5 Ways to Raise Your SAT Score This Summer
Today we have a guest post from Jennifer Cohen, President and Chief Word-Nerd at Word-Nerd.com SAT Vocabulary Prep.
Summer is the ideal time to study for the SAT! Your time is your own (at least it’s a lot more your own than it is during the school year). During the summer, you should still spend a lot of your time relaxing, but a couple of hours of SAT prep each week shouldn’t be overly taxing. The keys to making the most of the summer are:
1. Actually DO some prep! It’s easy to intend to study but let your SAT book become covered in a layer of dust. If you’re lacking in self-discipline, sign up for a summer prep class so you’re committed to those few hours a week.
2. Take a practice test (or five). Buy the College Board’s Official Guide and hit it. Working practice questions is the best way to study, and you’ll be amazed how much simply doing lots of questions will improve your confidence. The key is to analyze your mistakes yourself. Don’t rely on someone else’s explanation. Figuring a question out on your own ensures you’ll truly learn from the mistake. .
3. Read, read and read some more. It’s tempting in the summer to let your brain turn to mush playing video games or hanging out at the pool. The best way to raise your critical reading score is to read everything you can get your hands on. Challenging reading can help you work your reading comprehension muscles. Even light, summer “beach novels” might teach you some new words. Just don’t let yourself get out of the habit of perusing the written word just because you’re not in school.
4. Don’t forget vocabulary! Ideally, you’re studying vocabulary all year, and that includes the summer. Invest in some flashcards, or even better, sign up for Word-Nerd. Then use those new words in conversation whenever you can. If your friends give you funny looks when you drop an SAT word, just tell them you’re doing everything you can to get ready for the test. .
5. Sign up for the SAT now. Fall registration is open, and October spots fill up very quickly. Making sure you get your first choice test center will reduce your stress on test day.
So get to it! You’ve got at least a month of summer left, so don’t waste your remaining time. Good luck.
