SAT PrepRaise SAT ScoresYou can raise your SAT scores by more than 200 points just be reading classic novels. Find how in this article "Raise Sat Scores, Read Classic Novels". Why are SAT and PSAT important? PSAT PSAT is a great reflection of your academic strengths and weaknesses before the actual SAT test. PSAT is also the only way to qualify for a National Merit Scholarship. Both PSAT and the SAT scores measure a student's critical reasoning, math, and writing skills. Is it just a coincidence that the 3 criteria are the 3Rs (also called Reading, 'Riting, 'Rithmetic and Math)? When to take the PSAT? Typically, students take PSAT on October of their sophomore or junior years. The PSAT screens out test takers who have commendable promise for academic success. Out of the commendable students, another round of pruning occurs to weed out the semifinalists and the finalists. Potential colleges and universities give generous scholarships to PSAT semifinalists and finalists of this prestigious awards. PSAT is usually taken on the sophomore and junior years of high school. SAT The SAT performance of a student, on the other hand, applies directly toward a potential university's tuition fees. For example, in the University of San Francisco, a combined SAT score of 1320 (critical reading and math, writing excluded), qualifies a potential college applicant with almost a full tuition fee scholarship. In Ave Maria University, a Chancellor's Academic scholarship in the amount of $15,000 is given for freshman college applicants with minimum SAT scores of 2160 (combination of Critical Reading, Math and Writing). How much is your SAT prep time? It depends on the student but the SAT prep time averages from 1 month to 6 months prior to the SAT test date. Some students just cram in their SAT prep by studying it for a month. This time frame leads to an important decision about "trade offs". For a one month period, do you undertake SAT preparations or do you channel the time to earning college credits?
A Case Study Joseph was admitted to the Biology Honors program at the University of San Francisco. He researched that if his SAT scores were in the 1320 range (for Critical Reading and Math), he can possibly get more tuition scholarship monies. He had a dilemma. Should he use this time to challenge a college course which is equivalent to 6 college credits? This move will save him around $6,000 in tuition fees. Or will it be wiser to focus his time to raising his SAT scores to 1350? He decided to study for the SAT. The result was his SAT scores went down by 100 points instead of higher. Thus, Joseph regretted not the money lost from the college scholarship but from the forgone time as a result of his SAT prep. Conclusion Students must do their research on the universities of their choice. Many schools in the US do not require good SAT scores as a major determinant for college admissions. This is true if the student is transferring accumulated college credits taken through credit-based-examinations or CBEs. However, for any high school graduate of the study-at-home program, good SAT scores show an unbiased academic assessment of the student. With the "teach yourself" method of this site, there is no doubt that a student can get a good SAT score. To state it simply, you have to be strategic about whether to take or re-take SAT to get a good SAT scores so you can avail of more scholarship monies or will the time consumed for SAT prep be spent rather earning college credits through CBE's? The very motivated student can do both: SAT prep and CBEs. However, the average student must make that critical choice. Again, we cannot emphasize enough that you must research about the admission criteria of your target college or university before you decide on this.
SAT Practice Tests SAT Reviewers that Delivers SAT Vocabulary Words A Case Study of Raising SAT Scores by 100 points In this article, 18 yo James relates his story on how he raised his SAT Critical Reading scores by 100 points just by reading Classics books.
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