101 Ways to Score Higher on Your SAT Reasoning Test: What You Need to Know Explained Simply »

Founder, PrepPoint

Each year millions of high school students dedicate a Saturday morning to taking the Scholastic Aptitude Test, more commonly referred to as the SATs. These tests are important because 92 percent of colleges require applicants to report their scores. In 2008 the average score for critical reading was 502, for math 515, and for writing 494. How can you boost your scores and stand out from the crowd when applying to college? Reading 101 Ways to Score Higher on Your SAT Reasoning Test, and employing the practices found within, is one way to do so.

In this new book, you will learn about and understand the scoring system, as well as the format and content. You will learn how to read questions correctly, how to control your anxiety, and how to approach each section. In addition, you will be presented with a list of resources to help you prepare and dozens of teacher-recommended strategies. 

101 Ways to Score Higher on Your SAT is filled with math, English, and writing practice questions; step-by-step instructions on writing an effective SAT essay; reviews of critical reading, grammar, and correct usage; and reviews of the most important math concepts. Some of the study strategies included are answering the easy questions first, making educated guesses, and budgeting your time. This book also directs you to a variety of resources for more practice tests, guidelines, and information about the standardized test which was taken by more than 1.5 million students in 2008.

Instead of panicking and worrying about the SATs, pick up this book and be confident in your test-taking abilities. Whether you are taking the test for the first time or for the fifth, you will learn valuable information and practical tips for improving your score.

Preface 11

Introduction 15

Chapter 1 Test Basics - Know the Enemy 19

Why You Take the SAT 22

How the SAT has Changed Over the Years 24

How the Test is Structured 27

I Learned All of This in School - Do I Really Need to Study? 33

Chapter 2 Your SAT Score -Inside the Numbers 35

What Your Score Means 35

Choosing Which Score to Report 48

Chapter 3 Countdown to the Test 55

Test-time Considerations 62

Chapter 4 SAT Preparation 71

Using Your Strengths to Prepare a Plan of Attack 71

Deciding What You Want to Accomplish 75

Working Toward Your Goal 79

Chapter 5 SAT Strategy is Half the Battle 89

Time-saving Techniques 90

The Different Types of Questions on the SAT 99

Chapter 6 Racking up the Points 113

The Guessing Game 114

Chapter 7 Winning the Numbers Game 135

Working Out Problems - The Long Way 136

Answering Questions When There Are No Choices 145

Using Answer Choices When You Are Stuck 154

Chapter 8 Mastering Math Content - Arithmetic 157

Perfecting Basic Skills 158

Chapter 9 Mastering Math Content - Algebra 171

Solving for an Unknown Variable 171

Tackling a Word Problem 176

Chapter 10 Mastering Math Content - Geometry 183

Using Scales and Diagrams 183

Chapter 11 The Writing Section - Essay Strategy 195

How Essays are Scored 197

Writing Tricks for a Higher Score 199

Preparing for an Essay Before Test Day 204

Chapter 12 The Writing Section - Multiple-Choice Strategies 225

All About Grammar 227

Chapter 13 Critical Reading - Word-Play Strategies 235

Increasing Your Reading Score 236

Comprehending Each Passage 243

Chapter 14 SAT Mind-set -Zen Warrior 261

Keeping Your Confidence Up 261

Test Day and Beyond265

Chapter 15 What to do After You Take the SAT 277

Which College is Right for You? 277

Defining yourself 288

Colleges 292

Local organizations (Rotary, Kiwanis, Retired Teachers) 295

Keeping track of it all 296

Appendix: Internet Resources for the SAT 299

Overall SAT Preparation 299

Math Resources 300

Reading and Writing Resources 301

Bibliography 302

Glossary 303

About the Authors 307

Marti Anne Maguire 307

Jaclyn Bissel 308

Index 309