WHY TAKE THE SAT?
Westlake has made some of the largest gains in SAT scores for Fulton County. I want to continue the trend, and as a Freshman class, we can do just. We take the P-SAT, which is the SAT's practice version. This practice version DOES NOT count against students, but the county keeps track of the scores to see growth. At Westlake, each Freshmen class has improved its scores, which is a HUGE point of pride. Taking the P-SAT seriously will prepare students for the real SAT and continue our school tradition for increasing SAT scores.
WHAT IS THE SAT?
Colleges use the SAT, a test designed by the CollegeBoard, to figure out who they admit, so doing well on the SAT can help your chances with that certain college you've had your eye on. SAT scores are divided into three 800 point categories that together total 2400 points:
(Image: CollegeBoard.org)
Score Breakdown
Critical Reading - 800 points
Mathematical Reasoning - 800 points
Critical Writing - 800 points
Interesting Fact: When the CollegeBoard first created the SAT, the acronym stood for "Scholastic Aptitude Test," but now SAT officially stands for SAT. It is its own word. That and CollegeBoard says the SAT does not actually measure aptitude!
HOW CAN I STUDY?
Westlake has a new partnership with Applerouth, an SAT Prep Company, and Westlake Freshman are getting a BIG discount. It's really exciting. Older kids can take a class IN SCHOOL for preparing for the SAT, and we Freshman can get a head start online for VERY cheep. Here's the company's pitch:
•9th Grade Students: If you want to get an early start on prepping, we’ve made one-year licenses available at a significantly reduced rate ($25)
•All Students: If you want to practice and are not enrolled in the SAT class, you can still sign up to take mock practice tests! The cost is $8 per test, which covers our materials and grading costs.
BOTH are available at....
http://www.applerouth.com/westlake
SoI'd love to hear some parent feedback about the resources.... and see my students ace this thing!!! Below, I will link to Westlake's presentation about Applerouth.
Click here
WHAT ARE OTHER WAYS TO STUDY?
I highly recommend the sites below for practicing SAT, as well as general vocabulary. All sites have a free section, and some offer additional paid services. Look around for what fits you best!
Know Your Test!
This top ten list for ways to prepare is excellent. It will give you some great information about how the test is structured and other helpful tips, especially #2, 4, and 9!
Click here
Practice Your Vocabulary!
Make practicing vocabulary a part of your day. Expose yourself to new words, especially through games like Ruzzle, with the help of dictionary.com, of course. My personal favorite is Free Rice, since you send rice to hungry in need for each word you master.
Click here for Free Rice
Use Your Library!
If you fret that you have to spend money on prep books, don't worry. Our school library has every prep book you can imagine. USE THAT RESOURCE! If you would like to buy a prep book, then you can find them through the websites for CollegeBoard, Princeton Review, Knewton, or Kaplan. Amazon also has used prep books if you search for "SAT Prep" and look to the far right for the price options. Remember---Our library has them for free, and so does the public library!
Click here
Take Practice Tests!
The more you take the tests, the more comfortable with them. I know people who took one practice test a month their Freshman year and ended up increasing their scores by hundreds of points! Be sure to check out CollegeBoard's practice tests and sample question of the day on the site below. Also, their SAT study plan generator is a must! If you want to ace the test, go study from the people who make it!
Click here