Do YOU have an SAT coming up in the next week or two? Whether you’ve been studying for a few months (as I advised in this previous post) or have hardly cracked open a test prep book or official College Board practice test, today’s post is for you.
Today, I’m going to lay out exactly what to focus on these next couple weeks (or week!), so that you have the best possible chance of nabbing every single last point you can when you sit for the SAT. Especially if you’ve left your test preparations to the last minute, consider this the most user-friendly “cram plan” out there!
But before we dive into the five SAT topics you should study ASAP, here are some important reminders:
1. You’re NOT going to learn everything on the SAT in the next week or two.
Sorry. That’s just not how it works! Sustained learning and recall happens when you give content SIX separate chances to absorb into your brain. That’s a lot of flash cards, problem sets and practice tests! And if you’re taking your exam in one to two weeks, you don’t have that luxury of time.
2. However, you CAN learn some key content and strategies well enough in this short time frame to make some SERIOUS improvements to your score!
Basically, if you focus on learning a few key pieces really well, instead of trying to spread yourself too thin, this handful of concepts alone can help you realistically improve by 100+ points!
So, without further ado, here is…
How to Cram for the SAT Next Week
1) Learn How to Answer Evidence Questions from the Reading Section.
Here’s why you need to know this concept: up to 18 questions in the Evidence-Based Reading section are of this particular type! That's more than any other question type on the SAT Reading section!
Do you realize how many points that could be if you mastered it?
100 points. You read that correctly.
Yep, that’s right: this one strategy that I created ALONE can get you your 100-point SAT score increase! So without further ado, here’s how you master the SAT Reading’s Evidence Question.
2) SAT Punctuation to Study.
Do you remember actually learning punctuation rules in school? Or do you, like 99.9999% of my private tutoring students, have only a vague sense of when you might need punctuation…followed by a vague hunch of which type to use?
If it’s the latter (no shame!), I’m about to solve your punctuation woes, once and for all!
Just grab a pen and some paper or flashcards and study my master punctuation cheat sheet…and nab up to 70 more points on the SAT’s Evidence-Based Writing section—with this knowledge alone!
Get the Ivy Lounge Punctuation Cheat Sheet!
***Already are a Punctuation Pro? (Or have a little bit more time to study?) I HIGHLY suggest nabbing my SAT Grammar Cram Plan. Remember that part in The Matrix where a 30-second program update teaches Keanu Reeve’s character Neo something crazy complex, like Kung Fu? Well, it’s basically THAT, but for grammar! In just a few pages, you’ll learn ALL the Grammar you need for the SAT’s Writing section!***
3) What Do You Need to Know about Fractions for the SAT?
This topic is part of a series I wrote on SAT Math essentials, and I thought it could really help you crammers out there, especially on the No Calculator Math section of the test.
Fractions are the “gate keeper” to your coveted high SAT Math score. Though you might not get SAT Math questions that ONLY rely on your fraction knowledge, you need to learn how to easily work with them and calculate them with ease and accuracy if you plan on getting a ton of OTHER Math questions correct.
This topic is definitely a must for anyone who claims they “hate” fractions or are “math-phobic”—which is MANY, if not most, of the students I’ve helped get into elite college over the past dozen years.
4) Math Terms that the SAT Tests You on.
This is a topic that you’ll use on the No Calculator section, and on the Calculator section…as well as in pretty much EVERY math class you’ll ever be in for the rest of your life (or rather, for as long as you choose to take math classes!).
What IS “Math Vocabulary?” Specifically, it’s the English words that give you the most clues regarding how to solve math problems. Some of them directly translate into mathematical operations and “tell” you what to do!
How cool is that?!
This one’s quick but sure to give you SEVERAL more points: Teach me Math Vocabulary!
5) Linear Equations on the SAT.
It’s a seemingly simple topic that you learned a long time ago…but I assure you, you never learned it the way the SAT will ask you about it!
The best part? When we combine how many points you could potentially earn with these three Math topics—Fractions, Math Vocabulary, and Linear Equations—guess what? You could earn up to 130 more points! Just in Math!
Excited? Thought you would be. So get ready to learn all about Linear Equations and how they show up on the SAT!
Teach me about Linear Equations!
***
So THAT, my SAT-taking friends, is exactly what I’d spend my time studying if I only had a few days or a week or two before I sat for the SAT. If I could wave a magic wand and have you learn ALL of these five concepts, that could actually total up to 300 additional points on the SAT! But like I said, cramming isn’t perfect; so remember that even if you just improved by 100 points before Test Day, that would be a major success…AND would increase your college prospects considerably!
Also, if you aren’t the cramming type, and prefer to plan your SAT test prep a months or years in advance, that means you’ve got WAY more options and wiggle room. And the BEST part? You’d have the time to potentially work privately with ME! If you want an expert in your back pocket, just contact me, and I can take the (usually) stressful SAT test prep process off your plate…and get you amazing results!
And if you’re more of a self-studier? I have ebooks and online courses for ALL sections of the SAT (Reading, Writing and Math), whether you need help with only a single section or you need help with them all! Check them out here.
