it is important to know how many times to take the SAT. The answer is rather conditional, as it relies on the colleges you want to attend, and the score you get on the first time you take the SAT.

If you wish to go to an Ivy League college, where the average SAT score is around 2200 to 2250, then if you score below the average, you should highly consider retaking the SAT. If of course you score above, there isn't much point in retaking the SAT (unless of course you believe you can increase your SAT score even more, for example getting 2400).

For the elite UC colleges, like UCLA, UCSD, and UCB, you should aim to have an SAT score higher than 2100. If your SAT score is below 2100, you should retake the SAT whenever you are ready. For example if your SAT score is around 1800, there is a low chance you will get into UCLA, UCSD, or UCB, so you should DEFINITELY retake the SAT. To see the next available test dates, read this.

For other colleges, you should look at your current SAT score, and the average SAT score of the college you want to attend. If your score is lower than the college's average SAT score, then you definitely want to retake the SAT after you do some preparation.

When should you take the SAT?

2008-04-11T19:14:00.000-07:00

There are many test dates throughout the year, but it is important to decide when exactly you should take the New SAT. A chart of SAT test dates can be found of course on the collegeboard's website: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/calenfees.html, but I will make it clear when Juniors (11th graders) and Seniors (12th graders) should be taking the new SAT.

First of all, I recommend that students do not take the SAT before 11th grade, although feel free to take as many practice tests as you would like! During 11th grade, students should register for either the May of June SAT. What is typically done is a student will register for the May 3 2008 SAT, and will save the June 7th SAT for SAT subject tests. This is an especially good idea for students taking APs, since AP classes will not be done with material by the May 3rd SAT. Remember to register by the appropriate deadline or you will have to pay a late fee.

If however, these dates are unsuitable, then students must take the New SAT and SAT subject tests during 12th grade. The available test dates during 12th grade are: October 6, 2008, November 1, 2008, and December 6, 2008. This means if you are only taking the SAT and SAT subject tests a single time, you can avoid taking the exams on one of those test dates. I recommend you plan to take advantage of all 3 of these test dates however. Remember to plan ahead, and register to take the SAT before the deadlines pass, otherwise you have to pay the hefty $22 late fee!

SAT vs. ACT

2008-04-10T17:44:00.000-07:00

Many high school students wonder whether they should take either the SAT or ACT, or both. I personally recommend taking a practice test of each, and see which one you score higher on.
You can take a free SAT practice test made by the collegeboard here: free SAT practice test

You can also take a free ACT practice test here

In actuality, it is very likely that your SAT or ACT score will be about the same when converted. If you take the ACT, and want to convert your score to the new SAT, simply use this ACT to SAT score converter.

The other consideration when deciding between taking the SAT or ACT is that some colleges do not accept both (namely the ACT). There are many "elite" colleges which only accept the new SAT, so it is safer to only take the SAT in this case. In the midwest US, it is best to take the ACT however. For westcoast (california and washington) and eastcoast (all ivy league schools) colleges prefer the SAT, since more students applying to those schools submit solely SAT scores.

ALL in all, it is safer to take the New SAT, however the choice depends on the college you wish to apply to, as well as whichever you score higher in a practice test.

Is the SAT linked with IQ scores?

2008-04-09T20:18:00.000-07:00

Whether or not the SAT and IQ tests are linked is a valid question. Moreover, does knowing your score for one of the two necessarily give you the score for the other? Studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between SAT and IQ scores. Now of course there are general trendlines that can be used to convert SAT to IQ score, and vice versa. But I personally doubt the accuracy. For instance, my SAT score of 2300 would convert to an IQ of about 150 (using the table found on: http://www.iqcomparisonsite.com/SATIQ.aspx), however when I was 7, I took an IQ test, and scored 130. This might mean that I got smarter bebtween the time I took the IQ and SAT tests. It is still an interesting question.

Then again, one has to consider what the IQ and new SAT really test. The latter tests general high school knowledge in the areas of math, writing, and critical reading, while the former tests logic and especially quickness in solving puzzles.

SAT Subject Tests

2008-04-08T21:42:00.000-07:00

Many people wonder what the right SAT subject tests to take are. There are quite a few to choose from, so it is very important to choose the right subject test. The collegeboard offers SAT subject tests in English Literature, History, Social Studies, U.S. History, World History, Mathematics Level 1, Mathematics Level 2, Biology E/M, Chemistry, Physics, Chinese with Listening, French, German, Spanish, Modern Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Japanese, and Korean.

So now the question arises, which subject test should you take? If you are good at math, I recommend you take the math II subject test.
If you are a science person, you should take the SAT in either physics, chemistry, or biology, depending on which one you are better at. If you are an english person, consider taking the SAT in literature. It is very similar to the SAT I critical reading section. If you are good at history, consider taking the SAT subject test in World History, or US History.

The next question is how many tests should you take? The answer depends on the college you want to apply to.
The best colleges usually require at least 2, although some colleges (ivy league) require you to report 3 SAT subject tests. In this case you should pick 3 subject tests in which you will score highest in.

How should you study for the SAT subject tests? The best way is with the official collegeboard SAT subject tests book.

Also good is the princeton review book

Tests you need to take to go to college

2008-04-07T12:54:00.001-07:00

I thought I would start off my first post with one of the most common question asked by 11th and 12th grade high school students: What standardized tests do I need to take in high school in order to get into college?

The answer depends upon which college you want to attend. If you wish to attend a community college, you do not have to take any tests, but it certainly helps if you have passed the high school exit exam. For most colleges, including UC (University of California college system) including UCLA, UCB, and UCSD, and the most coveted Ivy League schools, you will need to take at least 2 SAT subject tests, and either the New SAT 1 Reasoning test or the ACT.

Now the question is which test should you take, the SAT I, or the ACT? Once again it depends on the college you want to go to. In general, colleges prefer the SAT since more people apply with SAT scores, thus the SAT is a more reliable standard of measurement for colleges. The ACT has a larger prevalence in colleges in the midwest, but SAT is more popular among east coast colleges (including ivy league schools), and the UC system.