As you’ve been preparing on and off SAT Habit, you might’ve noticed that some problems in the Writing section seem to follow a pattern- and it’s true! This phenomenon happens on the SAT, too- and we’ve combined a checklist of errors and strategies for you to get through them all- sentences, paragraphs, and the essay.

1. Sentences

These questions are the fill-in-the-blanks, the find-the-error, and sometimes, they’re the ones you need to watch out for. Here are the common mistakes you’ll see on SAT Writing:

•  Past, Present, or Future? The SAT adores these incorrectly tensed sentences. They’re subtle and sneaky, but you can catch them if you keep an eye out! You’ll see things like “Gabriela loved baseball- in fact, she is almost always on the field.” Since ‘loved’ here is past tense, the following verbs need to be, too! Change ‘is’ to ‘was’ for better grammar.
• Singular or Plural? These can get confusing- for example, the sentence “Every coach wants their team to win.” It sounds familiar, since terminology like this is slang, but their is a plural antecedent. Since there’s only one coach, we should use the phrase “his or her”, so the sentence looks like “Every coach wants his or her team to win.”
• False Comparisons.  It’s a good idea to underline the items being compared in an SAT sentence, because more often then not, they end up being what we like to call false comparisons: things that don’t actually go together. Take a look at this: “Unlike Emma, who aced the history final, Eric’s test looks like it has more errors than answers.” The sentence sounds right, but it’s actually comparing “Emma” and “Eric’s test”- two completely different things!
• Paired Conjunctions. Some common sets you’ll want to remember include: neither/nor, either/or, not only/but also. Sentences like “The prom dress I liked was not only beautiful, but fit me well.” would be better phrased as “The prom dress I liked was not only beautiful, but also fit me well.”

2. Paragraphs

These are the questions you face after you read passages- typically, you’ll be asked to replace a sentence, identify a theme, or simplify some phrasing. Here are a couple you’ll probably see often:

• Run-on sentences. Run-on sentences are sentences that are composed of two or more independent clauses (that means two or more phrases that could be their own sentence.) and are grammatically incorrect. (Long sentences, in general, tend to be incorrect on the SAT- due to run-on structure, redundancy, and passive voice.) Try breaking them up with a semicolon or conjunction for more clear and concise wording.
• Simplify, Simplify, Simplify. Not only do you want to simplify run-on sentences, but you want to do the same for paragraphs and essays as well. When you’re asked about the main idea- before you read the options- write down a quick, short summary of what you just read. Then you can look for the gist of it in the options.
• Use context clues! Often, your questions will reference lines they relate to. You’ll want to read them, and the sentence before and after. That will help give you a sense of context and what’s really happening in the writing.

3. Essays

• Have a thesis. Don’t assume your grader will know what you’re referred to in that third sentence, or that the labels on your paragraphs are good enough. A thesis gives your essay structure, and makes it appear organized and well-prepared. Usually these will be your first sentence, but they’ll occasionally be found at the end of introductory paragraphs as well.
  
• Know your examples. You should have three to five real-world examples that you know well ready for the SAT. Try out some catchy, lesser-known historical event you learned in AP World History, talk about the theme of your favorite niche writer’s books, or mention the latest technological event. In any case, don’t rely wholly on anecdotes and avoid the cliches. 
• Connect everything to a larger theme. When you’re writing your essay, try to tie all of your examples together somehow. Perhaps in your conclusion paragraph, you’ll discuss how the overarching theme was the power of love, or innovation. Maybe you’ll give away the theme in your introduction. But make sure you have one- you don’t want your beautiful examples to seem arbitrary.

Good luck! And if you need any more help, drop a comment or visit the SAT Habit
for more prep.

There’s rarely a shortage of what to do on our iPhones, but if you’re a fellow Apple user, you should definitely be picking up some apps to help you out on the SAT. Here’s a list of apps you’ll find handy  before test day!

Flashcards [+] by NKO Ventures, LLC Education (FREE!)

We all know how helpful noting down unfamiliar terms can be on tests- but carrying around that pile is more than a little inconvenient. This easy-to-use flashcards app lets you add words, definitions, images, and a couple more points on the reading section (= You can organize your sets by topic, or combine them all into a great mass of SAT prep- but no matter what you choose to do, you’ll want an app like Flashcards [+] on hand when the SAT comes around.

Quizlet by Quizlet LLC (FREE!)

If you’re not up to entering all your own words, Quizlet offers the perfect alternative. It’s also a flashcard-creating applet, but it allows users to upload their decks to a database accessible to all users, including ones like “Top 100 Words on the SAT”, “SAT Vocabulary Master”, “SAT Core Vocab”, and lists from popular SAT classes or courses. It’s a great tool for the Critical Reading and Writing section- even including some SAT II lists, like Biology and Chemistry. Give it go if you’re taking any of these tests soon!

Imangi by Imangi Studios, LLC (FREE!)

Despite the greatness of flashcards, sometimes sitting down and memorizing terms just isn’t fun. Imangi adds a creative twist, by offering you scrambled letters, and instructing users to find as many words as they can. A quick, fun game of Imangi leaves you questioning- is “gad” really a word? What was “jargon” again? And if you’re successfully, you’ll make it onto the leaderboards- kicking your competitive streak, and catching you up on words you’ll need on the SAT.

Math Racer by i4software ($3.99)

SAT math is not the most complex or advanced form of mathematics around- instead, it focuses on your speed and accuracy as you solve basic algebra and geometry problems. Just like Math Racer offers- simple math problems at high speeds, recording the best scores, and allowing you to compete with other players.

Mathematics- Mental Math Tricks by Blue Lightning Labs ($0.99)

When you’re taking the math SAT, you don’t want to be wasting time scratching out every step of basic math problems, or even punching them in your calculator. Knowing how to solve problems efficiently and accuratly in your head is a valuable skill, and one you’ll appreciate when you get leftover minutes on the test. Mental Math Tricks offers you multiple different ‘tricks’, and various levels of proficiency to help you master them. Go prepared for the SAT- get some mental math tricks.

Mathematical Formulas by Antek Szataj

But before you get down to the problems- make sure you know what you’re doing with Szataj’s popular app: Mathematical Formulas. Going through his neatly organized lists every once in a while will help refresh your memory before test day- and help you get through to your 800.

Enjoy your new prep-ified iPhone! And be sure to stop by SAT Habit for a full-out practice session soon!

“The following passage is an early draft of an essay.” Do these words strike dread into your heart? If so, you’re not alone! For those who enjoy editing drafts, this portion of the SAT writing section can be frustrating. You have to stay within the test’s guidelines and can’t fix the piece the way you want to. For those who couldn’t care less about fixing and editing drafts of others’ work, these six questions can be overwhelming. The errors often aren’t easy to spot and even if you can figure out what’s wrong it’s often difficult to decide which change is best. If you fall into either category, or just want some tips for those pesky “editing drafts” questions on the SAT writing section, you’ve come to the right place!

Improvements

Ready for the SAT math section? Something that some students may not realize is that all the material covered on math in the SAT has already been covered in earlier grades. Many of the mathematical concepts do not get much more advanced than basic geometry and algebra. So why isn’t everyone getting 800s on the SAT math section if they all already passed these mathematical concepts years prior to taking the SAT? Here are some mistakes that could cost you points and how to avoid them while working on the SAT math section!

Don’t Bum the Lay Ups!

My ninth grade math teacher was a basketball player and she taught us that some math problems were like lay ups in basketball; never miss lay ups! Likewise, on the SAT, there will definitely be some basic, straightforward questions that don’t require much effort or time. These are the points you should absolutely have and points from the harder questions would be a bonus. If you found a question especially easy and finished it quickly, don’t second guess yourself or waste time by hesitating to pick the answer. Also, never waste too much time double checking these “lay ups” because these precious seconds could go into getting more points out of the more challenging questions. Take advantage of these questions to succeed on the SAT math section.

Double Checking Critically

The worst feeling after a math test is realizing you lost points over a silly mistake. We’ve all been there at one point in our high school mathematics careers. If you put in all the effort in mastering a mathematical concept, you deserve points for it so make sure you don’t end up putting your efforts to waste by making careless mistakes. Unlike some tests, the SAT doesn’t give out partial credit so a silly mistakes are a lot more costly.

Whenever I take any math test, I personally keep track of any question that is even slightly tricky. After finishing the entire test to maximize the points I receive from the “lay ups,” I use the remainder of the time to completely redo the challenging questions I kept track of. I wouldn’t look at my previous work and just redo the question, using a different strategy or approach if possible. If I got the same answer as before, I could be fairly certain it’s the correct answer because there’s no chance of using two different strategies and coming up with the same wrong answer twice. Use this strategy to double check your work on the harder problems if you have time! Utilize all your time efficiently on the SAT math section to make sure there aren’t any small, costly mistakes.

Tick Tock

Watch the clock. CLOSELY! Emphasis on the closely! You don’t want to end up leaving half of the section blank because you spent too much time working on one problem. All problems are worth the same amount, regardless of the levels of difficulty so make sure you get through the entire section. Get all the points you are supposed to from the easy questions and if you get stuck on a harder problem for more than thirty seconds, simply skip it, make a note of it, and move on.

The SAT is a very fast paced test, so pacing yourself  and keeping track of time are critical in getting a good score. Think of the test as a race as you are trying to get through it as quickly as possible, while maintaining accuracy of course. The key is acing the math section is finding the perfect balance between speed and accuracy.

A helpful way to keep time is bringing in your own watch, clock, sundial, whatever (as long as it’s allowed to be to used in the test and it wouldn’t distract you or any other test takers)! Be prepared just in case the clock in the room is broken or the instructor forgets to remind you of the time. Also, try to save up as much time for double checking as possible because this is the time when you are really in a rush.

Multiple Choice Questions

On the multiple choice questions, if your work led you to an answer that’s provided as one of the choices, it’s almost certain that you found the correct answer. There is practically no chance that you got a wrong answer and that wrong answer just happened to be a choice, too. Don’t second guess your work until it’s time to double check and you feel uneasy about that answer. Otherwise, answer the question confidently and don’t waste any time by hesitating and questioning your answer. Get through the entire test by either answering or skipping the question. Then, finally at the end, with those valuable minutes you’ve saved up, go back double check some of your questionable answers and try to tackle any difficult problem again. This is a sure way to ace the SAT math section!

Want more help on the math section? Check out SAT Habit at http://www.testive.com/sathabit/launchpad/.

The SAT subject tests are fast approaching. Junior year is coming to a close, so there will only be a few more opportunities for you to take the tests. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, though, and start from the top.

1. A solution for your genius mind

So, you’re sitting around your room thinking about what to do. You already aced your SATs and all of your APs, and you finished the new Call of Duty months ago. Fear not, smart alec, I have got just the thing to cheer you up! It’s fun, exiting, and challenging. It’s called SAT subject tests. Ok, maybe I lied before; it’s probably not going to be that fun.

2. Why do I need to take these subject tests?

Most colleges these days are overwhelmed by the number of qualified students. In fact a college admissions officer told me while I was on a college turn that it’s becoming harder and harder to select students, since many of them deserve to get in. I asked him what they are now using to separate students. He said that other than the college essay, and recommendations, SAT subject tests have become a way to really impress colleges. In fact many colleges now require you to submit at least two SAT subject test scores.

3. So, which one do I take?

Chances are, most of you didn’t even know that SAT subject tests existed before reading this blog. After doing a quick search on the internet, you’ll find that there are tons of SAT subject tests. So, the obvious question on your mind at this point is: which one do I take?

My advice to you is to take a subject test after you have completed a class in that subject area, preferably an AP class. The reason I suggest you take an AP class before tackling the subject test is because a lot of the material tested on the subject tests are more advanced than the material taught by the average high school course. However, please take the subject test during the time or before your AP exam. For example, take the world history subject test after you have taken the world history AP. That way you won’t have to put a lot of time into studying for the subject test itself, since you have been studying for the AP exam in your class all year long, so you will be ready to take the subject test. The SAT subject tests are administered many times throughout the year, but take my advice, and take the test in either May or June. The APs are also in May, so you will have finished up the entire curriculum by May, which will be the perfect time for you to take the test.

4. Exceptions…..

Now let me tell you about some exceptions to my advice earlier. I had a friend who was fascinated with Physics. In fact, his fascination with Physics was so great that he studied a college Physics textbook, while he was still in the 7th grade! He didn’t bother taking Physics in High school, and took the Physics subject test freshman year. Guess what? He got a perfect score! So, if you are like my friend and have been studying a particular subject by yourself for a while, then by all means go ahead and take that subject test.

5. Some words of wisdom

I suggest you visit the websites of the colleges you are interested in attending, and see what subject tests they require. So, good luck guys, and I hope you get 800s on all of your subject tests!

In the meantime, if you are still struggling with the SAT, why don’t you head on over to SAT Habit, and start practicing!

If you haven’t seen Part 1 of SAT Math, click here ! But if you know you’ve mastered Part 1, here’s what makes up the remainder of the test:

(3) Numbers and Operations

It takes up a little over 20% of the exam. It seems like a friendly section- clearly, you know your numbers- but you’ll need a bit more to ace. Types of numbers and their properties are a good thing to keep in mind- which number is both positive, even, and prime? Two!

You’ll also want to be familiar with the following:

Integers: …-4, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4…

Consecutive integers: …n, n +1, n+2, n+3, n+4…

Odd integers: …-3, -1, 0, 1, 3, 5…

Even integers: -4, -2, 0, 2, 4, 6…

Prime numbers: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7,  11…

Digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5…

Besides being able to identify numbers and their properties, you’ll also want to be able to translate them from words to symbols. SAT questions will come in both formats, so make sure you know the difference between “x minus four multiplied by three” and “three multiplied by the difference of x and four.”

(The former doesn’t specify an order to write your equation, so write it how you read it: “x – 4 * 3″ which could be simplified to “x – 12″. But the latter says 3 is multiplied by the difference, so it would look like 3(x – 4). So now it’s simplified to 3x – 12. Take your time to read through algebraic word problems, and make note of the distinction!)

Here’s a another one you might see: do you know the difference between an  arithmetic  sequence and a geometric sequence?

Arithmetic sequences are sequences where successive terms differ by the same constant amount. Like 1, 3, 5, 7, 9…and so on. Geometric sequences, on the other hand, only have constant ratios – i.e. 2, 4, 8, 16…

To review- you’ll need a complete understanding of the following concepts to ace numbers and operations

• Arithmetic word problems
• Properties of integers
• Rational numbers
• Sets
• Counting techniques
• Sequences and series
• Elementary number theory

The final section- (4) Data Analysis, Statistics, and Probability, uses a mere 10%-15% of the test, but it’s crucial for you to get that 800. Remember the terms mean, median, and mode? The average, the middle number, and the most common one, respectively. This, along with interpreting graphs, make up this final section.

And a quick tip before we leave you to your prep- keep in mind that the way you attack these sections is nearly as important as knowing the content itself. Don’t stress out over easy questions you already know the answer to- gain confidence in yourself and your answers by knowing your strengths and your weaknesses.

If you’re not quite sure what those are just yet- take a trip to The Habit to find out!

Losing the points you need to pass your goal SAT score is very easy when it comes to the Writing section. One question here, another there, and soon you’ve lost over a hundred points. However, with targeted practice, you can improve your writing score. If you’re unfamiliar with the types of questions the creators of the test will ask, working through that pick-the-error section is going to feel like tyring to find a needle in a haystack.

Don’t let the Writing section lower your SAT score, conquer it! Here’s how to improve your writing score:

Two of the most important parts of the Writing section are picking the error and revising the sentence. The SAT loves to repetitively test you on a few different writing techniques that many people do not know. They love to test parallel structure, noun/pronoun agreement, subject/verb agreement, adjective vs. adverb, misplaced modifiers, and confusion of words.

Know Parallel Structure to improve your writing score

Make sure that when there is a list of actions in a sentence, they all have the same form. For example, you cannot say “The boy rode a bicycle, ate ice-cream, and flies a paper airplane.” The correct sentence should be “The boy rode a bicycle, ate ice-cream, and flew a paper airplane.”

Noun/Pronoun Agreement

Whenever you see a pronoun in the given sentence, go back to the noun that it replaces and make sure that the two words agree. “She” should not replace “the children” and “they” should not replace “the museum.”

Subject/Verb Agreement

As with the noun/pronoun agreement, check the verbs to see if they match the subject or subjects. Many times, there is an appositive between the noun and the verb, so do not get fooled! Forget the appositive and only look at the noun and verb when checking for this agreement.

Adjective vs. Adverb

One of the trickiest types of questions involved whether to use an adjective or an adverb. Remember, adverbs modify a verb and adjectives modify a noun. Most of the time, these questions appear in the pick-the-error questions and the creators of the test underline an adjective modifying a verb. If you see an adjective underlined, double check to make sure it is modifying a noun, or else it is wrong.

Misplaced modifiers

Most of the time, if you read a sentence with a misplaced modifier, it doesn’t make sense. That’s because the modifying clause or word is not in the right spot and not modifying the right word or phrase. Make sure these phrases are where they are supposed to be so that the sentence makes sense!

Confusion of words

There are very few of these questions on the SAT, if any. They also usually appear in the pick-the-error part of the Writing section. The sentence may say “respectively” instead of “respectfully” because they sound alike and are easily confused. However, now that you know that this may be tested, make sure each word is what it’s supposed to be, not just what it looks like.

Do you want more targeted practice with writing? Try SAT Habit!

It’s junior year, and it seems as if the world revolves around the SAT. Especially for those of you who took it Mar. 9, it can be tough to know what to do with yourself when the scores finally come out.

If you are satisfied with your score, and aren’t retaking, then take a break.  Let’s be honest; a great percentage of students would love to be in your position right now.

For those of you who are unsatisfied, the right path from this point isn’t always clear. So, what do you do? Read on and find out!

1. Determine which date you will retake the test.

Currently, there are two more test dates this school year: May 4 and June 1. Colleges will still accept tests taken next fall in October, November and December. Think of your schedule around these times.  Are swim playoffs on that weekend? Will the AP tests get in the way? What about finals? If you’re hoping to take it in the fall, understand that that may be the last time you get to take it. Also, realize that college applications might keep you buried as it is. Giving yourself a realistic time frame will put things into perspective.

2. Determine your weaknesses and strengths.

The broken down report comes out April 2. Look at what exactly you need to improve on. Did you score sub-par in Critical Reading because of sentence completions or passage comparisons? Do you need a new strategy to find angles, but you need no help in probability? And what can you do to have stronger essay examples? Start making a list of what you need to work on.

3. Decide how to prepare yourself.

Use the resources that you need. Whether its SATHabit, flashcards, phone apps or practice tests, use them to your advantage. Set a schedule of how often you want to study, and for how long. It is typically more advantageous to study more often than once a week for a couple of hours. Depending on how much time you have, your study can be more or less intensive. Decide what you need to do.

4. Take a practice test every now and then.

Choose how often you’d like to take a full practice test. Maybe every other week, every three weeks or once a month. Again, this is based off the time frame you have chosen. Make sure these practice tests are legitimate in that they are timed properly and scored accurately. Set goals for yourself for what you want to reach with each coming practice test. Maybe on your first you scored 1820 because you slipped up on vocabulary. During your preparation, put more emphasis on vocab and set a goal of 1850.  Set up gradual goals and don’t be disappointed if you don’t reach them–simply reevaluate what you need to work on, and tackle your weakness next practice test.

4. Don’t over-think the test!

Some people become stressed because they fear performing similar or worse than their first score. This fear should be pushed aside if you’re doing the right preparation!  As long as you work on what held you back last time, there should be no reason to score lower.  Keep up with hobbies that you love outside of the SAT.  If your mind is occupied with diversions that you love to do, the less stressful the SAT will seem.

Unless you’re one those people who enjoys helping algebra solve its relationship problems, it’s time to change the way you take the SAT. You aren’t obligated to help algebra find its x, or tell it y, unless of course, you find that fun. For the rest of us, here are some tips to increase efficiency and correct answers in the math SAT sections.

1. Plug In Numbers

Plugging in turns every algebra and geometry problem into basic arithmetic. Just plug in a number into any answer choice that has a variable in it. Try to pick numbers that make the math easy, like 2,3, 5, or if you’re feeling adventurous, even 10, but don’t stretch it any further than that. Even if you think fractions are your friends, don’t use them, no matter how tempting it may be. ETS makes the math questions look difficult, but in reality they aren’t, so plugging in complicated numbers just increases the work you have to do unnecessarily.

No matter what you do, stay away from 0 and  1, like they’re poisonous reptiles from the depths of the Amazon, or whatever. ETS purposely makes questions that will have multiple answers work if you plug in 0 and 1. Any other number works, if it gets too messy just pick another number.

Make sure to try every possible answer. The evil ETS will try to trick you with multiple answers that might work, with certain numbers, make sure you don’t fall into that trap.

Sometimes the SAT will have questions where you can plug in the answers into the questions. Start with answer C, if the number you got is too low go to D and E; too high then go to A and B. Once you get an answer that works, STOP you’re done, there is only one answer that works.

2. Ballpark

If you guess the amount of jelly beans in the jar, you get to eat them all. When you were faced with this kind of problem, you didn’t sit there and try to count them all. It would have taken way too long and, well, you weren’t allowed to. So, you just give it your best guess. Take the same approach for the SAT. If a problem looks too difficult, just guess. Well, don’t completely guess, ballpark. Estimate all the numbers so that they are easy to do math with, then simplify the operation. Always look for shortcuts, don’t try to do complex algebra, you can beat the SAT with simple arithmetic. Remember, that π is a little more than 3, √ 2 is 1.4 and √ 3 is 1.7. Also when a figure is drawn to scale, answers that don’t agree with the figure can’t be right. Then you can easily eliminate some answers. Then the answer that is closest to the one you got should be right, especially if you eliminated other answers before hand. Difficult problems take a fraction of the time this way, and you’re more likely to get them right.

Remember, Plug In numbers, Ballpark and use SATHabit , and your Math score will skyrocket.