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26
Oct

College Admissions: The Pressures of College Entrance Exams

In an increasingly competitive college admissions environment, college applicants are feeling the pressure. With more students than ever applying to college and competing for a limited number of spots at universities, it’s not surprising that college entrance exams like the SAT and ACT cause a good amount of stress. But it’s important to keep in mind that YOU’RE MORE THAN A TEST SCORE!

While there’s no use denying that SAT and ACT scores are an important piece of your application and student profile–they’re not everything.  Four years of hard work and good grades (hopefully) in high school  are not erased with one standardized test score.

That being said, the SAT and ACT are tests that can be mastered through hard work and time commitment. (more…)

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19
Jan

FREE SAT VOCABULARY VIDEOS: Vocab Videos FREE Subscription Plan

Vocab Videos is pleased to announce that it has recently launched a FREE Vocab Videos subscription plan! Now, visitors to our site can register for a free one month account and receive access to more than 150 Vocab Videos and a portion of our study materials! We wanted to give everyone the chance to see what we do over here at VocabVideos.com and how our videos can making learning vocabulary fun!

ATTENTION EDUCATORS: See bottom of post!

By registering for a free subscription plan, users can access the following features:

  • Vocab Videos Study Guide: Our study guide provides suggestions on how to get the most out of Vocab Videos. Learn how to best utilize the videos, absorb vocabulary efficiently, and employ our review material most effectively. The guide will help you to craft your own individualized vocabulary regimen.
  • Video Library: Our free account provides access to 8 episodes and over 150 Vocab Videos! Become familiar with engaging Vocab Videos storylines and meet some of our  hilarious characters. You’ll can’t wait to see what happens next!
  • Digital Quizzes: Test your new vocabulary knowledge by taking a Vocab Videos digital quiz after each episode! SAT–style questions offer preparation for standardized tests. At the end of each quiz, detailed quiz results show quiz performance and what questions were answered correctly and incorrectly; results can be downloaded and printed.
  • Downloadable Worksheets: Worksheets can be used to maximize comprehension and retention. They provide space to write sentences, synonyms and mnemonic devices, and to build a more clear understanding of the meaning of the words.

If you like what you see, we make it easy to upgrade to a 6-month or 12-month premium account! A premium subscription plan includes  total access to ALL 500 VOCAB VIDEOS + our extensive suite of study resources. In addition, to our entire video library our premium subscription level offers access to:

  • ALL Digital Quizzes: Take a total of 25 digital quizzes, one for every Vocab Videos episode + cumulative quizzes that take some vocabulary from each episode. Detailed quiz results chart your quiz performance and what words you answered correctly and incorrectly; results can be downloaded and printed. Quiz results are stored to the user dashboard, so you can constantly monitor your progress.

  • Digital Flashcard Maker: The digital flashcard maker allows you to create flashcards for additional vocabulary words or for ANY academic subject – flashcards will be saved and stored in your personal Vocab Videos account. Flashcard maker features include:
    • Add an image or movie file
    • Study in quiz mode—“flipping” cards to review
    • View cards in table mode (option to hide the question or answer column)
    • Download and print flashcard sets to review on-the-go

  • Digital Worksheets: Like downloadable worksheets, digital worksheets provide space to write sentences or mnemonic devices to build a clear understanding of the word. Once they are entered, sentences are stored on a personalized study sheet. Print out worksheets for review on-the-go.

  • Vocab Videos Glossary: A searchable, alphabetical glossary of all the words featured in Vocab Videos along with their definitions. The glossary allows users to keep track of words they’ve mastered, and to review definitions even when they don’t have access to a computer.
  • Vocab Videos Definition Groups: These category lists group words by common themes. This valuable reference allows for an even more comprehensive understanding of the vocabulary. Definition groups are useful for helping grasp subtle differences in meanings and when to use particular words.
  • Vocab Videos Crossword Puzzles: Crossword puzzles by episode offer a fun form of review. Users can print these out to study on-the-go.

EDUCATORS: Don’t forget, you’ll want to consider a school or classroom package to introduce Vocab Videos to your students! Classroom packages provide individual student and teacher accounts for Vocab Videos.

Teacher accounts allow you to monitor student usage, view quiz results (questions students answered incorrectly), and download review material to incorporate into your curriculum. Sign up for a free teacher demo account on our Educators page, or contact us to get started with a classroom package:

Email: [email protected]

Call: 646-216-9187 ext. 202

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09
Sep

SAT Vocabulary: Introducing New Digital Quizzes!

 

We’re making some major upgrades to the Vocab Videos site, the first of which we’re delighted to announce to all of our Vocab Videos subscribers and fans: THE ADDITION OF DIGITAL QUIZZES!

Now, immediately after watching a Vocab Videos episode, you’re able to take an interactive quiz to review all of the SAT vocabulary content you’ve just watched! At the end of each quiz, you’ll see a detailed overview of how you performed–the questions you answered correctly, those you answered incorrectly, and what SAT vocabulary words you need to study further.

 

 

Downloadable score reports are available for printing if students want to keep a record of their progress or if teachers want to keep track of their students’ quiz performance. If your quiz score shows that you didn’t fully grasp the episode’s vocabulary content, go back and watch the video again, and then re-take the quiz!

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20
Aug

Comparing SAT & ACT Scores: SAT/ACT Conversion Table

ACT Table A:College Board Study Table C:Admissions Data Table B:Percentile Match[1]
36 1600 1600 1600
35 1580 1580 1570
34 1520 1550 1540
33 1470 1510 1510
32 1420 1470 1480
31 1380 1420 1460
30 1340 1380 1430
29 1300 1340 1375
28 1260 1300 1330
27 1220 1250 1290
26 1180 1210 1250
25 1140 1170 1210
24 1110 1130 1170
23 1070 1090 1125
22 1030 1040 1090
21 990 1000 1050
20 950 960 1005
19 910 920 960
18 870 880 925
17 830 830 880
16 780 790 835
15 740 750 785
14 680 710 730
13 620 660 685
12 560 620 605
11 500 580 580
Table A taken from collegeboard.comAll data compares ACT Composite Score with SAT Reading and Math only.

A-List Education, the education experts who brought you Vocab Videos, put together this SAT/ACT conversion chart to help you figure out how the two test scores correlate. Converting an ACT score to an SAT score isn’t like converting miles to kilometers. There’s no “right answer,” no exact value of what an ACT score is worth in SAT points. There are a lot of factors at work here, and several different ways to look at the data.

As any simple web search will show you, there are many SAT-ACT conversion tables out there. Many of these tables are taken from score comparison data available on the College Board website (see Table A). This chart is based on a study of test scores from 1994 to 1996. It’s a comparison based on skill: if you get score X on the SAT, you’ll get score Y on the ACT. It’s probably the most reliable chart out there in that it’s the product of a rigorous scientific study commissioned by people who know about this sort of thing. However, it uses data from the old SAT. The College Board will tell you that the scores should be comparable, but let’s see if there’s any fresher data available.

Fresher data is readily available in the form of percentiles. Both the SAT and ACT publish tables of the percentiles of test-takers who achieved a particular score. So A-List took data from 2005 to 2007 and matched up the scores on the two tests that correspond to the same percentile (see Table B). This chart shows significantly higher SAT scores for corresponding ACT scores than the College Board table does. The problem is that this is an unscientific study, so there could be other factors contributing to the score distribution.

Both these charts seek to equate scores based on the ability of students: a student who gets score X on one test is likely to get score Y on the other. But this overlooks why these scores matter at all: college admissions. These charts don’t tell us the value of the scores with respect to actual admissions decisions. Perhaps colleges treat the tests differently. Perhaps a college will accept a student in the 80th percentile of the SAT but require the 85th percentile of the ACT, or vice versa.

So A-List took a look at the college admissions data in the 2008 U.S. News and World Report guide and matched the SAT and ACT scores of incoming students at each college. They found those numbers were somewhat in between the previous two charts. This chart has the same concern about scientific validity as Table B, but it’s the best way to directly gauge how much a score is actually worth to colleges. Read More…

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15
Jun

SAT Scores: Top National Universities’ Average SAT & ACT Scores

Have you ever wondered to what colleges your SAT scores will earn you acceptance to? Using US News & World Report’s 2010 ranking of national universities and data from the College Board, the Vocab Videos team has compiled a list of the average SAT scores of first-year students at some of the country’s top universities. Take a look below to see if your SAT scores are on target to gain you admission to your top-choice college. And don’t forget learning your SAT vocabulary can help raise your SAT scores 150+ points, so don’t forget to give Vocab Videos–our FUN & EFFECTIVE vocabulary learning system–a try!

From CollegeBoard.com: Average SAT Scores by College (Middle 50% of First-Year Students)
America’s Top National Universities 2010 (US News & World Report) SAT Critical Reading SAT Math SAT Writing ACT Composite
Harvard University 690 – 780 690 – 790 690 – 780 31 – 34
Princeton University 690 – 790 700 – 790 700 – 780 31 – 35
Yale University 700 – 800 700 – 780 700 – 790 30 – 34
California Institute of Technology 690 – 770 770 – 800 680 – 770 33 – 35
Massachusetts Insititute of Technology 650 – 760 720 – 800 660 – 760 32 – 35
Stanford University 660 – 760 680 – 780 670 – 760 30 – 34
University of Pennsylvania 660 – 750 690 – 780 670 – 760 30 – 34
Columbia University 680 – 770 690 – 780 680 – 770 31 – 34
University of Chicago 690 – 780 680 – 780 670 – 760 28 – 32
Duke University 660 – 750 680 – 780 660 – 760 30 – 34
Dartmouth College 660 – 770 680 – 780 670 – 780 30 – 34
Northwestern University 670 – 750 690 – 780 670 – 750 30 – 33
Washington University in St. Louis 680 – 750 710 – 780 – 32 – 34
Johns Hopkins Univeristy 630 – 730 670 – 770 650 – 730 29 – 33
Cornell University 630 – 730 660 – 770 – 29 – 33
Brown University 650 – 760 670 – 780 660 – 770 28 – 33
Emory University 640 – 730 660 – 750 650 – 740 29 – 33
Rice University 640 – 750 680 – 780 650 – 740 30 – 34
Vanderbilt University 660 – 750 690 – 770 660 – 750 30 – 34
University of Notre Dame 650 – 750 680 – 760 640 – 730 31 – 34
University of California–Berkeley 590 – 710 640 – 760 610 – 720 –
Carnegie Mellon University 620 – 720 670 – 780 620 – 720 28 – 34
Georgetown University 650 – 750 650 – 750 – 27 – 33
University of California–Los Angeles 570 – 680 600 – 730 580 – 700 24 – 31
University of Virginia 600 – 710 630 – 730 610 – 710 27 – 32
University of Southern California 620 – 710 650 – 740 640 – 730 29 – 32
University of Michigan–Ann Arbor 590 – 690 640 – 740 600 – 700 27 – 31
Tufts University 680 – 750 680 – 750 680 – 760 30 – 33
University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill 590 – 700 620 – 710 580 – 680 26 – 31
Wake Forest University 580 – 690 600 – 700 – 27 – 31
Brandeis University 620 – 730 640 – 730 620 – 720 27 – 31
New York University 610 – 710 600 – 720 620 – 710 27 – 31
College of William and Mary 620 – 730 620 – 720 610 – 710 27 – 32
Boston College 610 – 700 640 – 730 630 – 720 29 – 32
Georgia Institute of Technology 580 – 680 650 – 750 580 – 670 27 – 31
Lehigh University 590 – 630 630 – 710 – –
University of California-San Diego 540 – 660 600 – 710 560 – 670 24 – 30
University of Rochester 590 – 690 640 – 720 590 – 690 28 – 33
University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign 540 – 660 660 – 770 –  
University of Wisconsin–Madison 550 – 670 620 – 720 570 – 670 26 – 30
Case Western Reserve University 590 – 700 650 – 740 590 – 690 28 – 32
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 610 – 700 660 – 750 580 – 680 25 – 30
University of California–Davis 520 – 640 560 – 680 520 – 650 24 – 30
University of California–Santa Barbara 540 – 660 550 – 670 540 – 660 24 – 30
University of Washington 530 – 650 570 – 680 530 – 640 24 – 30
University of California–Irvine 520 – 640 570 – 680 530 – 640 –
Penn State–University Park 530 – 630 560 – 670 540 – 640 –
University of Florida 570 – 680 590 – 700 – 25 – 30
University of Texas–Austin 530 – 660 570 – 700 530 – 660 24 – 30
Tulane University 630 – 700 620 – 700 630 – 710 29 – 32
University of Miami 570 – 680 600 – 700 570 – 670 27 – 31
Yeshiva University 550 – 690 550 – 680 – 22 – 28
George Washington University 600 – 690 600 – 690 600 – 690 27 – 30
Ohio State University–Columbus 540 – 650 580 – 690 540 – 640 25 – 30
University of Maryland–College Park 580 – 680 620 – 710 – –
Boston University 570 – 660 600 – 690 590 – 680 26 – 30
University of Pittsburgh 570 – 680 590 – 680 560 – 660 25 – 30
Pepperdine University 560 – 660 560 – 680 560 – 660 24 – 30
Syracuse University 510 – 620 540 – 650 520 – 630 23 – 28
University of Georgia 560 – 660 570 – 670 570 – 660 25 – 29
Clemson University 550 – 640 590 – 680 – 25 – 30
Fordham University 570 – 670 570 – 670 570 – 670 26 – 30
Purdue University–West Lafayette 500 – 610 540 – 670 490 – 600 23 – 29
Texas A&M University–College Station 530 – 640 570 – 670 500 – 620 24 – 30
University of Minnesota–Twin Cities 520 – 670 600 – 710 530 – 650 24 – 29
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey–New Brunswick 530 – 630 560 – 680 540 – 640 –
University of Connecticut 550 – 640 570 – 670 550 – 650 24 – 29
Southern Methodist University 560 – 660 580 – 680 560 – 660 25 – 30
University of Delaware 520 – 630 540 – 650 520 – 640 24 – 28
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 560 – 660 630 – 720 560 – 660 26 – 31
Brigham Young University–Provo 560 – 670 570 – 680 – 25 – 30
Indiana University–Bloomington 520 – 630 540 – 660 – 24 – 29
Michigan State University 470 – 610 540 – 660 480 – 610 23 – 27
University of California–Santa Cruz 510 – 630 520 – 640 520 – 630 22 – 28
University of Iowa 500 – 640 560 – 690 – 23 – 28
Virginia Tech 540 – 640 570 – 670 540 – 630 –
Colorado School of Mines 550 – 650 620 – 700 – 26 – 30
Miami University–Oxford 530 – 630 560 – 660 – 24 – 29
University of Colorado–Boulder 520 – 630 550 – 650 – 24 – 28
Baylor University 530 – 640 550 – 650 510 – 620 23 – 29
Northeastern University 580 – 670 620 – 700 580 – 670 27 – 31
SUNY–Binghamton 580 – 670 620 – 710 – 27 – 30
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry 520 – 610 540 – 630 – 22 – 27
American University 590 – 700 580 – 670 580 – 690 25 – 30
Marquette University 540 – 640 540 – 660 530 – 640 24 – 29
Stevens Institute of Technology 550 – 650 620 – 710 540 – 650 24 – 29
University of Denver 540 – 640 550 – 650 520 – 620 24 – 29
Auburn University 520 – 640 540 – 660 510 – 620 23 – 29
Clark University 550 – 650 530 – 640 550 – 650 24 – 29
Drexel University 540 – 630 570 – 670 520 – 630 23 – 28
Iowa State University 490 – 640 540 – 690 – 22 – 28
North Carolina State University–Raleigh 520 – 620 560 – 660 510 – 610 23 – 28
St. Louis University 540 – 650 540 – 670 – 24 – 30
University of Tulsa 570 – 700 560 – 690 – 25 – 32
University of Vermont 540 – 640 550 – 640 540 – 640 24 – 28
Howard University 460 – 660 440 – 660 430 – 660 19 – 29
SUNY–Stony Brook 520 – 620 580 – 670 520 – 620 24 – 28
University of Alabama 500 – 600 500 – 620 – 21 – 28
University of California–Riverside 450 – 570 480 – 620 460 – 570 19 – 25
University of Kansas – – – 22 – 27
University of Nebraska–Lincoln 510 – 670 530 – 680 – 22 – 29
Florida State University 550 – 640 560 – 650 540 – 630 24 – 28
University of Arizona 460 – 600 490 – 620 – 21 – 27
University of Missouri 530 – 650 530 – 650 – 23 – 28
University of Oklahoma 510 – 640 530 – 660 – 23 – 29
Illinois Institute of Technology 540 – 670 630 – 720 530 – 640 530 – 640
University of Massachusetts–Amherst 520 – 630 540 – 650 – 23 – 28
University of Tennessee 510 – 640 530 – 650 – 24 – 29
Washington State University 480 – 590 490 – 610 460 – 570 21 – 26
Texas Christian University 520 – 630 530 – 650 520 – 630 23 – 28
University of Dayton 510 – 610 520 – 640 – 23 – 28
University of New Hampshire 510 – 610 520 – 630 – –
University of San Diego 550 – 640 570 – 660 550 – 650 25 – 29
University of South Carolina–Columbia 530 – 640 560 – 650 – 24 – 29

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04
Jun

SAT Test Preparation: Jon Stewart on the SAT

GOOD LUCK to those of you taking the SAT this weekend! Watch this segment about the SAT from Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show for a laugh.  

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
Martin – The SAT
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party
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02
Jun

College Admissions Counseling: Make the Most of Your Summer

If you’re a high school sophomore, junior or soon-to-be senior, consider optimizing your time off from school. Make the most of your vacation with one of our summer opportunity suggestions:

Even if it’s not on your reading list, read a good book this summer
  • Summer job: For many of you, a summer job is a typical part of your summer experience.  If it’s not, we’d recommend you start looking around and applying. Not only will a summer job put some cash in your pocket, it’s a good learning experience. Did we mention it’s also something to tag onto your college activities resume?
    *If you’re getting a bit too late of a start, and summer jobs are scarce, don’t be too discouraged—read on for other ways to have a productive summer!
  • Internship: Internships can provide a world of opportunity. They are a terrific way to get a glimpse into a particular occupation or industry, and thus, to discover if the career path that you’re contemplating is right (or wrong) for you.   And while it may be looking a bit down the road, internships can also turn into job offers.  Whether it’s a paid or unpaid internship, the experience is generally profitable in the end.
  • Volunteer: If you’re having a hard time finding a summer job or internship opportunity, we’d urge you to consider volunteer work. After all, it’s unlikely a volunteer organization will turn down a helping hand. Sure, giving back and giving your time will look good when you’re applying to colleges, but there are many more reasons to volunteer your time. Volunteering can give you the chance to take on a leadership role, meet new people, get involved in your community, or learn and develop a new skill. Overall, it can be quite a personally rewarding experience.
     
  • Get Smart: Even though you’re not in school, try not to use summer as an excuse to turn off your brain. You may not like the sound of this, but if you’re going into your sophomore or junior year, summer is a great time to start preparing for your SAT. Read a few good books and the newspaper to improve your reading comprehension, try Vocab Videos for a fun way to learn your SAT vocabulary, or slowly work your way through an SAT study guide while lounging around. If you’ve already taken the SAT, read regardless to keep that brain active! Use summer as a time to get ahead of the game.
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23
Feb

SAT Preparation: Helpful Reminders for the Upcoming SAT & ACT

The March SAT (3/13/10) and April ACT (4/10/10) are fast-approaching, and the Vocab Videos team wanted to offer you a few reminders for the home stretch:

  • Remember to Register! If you haven’t already, be sure to register for your upcoming test! Sign up for the SAT by following the instructions at CollegeBoard.com. If you’ve missed the February 10th registration deadline, there’s still time; late registration for the March SAT is available through 2/18/10 (mail) and 2/24/10 (phone/online). Sign up here for the ACT. The registration deadline is 3/5/10 and while we don’t recommend you wait, the late registration deadline is 3/19/10.
  • Stay on top of your game: Just because the end is near (for some of you) doesn’t mean it’s time to slow down or give up–stay on top of your test-prep game! These last few weeks are important and there’s still room for improvement. Continue to put in your best effort with your tutors, brush up on your vocabulary*, and stay committed to doing your best.
  • Keep taking practice tests: Taking SAT practice tests could very well be your best form of review for the real SAT. The more familiar you are with the SAT, the more comfortable you’ll be come the actual test date. Knowing what to expect in terms of content, question type, and your time management ability, will greatly improve your test-time mentality. Check out this free SAT practice test available through the College Board.
hourglass

Taking the upcoming SAT or ACT? There's still time! Continue to stay committed to your SAT prep.

GOOD LUCK ON YOUR UPCOMING TEST!

*Don’t forget: learning SAT vocabulary words is one sure way to improve your SAT reading score up to 150 points! With vocabulary, you either know it or you don’t, and on the SAT vocabulary knowledge is a must. Learn it the fun & effective way with Vocab Videos, and be sure to check out the new Vocab Videos trailer!

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11
Feb

SAT Preparation: 6 Myths About the SAT

Whether we like it or not, the SAT plays an extremely significant role in getting students accepted into college. Because of its magnitude, people are going to talk about the SAT, but not everything people say is going to be true. Below are a few myths commonly associated with the big test:

  1. Different SAT test dates vary in difficulty: This one gets thrown out there all the time. Many students are convinced that one testing date may offer a more difficult SAT than the next testing date. Some students, for instance, believe that all the geniuses come out to take the SAT in January and March, and steer clear because of a potentially skewed curve. There is no truth to this notion; there is no link between SAT testing date and test difficulty.
  2. The SAT is a good indication of how I will do in college: False, or shall we say, not necessarily. The SAT is not an indicator of how well you will do in college. There can be excellent students who are just not the best standardized test-takers. What the SATs reflect is how good you are at taking the test, and how long you’ve spent preparing. But there continues to be a great amount of weight placed on the SAT in the world of college admissions, so get preparing!
  3. You can’t really improve your critical reading score: You can improve your SAT critical reading score–significantly. The surest way to do so is by expanding your vocabulary. In fact, improving your SAT vocabulary can increase your SAT critical reading score up to 150 points, as a large part of the reading section is vocabulary-dependent. Sentence completions and reading comprehension depend upon your understanding of words in questions, answers, and passages.
  4. The math on the SAT is very complex: By the time you’re taking the SAT, you will have already learned most of what’s being tested on the math portion of the test. The math section of the SAT is largely based on 9th grade math–ratios and percents, some geometry, and algebra concepts like factoring, functions, and quadratic equations. So, start reviewing to get these concepts fresh in your mind again. There’s also a few tricks to beat the clock. Because you’re given answer choices, on appropriate questions instead of setting up an algebraic equation and solving for variables, you can plug-in answer choices to test them against what the question‘s asking.
  5. Colleges don’t look at the writing section: So it’s the newest addition to the SAT test, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter!  This myth started when students began hearing that colleges weren’t counting the writing section as much as math and reading. We say be on the safe side and get yourself as strong in the writing section as possible. Still not convinced? At least check in about this with each one of the schools you’re applying to.
  6. Taking the test more than once looks bad on your college application: Wrong again. Most students re-test, and there‘s nothing wrong with it. If you’re not happy with your scores, taking the SAT again is a great option. You should know, however, that the scores won’t magically increase. In fact, because the SAT aims to test intelligence, and students don’t typically become more “intelligent” from one test to another, re-testing typically allows for a very mediocre score improvement . So from one test to the next, we’d recommend an increase in SAT preparation. Studying vocabulary is a good idea because it’s one thing you can definitely improve. With words, you either know them or you don’t, and on the SAT knowing them pays off.

Preparing for the SAT? Don't believe everything you hear.

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09
Feb

SAT Preparation: 5 Commandments for the Final Stretch

You have spent your entire high school careers studying, taking tests and writing essays all in the hope of getting into that dream school.   And yet there are still SATs to take and scores to improve.  Before you throw up your hands in frustration, break down and cry into your pillow, or decide that being a 6th year senior is actually a cool idea, here are 5 essential things you can do to increase your chances of nailing a top score this fall. 

5 COMMANDMENTS FOR THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

  1. Keep Studying – Hope alone will not raise your SAT score any more than it will win you the lottery.*  Students who take practice tests, study vocabulary, and refine techniques are much more likely to see higher scores than those who are simply hoping to sit next to the smart kid and cheat.
  2. Don’t Stress – Adding pressure to an SAT only hurts your problem solving abilities.  Taking a test in the fall is no more stressful than one in the spring, and to be honest, you are now a little older and little wiser (hopefully).  Many of my students have hit their top scores in October, November and December precisely because they went in stress-free.  If they got more points great.  If not, well, they had already submitted their scores and no one would ever know about this last attempt.**
  3. dont_stop_believing_stop_sign1– Many students think they have little chance of scoring higher on a 2nd or 3rd SAT attempt.  True some students don’t improve, but even just the confidence that comes with experience can have an impact.  You are taking the test again for a reason, so if you don’t believe in yourself what’s the point?
  4. Don’t Cheat – As the pressure builds, students sometimes feel the urge to find any advantage they can – even if it’s dishonest.  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CHEAT ON THE SAT.  It’s just not worth it.  You have spent years building an academic profile and thinking that a few stolen answers will be the difference between acceptance and rejection is ridiculous.  Colleges see your scores in a range anyway and if you get caught you aren’t getting in anywhere.  You don’t want to live in your parents’ basement for the next few years. 
  5. Get a Grip on Reality – Taking the SAT may seem overwhelming at times, but it’s just a bunch of English and math questions with some bubbling thrown in.  True, bubbling can be hard and the reading passages may not be your idea of a good time, but it’s just a test.  Colleges look at the whole picture, and you should too. 

* If you have already won the lottery you are definitely luckier than the rest of us so I hope your test bursts into flames to balance out the universe. 

** Score Choice for the SAT functions differently for particular colleges so always check on collegeboard.com for details.  In some cases there is an ethical way to avoid sending a final score even to schools who want all scores.

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