Tricks
f the Trade
SAT survival
Paula McGraw
School Library Media Specialist
New Providence High School
Put it in Persepective—Criteria For
Getting into the College of your
Choice—SAT is only ONE factor!
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GPA/Class Rank
SAT/ACT Score
Extracurricular Activity
Community Service
Reference Letters and Interviews
Admissions officers continue to place weight
on this test. So it's important to do well.
SAT What does it REALLY
Measure?
• It doesn't measure intelligence
• It doesn’t predict future success in college
• It only REALLY tells you how good you are
at taking the SAT.
There are only three levels of
questions
• SAT questions can be divided into three levels of
difficulty: easy, medium and hard.
– The questions in the first third of each section are easy,
– those in the second third are medium and
– those in the last third are hard. (The only exception is the
Reading Comprehension passages, which do not follow this
order.)
• Every question on the SAT is worth an equal amount. So
spend your time making sure you get the easy and
medium questions correct and tackle the hard questions
only if you have time. Rushing through the test to get to
the hardest questions will only drag your score down.
Strategy for the HARD Questions
• You are allowed to guess if you can eliminate AT LEAST
on choice as wrong. YOU HAVE MY PERMISSION
• BECAUSE Each question has five possible choices.
Eliminate one or more possibilities, and your chances of
guessing correctly are 25% or better.
• Look for the WRONG answers on these Questions
• Don’t struggle to find that one RIGHT answer
• If you can eliminate TWO choices ever better because
you have a chance of 33% of guessing correctly!
MARK these next to your test
answers
More on the Hard Questions
• The average student is what the SAT folks love.
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He gets the average score, 500, on each section.
He gets all of the easy questions correct
he gets some of the medium questions correct
he gets all of the hard questions wrong.
• Think and Work SMART!
– If you're working on an easy question, the answer that
seems right probably is.
– If you're working on a hard question, the answer that
seems right is always wrong.
To Guess or Not to Guess?
Why are they doing this to me?
DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED
Each question has five possible choices. An
incorrect guess will cost you only a quarter of a
point.
A correct guess will add an entire point.
Let's say there are 8 questions where you
eliminate 1 choice and guess among the
remaining 4 choices.
Statistically, you will guess correctly 2 times and
incorrectly 6 times.
You are rewarded 2 points and penalized 1.5
points. You just earned .5 points from guessing.
AND YOU HAVE IMPROVED YOUR SCORE
Strategy for the test sheet
• Every once in a while check your ovals to
make sure you are marking the correct
ones
• DO NOT waste time making a perfect oval
on the answer sheet, in fact, don’t even
BOTHER to fill in the oval completely—a
half or 1/3 filled oval gets graded the same
as a beautifully, artistically filled one.
YES you can write on the test
booklet
• They just throw them away after you finish
them anyway.
Other SAT MYTHS
• MYTH #1: The SAT tests complex math concepts.
• FACT: SAT math can seem challenging because of the way the concepts are tested,
not because of the concepts themselves. The math sections include concepts you
learned in the seventh or eighth grade, like arithmetic, basic geometry, basic algebra
and algebra II. You won't see any calculus or trigonometry on the SAT
• MYTH #2: You can't really improve your Critical Reading score.
• FACT: You can improve your Critical Reading score by expanding your vocabulary.
Reading comprehension and sentence completions all rely upon your understanding
of the words in the questions and answer choices. So read books, newspapers and
anything else you can get your hands on, I have vocabulary building FOR FREE on
my website.
• MYTH #3: It's better to leave a question blank than to guess.
• FACT: Not necessarily. You receive one point for every correct answer, zero points for
every question you leave unanswered and minus one-quarter of a point for every
incorrect answer If you can eliminate even one of the answer choices, guess! From a
purely statistical standpoint, this approach will gain you more points over the whole
test than you'll get by playing it safe and leaving the questions blank.
Essay Questions—the rule of
three—three paragraphs, three
supporting examples…
• Don’t Worry about the essay component of the
SAT.
• Not only can you NOT prepare, it's probably one
of the easiest areas to do well!
• The company that writes the test says the essay
is graded holistically, meaning your writing is
judged by the overall impression it makes.
• The graders won't be spending hours tearing
apart your piece. They'll spend a few
minutes at most.
The Formula for the SAT Essay
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Keep It Tidy
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Graders read tons of essays each day. If they cannot decipher your script, they will lower
your score. Do yourself a favor and write legibly.
You know the saying "quality not quantity?" Well, ETS hasn't heard that one. Their
graders like long essays. There are 45 lines to fill–get as close to that as possible.But
ramblers beware: your essay should end when the page does. You won't get an extra
sheet of paper!(Indented)
Paragraphs Are Your FriendRemember the basic essay structure you learned in
school: introductory paragraph, body paragraphs and a conclusion? The graders love
it! Make sure your
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introduction includes a thesis that clearly states the main argument of your essay.
Next, include two to three paragraphs that support your thesis.
Finally, write a conclusion that briefly summarizes your points. Indent
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your body paragraphs to back up your thesis statement by citing specific examples.
You can draw on your literature and history classes for inspiration.
You can even use examples from your own life. Don't waste time worrying whether you've found the
perfect examples. Just make sure they support your thesis.
– Use Big Words (Yes, We're Serious)A few well–placed big words can
have a strong impact on the graders of your SAT essay. We suggest a
light peppering in the introduction or conclusion; they might be lost in
the body. Don't go overboard, and don't misuse a word!
The Big Bugaboo—
Critical Reading
• focus on the questions and answer choices,
not the reading passages themselves!
REMEMBER You don’t get points on the SAT
for reading the passages; you only get points
for each question you answer correctly. So
why waste time and reading passages read
them once and be done
• You should spend, at most, only two minutes
reading each passage, then one full minute on
each question.
What is skimming anyway?
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the point of skimming is to read many things quickly in order to identify the few
things you need to read slowly.
So. When it comes to reading passages on the SAT, there are two basic forms of
skimming, each with its own focus.
1) Skimming during the initial read-through
When you do your initial skim-through of a passage, your major goal is to figure out
the main point, the tone, and the (very) basic structure of the argument. "This Is
Important!"
-The last sentence of the first and last paragraphs
-The first sentence of each body paragraph
-Anywhere you see words like important, essential, central, necessary or explain
-Anywhere you see phrases like "The point is...," or "My goal/aim is..."
-Any major shifts between topics or ideas
Everything else you can just glance over.
More on Skimming
• Skimming for specific information when you answer a question
With line numbers, you need to read both the lines you've been
given and the couple of sentences that come both before and after
them.
Look for transitions (and, but, however, moreover, etc.),
• unusual punctuation such as colons (which indicate explanations),
quotes, and italics.
• When you find one of these items, stop and read the entire
sentence in which it appears, thoroughly, from beginning to
end, and without skipping over anything.
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That should give you your answer
Just Plain Wrong!
Things to avoid. The following are indicators of bad choices that should be avoided:
Extreme or absolute words
- You should never eat right before going to bed.
- All children should play as much as possible as exercise is good for their bodies.
Some other words and phrases that often indicate extreme answers that are rarely correct:
-All, always, the only, oldest, the first, same.
-superlatives (such as best, biggest, greatest)
-and “less” words (such as pointless, useless, endless)
The words above often suggest sweeping generalizations that are often too extreme. Correct answers
for the Critical Reading Passages are usually presented in more moderate terms such as:
-Not all, not always, seemed the only, oldest known, among the first, about the same
Other moderate terms such as may, might, can, or could.
“not the only”
Politically Incorrect Choices
When the passage is about a woman or a member of any minority group, the answer will almost
always be positive. This is because society deems well-educated intellectuals should think in
such terms.
Choices that defy common sense
if you see an answer that is ridiculous—it is wrong.
Choices that require you to infer beyond the limits of the passage
Do Not assume something beyond the limits of the passage. DO NOT read into things.
Good answers
• Good answer choices are often paraphrased
• For example, is a passage describes a character who is
“sensitive to other peoples needs,” a correct answer
choice may describe him as a “considerate” individual
• Good answer choices are often ones that are echoed
in other questions
• Such answers further support the main idea.
• Finally, Good Answer choices point out universal
qualities of society and human nature.
• Often times these answer choices will literally use the
word universal – or a variation of it.
Different passage lengths
With short passages, it's all about absorbing the small paragraphs as efficiently as you can before
going on to answer the questions. Do not obssess
Long passages you MUST read the short blurb before the passage.
Quickly jump to the questions
skim every question for line number references Very rarely will you see a passage with question
without any line references (perhaps only rarely on a six question passage). (In lines 23-25 of the
passage, the author is saying that...)
If you see a general question referring to the passage as a whole circle the number of the question
with a large circle. This means it's a general question and must be answered AFTER all the
specific questions.
Read the unmarked sections quickly yet efficiently, absorbing it briefly but not truly pausing to analyze.
NEVER read the whole passage through without pausing to answer questions. when you answer a
question, just circle in the answer in the test booklet.
DO NOT BUBBLE IN THE ANSWERS UNTIL YOU FINISH THE ENTIRE PAGE, or EVEN THE
ENTIRE PASSAGE.
With practice give yourself twenty minutes instead of twenty-five in the standard CR sections, and
stick to the method
By the way, practice allowed me to move very fast on the GMAT since I had already MEMORIZED the
directions and didn’t have to read them on the test.
Cheat Sheet
• spend, at most, only two minutes reading each passage
• one full minute on each question.
words and phrases that often indicate extreme answers that are rarely correct:
-All, always, the only, oldest, the first, same.
-superlatives (such as best, biggest, greatest)
-and “less” words (such as pointless, useless, endless)
• Politically Incorrect Choices are always wrong
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Choices that defy common sense
• Choices that are not answered in the passage
• Things that are right
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choices paraphrased directly from the reading
echoed in other questions
universal qualities of society and human nature-- will literally use the word universal
If you are running out of time just skim long readings and concentrate on answering
the questions.
All the answers come from the passage read NOT your own ideas or what you might
have learned in school.
The System
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Do the easy passage first.
Concentrate on paragraph opening and closing.
Answer general questions before detail questions.
Here is how—underline all italicized text and the FIRST SENTENCE of
EVERY PARAGRAPH this will enable you to answer the GENERAL
QUESTIONS FIRST
With Long passages you MUST read the short blurb before the passage.
• NEVER read the whole passage through without pausing to answer
questions
• Eliminate choices.
• DO NOT BUBBLE IN THE ANSWERS UNTIL YOU FINISH THE ENTIRE
PAGE
• Pace yourself. Jump around within a set of questions to find the ones you
can answer quickly, but don't jump from passage to passage. Don't leave a
passage until you are sure you have answered all the questions you can. If
you return to the passage later, you'll probably have to reread it.
FREE old SATs to Practice with
• Additional practice exams are available at:
• http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/satpreparation/1277787-links-additionalofficial-sat-practice-testscollegeboard.html
• When you take these exams SHORTEN
the period for each section by 5 minutes!
Practice tests available
How to pace yourself—Princeton
Review
Ivy Test Scores
Getting free money
The FASFSA determines Pell Grants, loans and work study at www.fafsa.ed.gov
www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov gives a sense of what is involved in the form.
How to choose a Major
• Tough Choice—employability
Websites:
FastWeb.com
CollegeAnswer.com
Not all college majors are created
equal
Lowest paid majors
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English
Film/Photography
Sociology
Fine Arts
Drama
Anthropology
Liberal Arts
Studio Arts
Graphic Design
Philosophy/Religious Studies
New York Times States
• ONE OF THE GREATEST CHANGES IS THAT A COLLEGE
DEGREE IS NO LONGER THE GUARANTOR OF A MIDDLECLASS EXISTENCE. UNTIL THE EARLY 1970S, LESS THAN 11
PERCENT OF THE ADULT POPULATION GRADUATED FROM
COLLEGE, AND MOST OF THEM COULD GET A DECENT JOB.
TODAY NEARLY A THIRD HAVE COLLEGE DEGREES, AND A
HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF THEM GRADUATED FROM
NONELITE SCHOOLS. A BACHELOR’S DEGREE ON ITS OWN
NO LONGER CONVEYS INTELLIGENCE AND CAPABILITY. TO
GET A GOOD JOB, YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOME SPECIAL SKILL
— CHARM, BY THE WAY, COUNTS — THAT EMPLOYERS
VALUE. BUT THERE’S ALSO A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE THAT
BY SOME POINT IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, YOUR BOSS WILL
FIND THAT SOME NEW TECHNOLOGY OR SOME WORKER
OVERSEAS CAN REPLACE YOU.
Is college worth it?
Is college worth it?
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Registered nurse. The U.S. Department of Labor projects 103,900 new openings
this year. Although you can earn a bachelor's degree in nursing, community colleges
offer two-year RN programs. Registered nurses make an average of $47,700 to
$69,800 a year. Top earners, however, take home an average of more than $83,400 a
year, according to the Nursing Schools website.
Licensed practical nurse and licensed vocational nurse. This group will see
39,130 more positions this year. Training takes about a year. The median pay is about
$39,000 a year, with the top 10% of wage earners taking in more than $53,000,
according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Computer support specialist. The feds estimate this high-paying field will grow
23,460 jobs in 2010. Computer specialists usually need an associate degree from a
community college. Their reward is a fat paycheck. The median annual salary for a
network or computer systems administrator is $66,130, according to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics. The top 10% break into six figures or about $104,000 a year.
Hair dresser, hair stylist and cosmetologist. You can't outsource haircuts
overseas, so hair dressers can expect more jobs to open up as the U.S. population
grows. The job requires vocational training. Most make $30,000 to $50,000 a year,
but top earners can easily crack six figures. It helps to have people skills, as many
hairdressers rely on tips -- which can be $300 or more a week.
Auto service agent, technician and mechanic. This trade can be learned in high
school or on the job. The average pay is about $40,000 a year, but many earn more.
High paying choices
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1. Actuary
What they do: Actuaries analyze the financial costs of risk and uncertainty. They use math, statistics and financial theory to assess the risk that an event will occur and to
help businesses and clients develop policies to minimize the cost of that risk.
Median annual pay: $87,650
2. Compensation and benefits manager
What they do: Compensation managers plan, direct and coordinate how and how much an organization pays its employees. Benefits managers do the same for
retirement plans, health insurance and other company-provided benefits.
Median annual pay: $89,270
3. Economist
What they do: Economists study the production and distribution of resources, goods and services and apply economic analysis to issues in a variety of fields, such as
education, health, development and the environment. Some economists study the cost of products, health care or energy. Others examine employment levels, business
cycles or exchange rates. Still others analyze the effect of taxes, inflation or interest rates.
Median annual pay: $89,450
4. Electrical and electronics engineer
What they do: Electrical engineers design, develop, test and supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment such as electric motors, radar and navigation systems,
communications systems and power generation equipment. Electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment, such as broadcast and communications
systems.
Median annual pay: $87,180
5. Elementary, middle or high-school principal
What they do: Elementary, middle and high-school principals lead teachers and other members of school staff. They manage the day-to-day operations of their school.
They set goals and objectives and evaluate their school's progress toward meeting them.
Median annual pay: $86,970
6. Industrial production manager
What they do: Industrial production managers oversee the daily operations of manufacturing and related plants. They coordinate, plan and direct the manufacture of a
wide range of goods, such as cars, computer equipment or paper products.
Median annual pay: $87,160
7. Medical and health services manager
What they do: Medical and health services managers, also known as health-care executives or health-care administrators, plan, direct and coordinate medical and health
services. They might manage an entire facility, specialize in managing a specific clinical area or department, or manage a medical practice for a group of physicians.
Median annual pay: $84,270
8. Physician assistant
What they do: Physician assistants practice medicine under the direction and supervision of physicians and surgeons. They are formally trained to examine patients,
diagnose injuries and illnesses and provide treatment.
Median annual pay: $86,410
9. Sales engineer
What they do: Sales engineers sell complex scientific and technological products or services to businesses. They must have extensive knowledge of the products' parts
and functions and must understand the scientific processes that make these products work.
Median annual pay: $87,390
10. Training and development manager
What they do: Training and development managers plan, direct and coordinate programs to enhance the knowledge and skills of an organization's employees. They also
oversee a staff of training and development specialists.
Median annual pay: $89,170
CLEP EXAMS
• I graduated from the University of Wisconsin.
The Milwaukee campus accepted CLEP
exams for credit and I took tests for 32
credits towards my B.A. which enabled me to
graduate early from college and saved me
costly tuition.
• A True story from Mrs. McGraw
• CLEP Exams
• The College Board's 33 CLEP exams allow you
to test out of your general education
requirements. Credit is accepted at 2/3 of
colleges and universities in the U.S.
More about CLEP
• CLEP Exam Details
• 33 exams covering general college subjects
• Credit accepted at over 2/3 of U.S. colleges and
universities
• $80 per exam (plus a small test center fee that
varies)
• Each exam worth 3-12 college credits
• 90-minute long exams
• Over 1,700 U.S. testing centers
Why pay a corrupt tutor to help with
your essay?
The College ESSAY—the Four
Most Important Paragraphs you will
ever write!
What Admission Officers Look For
Admission officers are very human. They can laugh, get existed over a
well-written account of a close game or can shed a tear if you pull them
through a tragedy. But, they can also become bored and irritated with
essays that are dull and bland. So, each piece should bring a special
focus to the personality and mind of the writer. That’s what they want to
see. The essay gives you an opportunity to express your individuality.
They want to know the real you and what makes you tick. The Perfect
essay may not come in your head immediately and you may have to
write quite a few drafts. So, write on a subject that really means
something to you.
BE SMART
Visit my website
http://www.npsd.k12.nj.us//Domain/417
The Media Center Website under college bound
http://www.npsd.k12.nj.us/Page/5104
OR ME to help you with your essay! After all, your parents PAY
MY SALARY!
Happy Holidays
• You can write your College essay by the fire!
• On the test, SLOW
DOWN, spend time on
Questions you can
Answer—don’t rush
Through to finish. If
You rush you make
mistakes.