SAT Score: Begin With the End in Mind

The first step towards SAT success has very little to do with the test itself. Before you do anything, you need to decide what score you want on the SAT.

Wait a second: decide your score before the test? Don’t you want to perform as well as possible?

Yes, you want to do as well as you can. However, unless you need a 2400 to get into Harvard, you only need to achieve a score that gets you into the school(s) of your choice. In other words, your end is the SAT score that will give you the best chance to get accepted by your selected college(s).

Chances are that you have never considered this kind of approach with a normal school test. Usually you want to score as close to a 100% as possible.

Not so on the SAT. Students can both pursue and achieve ends that are far from perfect and still get into their schools of choice. Consider the following: according to UCLA’s website, the average SAT score for “admitted incoming freshmen” is “between 1760 and 2140.” If the SAT were scored on a 100% scale, that means some students are getting into UCLA with as low as a 73% on the SAT (1760/2400=.7333). Get a 73% on a school test and you barely pass with a C. Get a 73% on the SAT and you can get into UCLA.

Crazy, right? A C represents an average score in school but a good score on the SAT. And while you may never strive for a C in school, it could very well be a good goal on the SAT.

So let’s get back to your end and, much like Steven Covey's Habits of Highly Successful People, you should begin with the end in mind.   

To begin with the end in mind, first figure out your end. Your end is the college you would like to attend. Pick three schools: a dream school that might be out of your reach, a realistic school that is possible and a back up in case things go sideways. Now, figure out what SAT score you need to get into the three schools.

This SAT score is your goal that will get you to your end. 

Now, when you prepare for and take the test, you don't need to answer every question correctly. You simply need to create the right combination of correct answers, incorrect answers and omitted answers in order to achieve your goal score. Pretty simple, right? It all starts with the end in mind.

Learn more about the SAT and ACT with private tutoring, One-Day Boot Camps or Summer Camps from CROSSWALK right here on the Monterey Peninsula. Contact us to learn more. 

SAT Truth: It's a Reading Test

Let’s face it: the SAT is reading test. While there are three sections (Math, Writing and Critical Reading), the truth is that the SAT primarily assesses your ability to read. 

Remember, the SAT is designed to predict your college performance. Most college classes require lots of reading, hence the focus of reading on the SAT.

Consider the following: there are 170 total questions on the SAT (not including the Essay question) of which there are 67 Critical Reading questions, 54 Math questions and 49 Writing questions. So which section has the most questions? Critical Reading! 

But let's dig deeper: of the 67 questions on Critical Reading, 48 of them are Passage-Based Reading questions. In other words, 48 point-scoring opportunities out of 170 total opportunities assess your reading comprehension. Put differently, almost 30% of the entire test assesses your ability to read a passage and comprehend it. 

But wait, there’s more. Even the Math and Writing questions require you to both read and comprehend. In fact, many students fail to correctly answer certain questions correctly simply because they do not read and comprehend the question. 

For example, try this problem:

If x + 1 = 3, what is 2x? 

A) 2

B) 3

C) 4

D) 5

E) 6

This should be an easy problem for most students. Solving the equation for x gives you a result of 2. So A is the correct answer, right? Wrong! If you do not read the question entirely, you miss the fact that you need to find the answer to 2x, in other words, 4. Thus, C is the correct answer. 

So even SAT math problems require excellent reading comprehension. Same goes for the writing section. All told, the SAT is primarily a reading test. 

For this reason, the best way to improve your SAT score is to, you guessed it, READ! 

Learn more SAT and ACT tips from CROSSWALK, the Monterey Peninsula's local resource for private tutoring, SAT or ACT Boot Camps and other test preparation. 

SAT Score: Context > Content

Read a chapter, memorize the terms and regurgitate them on a test. It's content-based learning at its finest and it's standard practice in most schools. 

Much of learning is based on acquiring and retaining new content. For some educators, content is king. Their goal is to stock a student's brain with as much information as possible. 

While learning content is certainly a big part of education, it's not the only part. Sometimes, context is more important than content. To truly learn, one must make connections across content to comprehend the context of a situation. 

It's a skill that the College Board feels predicts college performance and that is why many SAT questions are based on context more than content. 

Take math questions, for instance. Rarely do you find a straightforward Algebra problem like "solve for x." Instead, you have to "solve for x" in the context of a Geometry problem, or a word problem. 

On the reading section, vocabulary questions require more than rote definitions. You have to fill words in the blanks based on clues that the sentence provides. 

In other words, the context of a situation is more important than the content. If this were a math equation it would be: context > content. 

Score more on the SAT by understanding that context, and not content, is king on the SAT. 

Contact CROSSWALK to learn about SAT & ACT Boot Camps, private tutoring and other academic support. 

On the SAT: Attitude > Aptitude

Your attitude is more important than your aptitude. 

While this may be applicable in life, it certainly is key for test preparation. Especially on the SAT. 

The power of positive thinking is a foregone conclusion. Think you will do well, and you will. Think you will perform poorly, and you will. 

But a positive attitude is just the start. To succeed on the SAT and other standardized tests, you must possess more than optimism. The SAT requires a focused mindset and a determined test-taking mentality. 

Simply put, the SAT necessitates a unique approach. Memorization and regurgitation are skills that work well in school but not so on the SAT. More than just rehashing content, the SAT questions require a keen focus, a clear understanding of the scoring, and an individual approach that both leverages strengths and compensates for weaknesses.  

Achieving the right attitude for maximum success means ample preparation, stress-free practice, comfort in a testing environment and familiarity with the format. And yes, a little optimism. 

There is no way to avoid the fact that the SAT is an aptitude test. But in order for your aptitude to shine, your attitude needs to be in line on test day. As Zig Ziglar famously put it, "Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude." 

Get your attitude aligned with the help from CROSSWALK. The Monterey Peninsula's local resource for SAT test prep, CROSSWALK offers Boot Camps and private tutoring to get your attitude in line for success. Contact us today to learn more. 

What Can I Do Just Before the SAT?

Here's a frequently asked question: What can I do the last couple of days before the SAT?

First, what not to do: stress. Once you start to stress out, your brain does not work as well. A little stress can be productive as a motivator but it should generally be avoided at all costs. That is why you can't cram for the SAT. And it's also why you probably shouldn't try to take a full-length practice test days before the real test.

Now, what you can do: try an SAT Walkthrough. If you only have days before the test, pick up one practice test in any reputable study guide and walk through the pages. Read the directions and skim the problems. In your mind, review your test-taking strategies and tell yourself how you would tackle each question. Limit yourself to 90 minutes for this activity so as to not create any stress.

In fact, CROSSWALK is now offering SAT Walkthroughs every Wednesday evening before the SAT. Join us as we review tactics, timing, scoring and more. Students new to the SAT and students experienced with the test will benefit from the guided discussion. The next one is scheduled for January 23 at the Stevenson School. Contact CROSSWALK for details.

CROSSWALK is Monterey Peninsula's local resource for test prep, SAT & ACT Boot Camps, private tutoring and academic support. Visit CROSSWALK or contact CROSSWALK today. 

The Most Important SAT Vocabulary Word

Do you find rote memorization of vocabulary abhorrent? Does SAT vocabulary seem like an impregnable fortress of nonsensical words?

Hold on. What does "abhorrent" mean? And what about "impregnable"?

Curse those SAT vocabulary words. Sure, they are useful for reading comprehension and writing, but nobody wants to memorize lists of words all day. Reciting words and their definitions is just plain boring.


Instead, learn the most important SAT vocabulary word: equanimity.

Equanimity is not only a word found on the SAT, it is a philosophy for conquering the test. Equanimity means mental calmness and composure especially when faced with a difficult situation. As in, "it takes tremendous equanimity to succeed on the SAT." 

Sounds like a good approach on test day: keep your cool, stay focused, and maintain an even temper throughout the nerve-wracking marathon of a test.

Unfortunately, there is no way to avoid the challenging vocabulary found on the SAT. You can circumvent the monotony of list memorization by using learning tools like flash cards. Tech-savvy folks can use and create online versions of flashcards at places like Quizlet and VerbaLearn. 

Just don't forget that your equanimity on test day will be the most important word and approach on test day. 

By the way, abhorrent means loathsome and impregnable means unable to defeat.

Start your test preparation with an SAT Boot Camp from CROSSWALK. Check www.crosswalkeducation.com for camp dates, information on private tutoring and more resources for academic success. 

3 Ways to Maximize SAT and ACT Study Time

Suzie is a typical high school student. She attends school all day, plays sports in the afternoon, studies about two hours a night and squeezes in meetings during the week for student council. Weekends are busy with tournaments and she even has a part time job on some evenings.

If you are like Suzie, you know the challenge of finding time to get ready for the SAT or ACT. Carving out study time for test preparation is not easy to do when your calendar is  full of activities. 

With such a busy schedule, what can Suzie do? 

Assuming she can dedicate some study time for the SAT or ACT, Suzie will need to maximize her time to the fullest, Here are a three ways to maximize your SAT or ACT study sessions: 

1) Avoid Stress: it is scientifically proven that stress kills brain cells. You need all the brain cells you can get for standardized tests. If you are stressed during a study session, you will not retain the information. Take a step back and find a time where you are not stressed to do your test prep.

2) Focus in the Now: your study sessions will be more productive when you remove all distractions and simply focus on the test prep materials. That means no music, no cell phone, no tv, and most importantly, no thinking about anything other than test prep. When you strip away all distractions and thoughts about other things, your brain will focus intently and you will process the material more effectively and efficiently. 

3) Practice Perfectly: the old adage "practice makes perfect" doesn't always apply for test prep unless you practice perfectly. Practicing perfectly means recreating the testing environment as much as you can. When prepping for the SAT or ACT, be sure to practice your key strategies just as you would on the test. For example, get in the habit of skipping the most difficult questions on the SAT. On the ACT, be sure you get an answer for each question as there is no punishment for wrong answers. Another key way to practice perfectly is to time yourself. After all, this is a timed test so you may as well time your practice. 

Maximizing your study time is crucial for the SAT and ACT. In a perfect world, students would have loads of time to take practice tests, review strategies and memorize common question types. 

Unfortunately, our world is not perfect so we must maximize the available time to make it as productive as possible. Whether or not you have the luxury of time on your hands, be sure to maximize it to the fullest. 

You can also maximize your SAT or ACT test prep with a Boot Camp from CROSSWALK. The Monterey Peninsula's resource for tutoring over the past ten years, CROSSWALK has prepared hundreds of students for the SAT, ACT and more. CROSSWALK can also match private tutors with individual students in a variety of academic subjects. Contact us today to learn more or check our Boot Camp Calendar for the next one-day camp.