stierindex.DOC
The Perfect Score
Project
INDEX FILE
LINE COUNT: approx. 734 @ 39 characters
(8 under specs)
SUBHEADING LEVELS: 1, indented
academic success, parenting and, 47, 48
accommodations, 221–24, 276–77
extended time, 39, 41, 42, 223, 224
ACT, 68, 112
ADHD, 3, 41, 174
Advantage Testing, 256–70
author's tutoring experiences, 260–70
fees and financial assistance, 257–
59, 261, 262
methods and results, 256–57, 262,
264, 266
tutors, 261–62
Advantage Testing Foundation, 259, 261
Alagappan, Arun, 256, 258, 259–60, 261–
62, 263, 271
See also Advantage Testing
analogies, 16, 85
answer book, 31, 36
answering questions
bubbling methods and errors, 36–38,
83, 102, 230
checking your work, 138
eliminating wrong answers, 89, 137–
38, 144, 152, 193
grid-ins, 83, 99
guessing, 99, 137–39, 192, 248
skipping questions, 99, 100, 126,
136, 141
switching answers, 138
See also specific test sections
anxiety. See test anxiety
A-Plus Notes for Beginning Algebra
(Yang), 97–98
backsolving math problems, 128
Beilock, Sian, 170–71
Bell Curves, 218, 220
Bello, Akil, 218–21, 226, 229
Bernstein, Ben, 23–24, 25, 30, 236–38,
254
Blue Book. See College Board Blue Book
books
for essay examples, 34, 79
See also test-preparation resources;
specific titles
bubbling and bubbling errors, 36–38,
83, 102, 230
calculators, 30, 32–33, 100–102, 126
careless errors, 36–38, 102, 230
cell phones, 29, 32
certification statement, 34–36, 252
Chall, Jeanne, 62
cheating scandal (2010), 250–51
China, test-prep services in, 56
Choke (Beilock), 170–71
Chung, John, 95–96
clocks, 20, 240, 241–42, 244
coaching. See tutoring
Cogmed memory training, 176–78
college admissions, 56, 118, 280
author's experiences, 16, 18
author's son's experience, 277–78
SAT-optional colleges, 16, 70
score submission options, 67–70
College Board
new security measures, 251–52
official test center rules, 240, 244,
249, 254
online preparation course, 73–74, 85
College Board Blue Book, 27, 72, 74,
140, 248
categorizing the questions, 91–93
how to use, 84–86, 88
importance of using, 84, 143
PWN the SAT technique guide for, 127
sources for solutions, 85, 87
College Board Red Book, 85
College Board Teacher’s Guide, 76
College Board website, 76, 77
Blue Book online solutions, 85
essay prompts, 78, 79
online score reports, 59, 66–67
ordering score reports, 59–60
Question of the Day, 11–12, 73
requesting an accommodation, 223–24
sample essays, 81
test-preparation advice and options,
73–74
College Confidential, 52–56, 81, 87,
226–27
college rankings, 68, 69, 70, 118
cramming, 27
The Critical Reader, 90
critical reading section, 39, 188–92,
193–98
author's scores, 65, 113–14, 133,
154, 227–28, 254, 272–73
inference questions, 190
paired passages and paragraphs, 193–
95
score statistics, 65
Sentence Completion questions, 89,
152, 191–92
strategies for, 188–89, 194–95, 247–
48
studying vocabulary, 88–91, 206–7,
230–31
unofficial test-prep materials, 144–
45
vocabulary and, 89, 191
cultural differences, 56–57, 170, 171
cursive, for certification statement,
35–36
deliberate practice, 199–200, 205–6
desks, 20, 31, 239–40
DeWitt Clinton High School, 218
See also SAT Number 5
Direct Hits, 90
disability accommodations. See
accommodations
double stuffed functions, 203, 204
drilling, 159, 161
using flash cards, 88, 89, 206
Dr. John Chung's SAT Math, 95–96
dyscalculia, 159–60, 170
Educational Testing Service Testing
Integrity investigations, 241, 250–
51
Ericsson, K. Anders, 199–200, 206, 208,
213, 279
Erik the Red, 119, 179, 203
errors
avoiding careless math errors, 102
bubbling errors, 36–38, 230
scoring deductions for, 83, 99, 137
Eshaghoff, Sam, 250–51
essay, 33–34, 39, 109
advice for, 2, 78–81, 111, 132, 133,
213
author's practice essays, 212–13
author's scores, 65, 113, 133, 154,
227, 254, 272
author's son's scores, 79, 278
author's test experiences, 2, 33–34,
109, 111–12, 132–33, 154–55, 242–
44
citing examples, 34, 78, 79, 111
score's impact on writing section
score, 33–34, 78
scoring of, 78–79, 109, 111, 183, 268
using personal examples, 78, 79, 111
using sophisticated language, 78,
110, 111, 268
essay prompts, 27–28, 78, 79
on the ACT, 112
author's tests, 34, 79, 109–12, 154–
55, 242
ETS Testing Integrity investigations,
241, 250–51
experimental questions, 42, 83, 142,
223
extended-time accommodations, 39, 41,
42
fatigue, 40–43, 177
fees
Advantage Testing, 257–59, 261, 262
score reports, 59
tutors, 151–52
financial aid. See merit aid
flash cards, 88, 89, 206
focus, 40–43
Fordham Prep, author's son at, 5–8
foreign students, 54–56, 170, 171
fraud prevention
certification statement, 34–36, 252
new security measures, 251–52
function problems, 91–93, 104, 203, 204
gender differences, 170–71, 173–74, 224
Gladwell, Malcolm, 200, 247
GPA
author's son's improvements, 277–78
discrepancies with SAT scores, 250,
277
grammar, 86, 145
See also writing section
Grayer, Jonathan, 116, 118
Great Neck cheating scandal, 250–51
grid-ins, 83, 99, 102
guessing answers, 99, 137–39, 192, 248
hand-scoring, 229–30
handwriting, 35–36, 77
Hold On to Your Kids (Neufeld and
Maté), 46, 47
Howe-Lott, Stacey, 38, 146, 147–50,
152–53, 210, 245
How the SAT Is Made, 142, 143
Hsieh, Tony, 44
Hurst, Mark, 72
intelligence
memory training and, 178
SAT as intelligence test, 75, 115
See also IQ
Internet access, during test, 32
IQ and IQ tests, 115, 175–76
Jacobsen, Erik, 119
See also Erik the Red
Johnson, Catherine, 4–5, 11, 97, 145–
46, 165
math prep recommendations, 98, 160
test preparation, 45–46, 95, 180, 203
test-taking experiences, 34, 37, 41,
101, 180, 183, 226, 228
writing section and, 34, 37, 183,
194, 248
See also Kitchen Table Math
Kaplan, Inc., 75, 116–26
advice and shortcomings, 120–23, 125–
26, 136–37, 138, 219
available prep options, 119–20
books, 123–24
free SAT Quizbank, 120–21
FTC investigation, 75, 115
growth and competition, 116–18
Kaplan students' results, 117
Meltzer's experience with, 186
recent financial problems, 118–19
SAT On Demand course, 121–23
Kaplan, Stanley, 75–76, 115–16, 124,
125
Kayne, Michael, 267–68, 269–70
Keller, Philip, 98–100, 102, 137, 148
Khan Academy, 87
King, Elizabeth, 37, 148
Kitchen Table Math blog, 45, 60, 225,
247–48
Klass Tutoring, 87
Kumon program, 160–61, 167–68, 280
author's experience with, 161–64,
166–68, 169–71, 178
author's son's experience, 278
Kumon, Toru, 167
Lauber, Mr., 5–6
Li Manhong, 56
Long Island cheating scandal, 250–51
massed practice (cramming), 27
Ma, Steven, 56
Maté, Gabor, 46
math
foreign students and, 55–57, 170, 171
math education, 279–80
triangle inequality theorem, 203, 205
See also Kumon program
math section, 39, 94–105, 157–60
author's scores, 65, 113, 133, 154,
155, 227, 254, 272
avoiding careless errors, 102
backsolving problems, 128
calculators, 30, 32–33, 100–102, 126
function problems, 91–93, 104, 203,
204
grid-ins, 83, 99, 102
Howe-Lott's score improvement, 148–49
identifying patterns, 128
nutrition label problem, 54–55
prep resources and study aids, 95–
100, 102–3, 160, 264–65
school math vs. SAT math, 96, 203
score statistics and declines, 56,
62, 63, 65, 170–71
skipping questions, 99, 100, 126
speed and timing issues, 99, 100,
159, 215
strategies and techniques for, 96,
98–100, 102, 126, 127–28, 153
trial-and-error method, 128
See also Kumon program
math skills, 279–80
McClenathan, Mike. See PWN the SAT
medical issues, 276–77
Meltzer, Erica, 90, 179–97, 210, 211–12
advice from, 2, 139, 182–83, 186
background and high school scores,
185–86, 210
Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar, 92,
139, 148
memorizing, 50, 159
See also studying
memory, 193
finite working memory, 41, 54, 101,
131, 193
memory training, 176–78
verbal vs. visual recall, 174–75
mental fatigue, 40–43, 177
merit aid, 9, 70, 277
motivation (of teenagers), 45–48, 280
multiple-choice questions. See
answering questions; SAT questions;
specific test sections
Neufeld, Gordon, 46, 47
neuropsych testing, author's
experiences, 172–75
The New Math SAT Game Plan (Keller),
98–100, 102, 148
nutrition label problem, 54–55
Outsmarting the SAT (King), 37, 148
overconfidence, 50–52, 271–73
Packer Collegiate Institute, 241, 250
parental engagement, 166, 233
motivation and, 46–48
parent-child relationships, 162–63,
232–33, 281
peer pressure, peer orientation, 46,
47–48, 162–63, 233
Perelman, Les, 110–11
perfect scores
author's perfect score, 227
statistics, 62, 70, 201
tutors and experts with, 186, 201,
220
performance anxiety. See test anxiety
Practical Math: Success in 20 Minutes a
Day, 96–97
practice, 159, 169–70, 199–200, 205–6
practice essays, 212–13
practice tests, 14, 72, 75, 76–77, 117
analyzing and understanding
solutions, 86–87
building endurance, 43, 86
essays, 78–81
limited number of, 84–85
online solutions, 85
online vs. paper tests, 76–77
sources of, 73, 74, 77, 85
timing, 43
unofficial tests and questions, 84,
125, 140, 141, 143–45
working on the things you can't do,
81–84, 199–200, 208
See also College Board Blue Book;
test preparation; specific test
sections
The Princeton Review, 117–18, 139–40,
220
advice from, 136, 137, 138
proctors, 32, 34–35, 251–52
pay, 252
rule-breaking or negligence by, 241–
46, 248–50
timekeeping by, 240, 241–46
PSAT, 223
author's son's experiences, 193, 231–
32, 274–75
PWN the SAT Math Guide, 92, 138
PWN the SAT (Mike McClenahan), 126–29,
132, 180, 201–3, 205–16, 226
advice and techniques from, 87, 211,
213, 215
and author's son, 274–75
author's tutoring sessions, 206–16
SAT scores, 201, 211
triangle inequality theorem, 205
website, 87, 126, 129
Question-and-Answer Service (QAS), 21–
22, 59
Question of the Day, 11–12, 73
reading section. See critical reading
section
reading skills, 63–64, 77
reality-TV essay prompt, 109–12
recentering, 61–62, 64–65
Red Book, 85
registering for the SAT
author's experience, 20–21
QAS and SAS, 21–22
Roberts, John, 260–67, 268
SAS (Student Answer Service), 21, 22,
60
SAT history, 176, 180
1995 score recentering, 61–62, 64–65
score declines, 62–64, 170–71
SAT Number 1
preparation, 24–28
scores, 65–67
test day, 20–21, 29–36, 40–43, 49–50
SAT Number 2
preparation, 71–74, 94–104
scores, 113–14
test day, 101, 106–7, 109–12
SAT Number 3
preparation, 118–29
scores, 133
test day, 130–33
SAT Number 4
preparation, 133–42, 153
scores, 154
test day, 154–55
SAT Number 5
preparation, 157–64, 166–67, 169–78,
205–16
scores, 227–28
test day, 216, 217–25
SAT Number 6
preparation, 234
scores, 254
test day, 237–46, 252–53
SAT Number 7
preparation, 262–70
scores, 272–74
test day, 1–2, 270–72
SAT-optional colleges, 16, 70
SAT preparation. See test preparation
entries
SAT questions
categorizing, 91–93, 192–93, 194–95
errors or ambiguities in, 55
experimental questions, 42, 83, 142,
223
grid-ins, 83, 99, 102
order and levels of difficulty, 83,
99, 125–26, 136–37, 140–41, 153
Question of the Day, 11–12, 73
selection and review process, 142–44
writing your own, 207–10
See also answering questions;
specific test sections
SAT scores
accommodations and, 222, 224
author's scores, 65, 113–14, 133,
153–54, 227–28, 254, 272–73
author's son's scores, 275, 276
college rankings and, 68, 69, 118
declines from one test to the next,
67
discrepancies with GPA, 250, 277
gender and cultural differences, 56–
57, 170–71, 224
historical declines, 62–64, 170–71
Kaplan and Princeton Review students,
117
merit aid and, 9, 70
1995 recentering, 61–62, 64–65
percentile levels, 65–66
score cancellations, 241, 250
Score Choice option, 67–68, 69
score submission options, 67–70
self-assessment, 49–54, 237, 254
setting goals for, 140–41, 232, 275
sharing publicly, 60–61, 65–66
statistics, 56, 62, 65, 70
superscoring, 68, 69, 278
See also perfect scores; score
improvement; score reports; test
performance; specific test
sections
SAT scoring, 137
the curve, 53
deductions for wrong answers, 83, 99,
137
grid-in sections, 83, 99
requesting hand-scoring, 229–30
scoring errors, 228–29
skipped questions, 99
See also specific test sections
SAT II subject tests, 239, 242, 248–49
Schaeffer, Bob, 252
score cancellations, 241, 250
Score Choice option, 67–68, 69
score improvement, 67, 74–75, 81, 147–
49
author's experiences, 51, 94, 272–73
effectiveness of test-prep courses
and guides, 73, 74–75, 115, 135
identifying student weaknesses, 150,
267
Meltzer's experience, 185–86
strategies for, 98–100, 149
tutoring and, 151, 153
score reports, 21–22, 59–60, 150
Kaplan practice tests, 122, 123
scores. See SAT scores; specific test
sections
score submission options, 67–70
seating location, 31–32, 132, 240, 241
Singal, Daniel J., 64
skipping questions, 99, 100, 126, 136,
141
snacks, 30, 34
SSAT, 6
Stein, Adam, 171–75, 176–78
stress, 24, 178, 237
See also test anxiety
Student Answer Service (SAS), 21, 22,
60
student loan regulation, 118–19
Student-Produced Response Questions
(grid-ins), 83, 99, 102
study aids
flash cards, 88, 89, 206
personal SAT notebooks, 264–65, 267–
68
wall sheets, 103–5
studying
cramming, 27
memorizing, 50, 159
vocabulary words, 88–91, 206–7
See also study aids; test preparation
superscoring, 68, 69, 278
teachers, 201
College Board Teacher’s Guide, 76
See also tutoring
10,000-hour/ten-year rule, 200, 279
test anxiety, 24–25, 27–28, 67–68, 151,
236–38
signs of, 25, 30, 237, 254
test booklet, 31, 36
marking answers in, 37, 38
test date, 238, 239
changing, 20, 276
test day
breaks, 30, 34, 38, 39
certification statement, 34–36, 252
checking in, 31, 130–31
distractions on, 242–43, 248–49, 269–
70
focus and fatigue, 40–43
length of test, 39, 40–42, 180
new test-day security measures, 251–
52
order and timing of sections, 33, 34,
38, 39
preparing for/grounding yourself,
237–38, 270
proctor behavior, 240, 241–46
seating locations, 31–32, 132
what to bring, 29–30, 32–33
See also answering questions; test
location; specific test sections
test length, 39, 40–42, 180
test location, 238–41
asking questions about, 253
changing, 20
official test center rules, 240, 244,
249, 254
qualities to look for, 20, 31
test-optional colleges and reporting
option, 16, 70
test performance, 14
author's expectations and anxieties
about, 11, 26, 50–51, 58–61, 114,
216, 236, 271–73
College Confidential discussions
about, 52–54, 58, 226–27
confidence and overconfidence, 50–52,
216, 225–26, 236
faulty self-assessment, 49–54, 237,
254, 271
stress and, 24, 178, 237
See also SAT scores
Test Pilot (Kaplan), 115, 124
test preparation
author's son's experiences, 274–77
building speed, 140
vs. foundation skills, 279–80
identifying student weaknesses, 150,
267
importance of practice, 159, 169–70
overall effectiveness of, 279–80
selective preparation, 81–84
setting goals, 140–41, 275
starting early, 44–45
writing your own questions, 207–10
yoga for, 28
See also practice tests; SAT Numbers
1–7; studying; tutoring
test-preparation industry, 55–56, 72,
118
College Board's involvement in, 73–
74, 76
Kaplan-Princeton Review rivalry, 117–
18
See also test-preparation resources;
specific companies
test-preparation resources, 26, 74, 92
author's favorites, 148
College Board online course, 73–74,
85
College Board Question of the Day,
11–12, 73
disadvantages of unofficial
questions, 140, 141, 143–45
effectiveness of, 73, 74–75, 135, 151
evaluating, 140–41
Grockit, 133–35
for international students, 56
procrastination and distractions, 23–
24, 237
vocabulary words, 90
See also College Board Blue Book;
Kumon program; practice tests;
studying; specific companies and
book titles
test questions. See answering
questions; SAT questions; specific
test sections
test scores. See SAT scores
Test Success! (Bernstein), 23–24, 25,
30, 236–38, 254
ThinkTank Learning, 56
timing, 137
clocks and wristwatches, 20, 240,
241–42, 244
deliberately not finishing, 99
five-minute warnings, 244
keeping your own time, 245
math section timing issues, 99, 100,
159, 215
proctor timekeeping, 240, 241–46
test length, 39, 40–42, 180
timing accommodations, 39, 41, 42,
223, 224
triangle inequality theorem, 203, 205
tutoring, 147–55, 210
See also Advantage Testing; HoweLott, Stacey; Meltzer, Erica; PWN
the SAT
Tutor Ted's SAT Solutions Manual, 87
The Ultimate Guide to SAT Grammar
(Meltzer), 92, 139, 148
See also Meltzer, Erica
The Ultimate SAT Supplement, 87
unofficial tests and questions, 84,
125, 140, 141, 143–45
verbal recall, 174, 175
verbal section (new SAT). See critical
reading section; essay; writing
section
verbal section (old SAT), 16, 62, 63–
64, 85
visual recall, 174
vocabulary, 191
developing, 88–91, 206–7, 230–31
for the math section, 265–66
websites
Kaplan, Inc. site, 120–23
Kitchen Table Math blog, 45, 60, 225,
247–48
for practice test solutions, 87
PWN the SAT, 87, 126, 129
for vocabulary development, 90
See also College Board website;
specific test-prep companies
What Can I Do to Help My Child with
Math When I Don't Know Any Myself?
(Yaqoob), 102–3
Why Don't Students Like School?
(Willingham), 169
See also Willingham, Daniel
Willingham, Daniel, 27, 50, 159, 169
Wilson Daily Prep, 188
Wilson, Laura, 188
Word-Nerd, 90
Wordnik, 90
working memory, 41, 54, 101, 193
wristwatches, 240, 241–42, 245
writing section, 39, 41, 136
advice for, 125–26, 136–37, 152, 183
author's scores, 65, 113–14, 133,
154, 227, 254, 272–73
Erica Meltzer's advice, 139, 182–83,
186, 187–88, 192–93
essay scores and, 33–34, 109, 227
guessing, 139
Identifying Errors questions, 182–83,
186, 187–88, 211–12
Improving Paragraphs questions, 192–
93
Improving Sentences questions, 182,
187
listening for grammar errors, 126,
137
order of questions, 125–26, 136–37
score statistics, 65
scoring of, 33–34, 78, 192, 227
understanding grammar question
solutions, 86
See also essay
Yang, Rong, 97–98
Yaqoob, Tahir, 102–3
yoga, 28