Would the SAT prep class help - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

jhs194 · 05-24-2003, 09:40 PM

I have to take SAT next year...
Would the prep class help?? and if it does..
where can i find it..

Atanvarno · 05-25-2003, 02:49 AM

I suppose SAT I?
Of course the people here have either taken the class, or not, so they can't really compare.
I didn't take it, but what I can say is that the best tip for the Verbal part is probably to go read up rarely used words in a dictionary. For math, just get your speed up on easy calculations. This is done only one way, excercise excercise excercise. Do some mock SAT's and see where you're at.

Memalvada · 05-25-2003, 05:55 AM

Some friends of mine took prep classes... I still beat their asses....

orbital · 05-25-2003, 07:43 AM

Buy Barron's guide to the SAT 1. It contains all the academic material the SAT requires you to know. In other words, master that one book and you've mastered the SAT.

You may also wish to look at Princeton Review- the guys there have developed a very unique (and remarkably helpful) way of approaching the SAT.

Don't waste your money on prep classes.

My SAT 1 score is 1600, if that matters.

VirFighter · 05-25-2003, 09:26 AM

I never bothered with the classes or anything but my sister did one. I think it was a Princeton Review type course and it raised her score nicely. I think 300 points or so.

Slims · 05-25-2003, 09:39 PM

One of my friends went from something like a 1050 to a 1500 after taking the sat prep class (kaplan, I think it was called). His is the biggest gain I have heard of and he really applied himself to it. He still went up almost five hundred points. Not too shabby.

BlueBongo · 05-26-2003, 08:35 AM

I didn't take the ACT or SAT in school. I probably should have, though I was in the top 7% of my class. I've never thought about it.. I will probably attempt it one day, but due to certain situations and my grades.. I'm not worried about being accepted at a university when I'm done at community college.... I'm worried about getting into the careet I want.

If I had taken it.. I would have taken the prep class just for more help. I know it was a great help to my friends. Not a bad idea.

Antagony · 05-26-2003, 11:09 AM

My advice --

Remember that you can take it more than once. So, take it once without spending any money on books or prep classes just to see what you make. If you think you need a higher score, then seek out the studying or whatever.

My story --

I took it twice. First time I studied a little bit (only with some crappy free guide I found). I did well that first time, but wanted to try one more time to see if I could do better. The second time I took it, I had raised my score 90 points. How? I didn't look at a single test question or study between the two tests.

Just goes to show how much your mindset and physiological factors can affect your performance.

Since I had no real pressure (because my first score was pretty good), I was relaxed and significantly boosted my score.

illdeviant · 05-26-2003, 11:44 AM

i really dont think the prep courses are necessary. i took testtakers, and although i DID improve like 500 points, i think its due to the fact that they make their own tests significantly easier and gauge how well you improve using that, and also, i think your skill in taking the SAT is not totally based on intelligence. more like mere exposure. so get one of those barrons or princeton help books, and take tests over and over again. get used to the format and type of questions (math tends to be the same type of questions, with diff types of numbers). as for verbal, i dunno, i read a lot as i was a kid, so verbal wasnt much of a problem. but im sure the testtaking service would supply you like word cards (has the word and definition) of the words used on previous SATs. its just a matter of studying them.. i guess you could get the word of the day on toilet paper. heh. but yea, basically take it over and over again (the sat) for practice. btw. the tips test prep courses give you are pretyt common sense (least for me). but then again, if your a lazy ass like me, you'd probably need a teacher like figure assigning you sections of SAT to do by each testprep class.. otherwise i wouldnt have done it myself.....

and finally.. DO NOT MESS UP ON SATS. not only does it decide which college u get into, but also the amount of scholarship.. i slacked, yet got into a good college.. but i missed a fuckload of scholarships by a mere 20points.=( so yea. good luck,man. heh

Uuudar · 05-26-2003, 04:04 PM

most places guarantee a 100 point gain or something like that. princeton review is the one i took when i prep'd for the SATs. i thought it was alright. i never really took it that seriously though. probably should have based on how much money my parents put out for it, but oh well.

william · 05-28-2003, 07:51 AM

In Florida it doesn't matter. Unless, of course, you're a student. And then the FCAT (which doesn't apply outside of FL) will destroy you. (but if you're an outside student, the FCAT doesn't apply.)
Note to future Florida students - the SAT and ACT does not matter. IF you can pass the FCAT (Not based on knowledge, but prior planning).

Paper Clip · 05-28-2003, 11:54 AM

You have to know what kind of learner and test-taker you are. If you never do any work on your own and blow off studying, i suggest taking a class. That way you will at least devote some time to studying and prepring. If you are a self motivator, get a book with lots of questions and practice doing the questions.

Practicing the questions in a similar style and format is the best way to prepare for such a test. You could know everything in the world, but if you couldn't fill in those little circles on the test page correctly, you will fail. Also you get used to the phraseology of the questions and the different types of test questions.

Whatever you do, good luck!

krwlz · 05-28-2003, 02:44 PM

Mind set does it, fuck the class, it isn'ty credit bearing anyway! Best thing I can suggest is find a genre you like, and start reading.

mystmarimatt · 05-31-2003, 05:15 PM

i dunno man, my friend's step sister took, it, got a crappy score, took a class and it got her a high enough score that she got into Yale, and apparently she isn't the brightest bulb in the package

BigTruck1956 · 06-01-2003, 09:22 PM

the thing i have found about SAT calsses is there is a HUGE difference between the good ones and the crappy ones, and that is reflected in the price. I took one at my high school that cost like 100 bucks or so and it was ok, but didnt really raise my score that much. The Kaplan ones that supposedly raise your score 200 points however cost over a grand.
Now, i beleve that as long as you practice, you dont need to take a course. I got the "10 real SATs" book, and simply doing the math problems over and over boosted my score a lot. The math itself isnt hard, you just need to be able to do the calculations quickly and accurately. For verbal, my mom bought me a SAT vocabulary book and made me learn 10 words a day all summer long. Sure enough, many of those words showed up on the test. If ya wanna know, i went from 620math, 630 verbal to 730 math and 700 verbal. Good enough to get into MIT

ch1ld · 06-04-2003, 02:36 AM

Hmm it really depends on what youre base score (now) is. If youre already in the upper percentiles it may not really help you. Otherwise the practice and repetition of the sat style questions will help your score.. though you can do this yourself if youre self-motivated. If youre already good at standardized tests, id stick to self study.

Shades · 06-04-2003, 10:24 PM

I'm guessing that, for whatever reason (low class ranking, not in advanced courses, or something like) you're worried about the SAT. Don't be. It is very, very easy. Did you blow the shit out of whatever state required exam you have to take in school? Then you will rock the SAT. I got a 1430 just walking in cold. If you took the PSAT, what did you get on it?

sportsrule101 · 06-30-2003, 12:47 PM

They definitly help, no reason not to take one

Captain Canada · 07-02-2003, 01:11 PM

I took the SAT 1 twice. The first time without taking any prep classes or studying. Scored a 620 english, 470 math. Second time I took it, I prepared. Did practice math stuff (since that was my only problem), worked at it so I would do better. Well, when I found out my scores, I was surprised to see I scored a 690 on the english.....and a 470 on the math. So, in my opinion, studying and shit doesnt help.

asdf4321 · 07-02-2003, 08:35 PM

This is my experience:

If you live in either Houston or Dallas there should be a prep course called Testmasters (url]http://www.testmasters.com[/url]. I personally think it's the best bet for you money (around a grand, total).

Classes are alright, content is pretty good. I went from 1300ish to 1600ish, first time taking the SAT I received a 1580. Course I read a lot and am very good at math, but still, if you're looking to get into a top school, it helps.

Gauranteed 200 point improvement. They allow you to take pretty much every single actual SAT, it helps. Pretty nifty.

If you happen to live elsewhere, listen to other people's advice.

bermuDa · 07-02-2003, 10:12 PM

Didn't take any prep courses or even the PSAT... just woke up early one saturday, took the test, went back home and back to bed... I did alright, but it didn't really matter since I didn't bother applying to any colleges... come to think of it, I don't know how I got into the state university I'm attending.

If you plan on going to college, I'd say do your best to improve your test scores as much as possible.

boredjerk · 07-02-2003, 10:39 PM

Somehow I never had to take the SAT. I did take the ACT, with a hangover and a pregnancy scare to think about. Actually, I took the SAT in 6th grade as part of some bullshit gifted program. I got an 800 or something. I don't even really understand if that's good or bad.

Don't sweat it. There are some real dumbfucks in college.

05-24-2003, 09:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
jhs194 Upright Location: Michigan	Would the SAT prep class help I have to take SAT next year... Would the prep class help?? and if it does.. where can i find it..

05-25-2003, 02:49 AM	#2 (permalink)
Atanvarno Tilted Location: Norway	I suppose SAT I? Of course the people here have either taken the class, or not, so they can't really compare. I didn't take it, but what I can say is that the best tip for the Verbal part is probably to go read up rarely used words in a dictionary. For math, just get your speed up on easy calculations. This is done only one way, excercise excercise excercise. Do some mock SAT's and see where you're at. __________________ Memorization is a poor excuse for intelligence." - Cesar Martinez-Garza (1973 ->) -

05-25-2003, 05:55 AM	#3 (permalink)
Memalvada Psycho Location: South of the border	Some friends of mine took prep classes... I still beat their asses.... __________________ "The weak are food for the strong, so die and let me feast!" - Makoto Shishio (RK)

05-25-2003, 09:26 AM	#5 (permalink)
VirFighter Insane Location: Raleigh, NC / Atlanta, GA	I never bothered with the classes or anything but my sister did one. I think it was a Princeton Review type course and it raised her score nicely. I think 300 points or so. __________________ "The South is gonna boogie again" - Disco Stu

05-25-2003, 09:39 PM	#6 (permalink)
Slims Eccentric insomniac Location: North Carolina	One of my friends went from something like a 1050 to a 1500 after taking the sat prep class (kaplan, I think it was called). His is the biggest gain I have heard of and he really applied himself to it. He still went up almost five hundred points. Not too shabby. __________________ "Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery." - Winston Churchill "All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act out their dream with open eyes, to make it possible." Seven Pillars of Wisdom, T.E. Lawrence

05-25-2003, 07:43 AM	#4 (permalink)
orbital Upright	Buy Barron's guide to the SAT 1. It contains all the academic material the SAT requires you to know. In other words, master that one book and you've mastered the SAT. You may also wish to look at Princeton Review- the guys there have developed a very unique (and remarkably helpful) way of approaching the SAT. Don't waste your money on prep classes. My SAT 1 score is 1600, if that matters.

05-26-2003, 11:09 AM	#8 (permalink)
Antagony Psychopathic Akimbo Action Pirate Location: ...between Christ and Belial.	My advice -- Remember that you can take it more than once. So, take it once without spending any money on books or prep classes just to see what you make. If you think you need a higher score, then seek out the studying or whatever. My story -- I took it twice. First time I studied a little bit (only with some crappy free guide I found). I did well that first time, but wanted to try one more time to see if I could do better. The second time I took it, I had raised my score 90 points. How? I didn't look at a single test question or study between the two tests. Just goes to show how much your mindset and physiological factors can affect your performance. Since I had no real pressure (because my first score was pretty good), I was relaxed and significantly boosted my score. __________________ On the outside I'm jazz, but my soul is rock and roll. Sleep is a waste of time. Join the Insomniac Club. "GYOH GWAH-DAH GREH BLAAA! SROH WIH DIH FLIH RYOHH!!" - The Locust

05-26-2003, 11:44 AM	#9 (permalink)
illdeviant Crazy Location: Lawn Guyland	i really dont think the prep courses are necessary. i took testtakers, and although i DID improve like 500 points, i think its due to the fact that they make their own tests significantly easier and gauge how well you improve using that, and also, i think your skill in taking the SAT is not totally based on intelligence. more like mere exposure. so get one of those barrons or princeton help books, and take tests over and over again. get used to the format and type of questions (math tends to be the same type of questions, with diff types of numbers). as for verbal, i dunno, i read a lot as i was a kid, so verbal wasnt much of a problem. but im sure the testtaking service would supply you like word cards (has the word and definition) of the words used on previous SATs. its just a matter of studying them.. i guess you could get the word of the day on toilet paper. heh. but yea, basically take it over and over again (the sat) for practice. btw. the tips test prep courses give you are pretyt common sense (least for me). but then again, if your a lazy ass like me, you'd probably need a teacher like figure assigning you sections of SAT to do by each testprep class.. otherwise i wouldnt have done it myself..... and finally.. DO NOT MESS UP ON SATS. not only does it decide which college u get into, but also the amount of scholarship.. i slacked, yet got into a good college.. but i missed a fuckload of scholarships by a mere 20points.=( so yea. good luck,man. heh

05-26-2003, 04:04 PM	#10 (permalink)
Uuudar Insane	most places guarantee a 100 point gain or something like that. princeton review is the one i took when i prep'd for the SATs. i thought it was alright. i never really took it that seriously though. probably should have based on how much money my parents put out for it, but oh well.

05-28-2003, 07:51 AM	#11 (permalink)
william Psycho	In Florida it doesn't matter. Unless, of course, you're a student. And then the FCAT (which doesn't apply outside of FL) will destroy you. (but if you're an outside student, the FCAT doesn't apply.) Note to future Florida students - the SAT and ACT does not matter. IF you can pass the FCAT (Not based on knowledge, but prior planning).

05-28-2003, 11:54 AM	#12 (permalink)
Paper Clip Upright	You have to know what kind of learner and test-taker you are. If you never do any work on your own and blow off studying, i suggest taking a class. That way you will at least devote some time to studying and prepring. If you are a self motivator, get a book with lots of questions and practice doing the questions. Practicing the questions in a similar style and format is the best way to prepare for such a test. You could know everything in the world, but if you couldn't fill in those little circles on the test page correctly, you will fail. Also you get used to the phraseology of the questions and the different types of test questions. Whatever you do, good luck!

05-28-2003, 02:44 PM	#13 (permalink)
krwlz Fledgling Dead Head Location: Clarkson U.	Mind set does it, fuck the class, it isn'ty credit bearing anyway! Best thing I can suggest is find a genre you like, and start reading.

05-31-2003, 05:15 PM	#14 (permalink)
mystmarimatt Omnipotent Ruler Of The Tiny Universe In My Mind Location: Oreegawn	i dunno man, my friend's step sister took, it, got a crappy score, took a class and it got her a high enough score that she got into Yale, and apparently she isn't the brightest bulb in the package __________________ Words of Wisdom: If you could really get to know someone and know that they weren't lying to you, then you would know the world was real. Because you could agree on things, you could compare notes. That must be why people get married or make Art. So they'll be able to really know something and not go insane.

06-01-2003, 09:22 PM	#15 (permalink)
BigTruck1956 Psycho Location: norcal	the thing i have found about SAT calsses is there is a HUGE difference between the good ones and the crappy ones, and that is reflected in the price. I took one at my high school that cost like 100 bucks or so and it was ok, but didnt really raise my score that much. The Kaplan ones that supposedly raise your score 200 points however cost over a grand. Now, i beleve that as long as you practice, you dont need to take a course. I got the "10 real SATs" book, and simply doing the math problems over and over boosted my score a lot. The math itself isnt hard, you just need to be able to do the calculations quickly and accurately. For verbal, my mom bought me a SAT vocabulary book and made me learn 10 words a day all summer long. Sure enough, many of those words showed up on the test. If ya wanna know, i went from 620math, 630 verbal to 730 math and 700 verbal. Good enough to get into MIT __________________ so much to do, so little time.....at least i aint bored.

06-04-2003, 02:36 AM	#16 (permalink)
ch1ld Upright	Hmm it really depends on what youre base score (now) is. If youre already in the upper percentiles it may not really help you. Otherwise the practice and repetition of the sat style questions will help your score.. though you can do this yourself if youre self-motivated. If youre already good at standardized tests, id stick to self study.

06-04-2003, 10:24 PM	#17 (permalink)
Shades Insane	I'm guessing that, for whatever reason (low class ranking, not in advanced courses, or something like) you're worried about the SAT. Don't be. It is very, very easy. Did you blow the shit out of whatever state required exam you have to take in school? Then you will rock the SAT. I got a 1430 just walking in cold. If you took the PSAT, what did you get on it?

06-30-2003, 12:47 PM	#18 (permalink)
sportsrule101 Insane	They definitly help, no reason not to take one __________________ winning isn't everything but losing isn't anything

07-02-2003, 01:11 PM	#19 (permalink)
Captain Canada Addict Location: University of North Carolina at Greensboro	I took the SAT 1 twice. The first time without taking any prep classes or studying. Scored a 620 english, 470 math. Second time I took it, I prepared. Did practice math stuff (since that was my only problem), worked at it so I would do better. Well, when I found out my scores, I was surprised to see I scored a 690 on the english.....and a 470 on the math. So, in my opinion, studying and shit doesnt help.

07-02-2003, 08:35 PM	#20 (permalink)
asdf4321 Upright Location: Houston	This is my experience: If you live in either Houston or Dallas there should be a prep course called Testmasters (url]http://www.testmasters.com[/url]. I personally think it's the best bet for you money (around a grand, total). Classes are alright, content is pretty good. I went from 1300ish to 1600ish, first time taking the SAT I received a 1580. Course I read a lot and am very good at math, but still, if you're looking to get into a top school, it helps. Gauranteed 200 point improvement. They allow you to take pretty much every single actual SAT, it helps. Pretty nifty. If you happen to live elsewhere, listen to other people's advice. __________________ Rar-poop! Combination dinosaur noise and the sound of.. well, you know.

07-02-2003, 10:12 PM	#21 (permalink)
bermuDa don't ignore this--> Location: CA	Didn't take any prep courses or even the PSAT... just woke up early one saturday, took the test, went back home and back to bed... I did alright, but it didn't really matter since I didn't bother applying to any colleges... come to think of it, I don't know how I got into the state university I'm attending. If you plan on going to college, I'd say do your best to improve your test scores as much as possible. __________________ I am the very model of a moderator gentleman.

07-02-2003, 10:39 PM	#22 (permalink)
boredjerk Insane Location: Antarctica	Somehow I never had to take the SAT. I did take the ACT, with a hangover and a pregnancy scare to think about. Actually, I took the SAT in 6th grade as part of some bullshit gifted program. I got an 800 or something. I don't even really understand if that's good or bad. Don't sweat it. There are some real dumbfucks in college. __________________ Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke.