Sitting the SAT's

Ba_barbaraAnne · 06-01-2005 7:07am #1

Just looking for tips on how to help my 13 year old prepare for his first SATs. We are working our way through the sample papers, but those of you who have made it into CTYI senior level may have a few pointers for him.

He loved the junior courses and had no problem getting into CTYI at primary level - I feel that the SATs could hold some surprises for him though! He is beginning to get rather nervous now and anything to help him calm down and approach the tests in a positive manner will be a great help.

Thanks

LiamD · 06-01-2005 2:27pm

Don't be worried about the SAT because it is a very hard test and it is designed for students much older than 13.The scores required for a 13 year old are quite low and should be no problem for someone who has a high enough aptitude to attend junior CTYI.Don't worry too much about it because anyone who is a high achiever and wants it as much as it sounds like your brother does should have no problem.One tip I will give him is that there is negative marking so don't make guesses unless he has some idea of the right answer, because for every few wrong answers it takes away the equivalent of one right answer.

StupidLikeAFox · 06-01-2005 2:35pm

LiamD wrote:

Don't worry too much about it because anyone who is a high achiever and wants it as much as it sounds like your brother does

Pretty sure its her kid liam!

But yeah, the rest is pretty true, ya can only do your best and by the sounds of it he seems to be working pretty well at it. Plus hes only 13 so he has ages left yet if he doesnt get in this year

PurpleFistMixer · 06-01-2005 3:01pm

All I remember from when I did the SAT (I did it when I was about 13, gasp all of like 2 years ago) was that it seems a lot shorter than normal exams. I mean, most of the time with normal tests and stuff I'd be finished half an hour early, or so, but for the SAT, on the maths at least (and possibly verbal, can't remember too well) I was writing up until the end. So time management would be an idea... And of course not to get stressed out about it, that never helps with anything.

Raphael · 06-01-2005 3:01pm

ALso, if you can locate a piece of software called "One on One with the SAT" it's incredibly useful, that's what I used to prepare. Also, for english, if he doesn't already, suggest he to read. A lot. A good vocabulary is incredibly useful.

oq4v3ht0u76kf2 · 06-01-2005 3:05pm

Raphael wrote:

ALso, if you can locate a piece of software called "One on One with the SAT" it's incredibly useful, that's what I used to prepare. Also, for english, if he doesn't already, suggest he to read. A lot. A good vocabulary is incredibly useful.

Sorry, but in a sentence advocating a good grasp of the English language... well... that was just priceless!

Raphael · 06-01-2005 3:09pm

*headdesk* The disadvantages of re-editing sentences after typing them

Spraypaint · 06-01-2005 3:09pm

I'd say just to relax and not get stressed about it. I thought I'd done very badly and I was surprised to have gotten in but I guess that means that things might not be as bleak as they seem, if they seem to have gone badly at all. One word of warning though: Don't mislay sample papers and sit the test cold without any prior preparation. That is one big mistake I made.

P.S. If you are undecided about about a certain answer I'd say just to go with you're gut instinct.

Piste · 06-01-2005 4:02pm

If you go through the sample papers with him he should be fine. I only took the test last year and my dad went through the maths with me, maths being my weakest. If there are any mathematical terms he's not familiar with then its important that he learns them so he has at least some idea of what to do. With the verbal you either know it or you don't. Also even if he doesn't answer a question he still gets a quarter of a mark for it so in theory even if you write nothing you can still get 200/800 points.

It wasn't me! · 06-01-2005 6:06pm

Relax. Don't worry. Make sure you're familiar with the format of the test and everything else'll be grand. It's not as hard as it seems.

edibility · 06-01-2005 6:18pm

If you've got him doing sample papers, and he got into junior CTYI, I'd say he'll be more than fine

make sure though that he understands the scoring system, as that can be important. There'll be a few maths questions he won't have done yet and probably won't be able for, so guessing them isn't a great idea if he's going to lose marks for a wrong answer. And as Raphael said (although phrased better

) if his vocabulary is up to scratch he should have no problem with the english, it's generally the easier exam for younger students, unless they have very maths based intellects. I redid it last year for the fun, and I found the maths easier than the english the second time round (although I got even scores in each), whereas back when I was thirteen it was the other way round, and I had and have a fairly balanced grasp of both (the combination of the two is first choice on my CAO form this year :P). But in another sense, don't pressure him, CTYI is as much about the social (fun!) ascepts as the academic. And make sure he goes in relaxed, it is a gruelling exam, especially for someone young.

jono087 · 06-01-2005 10:09pm

don't think of it as a test.......think of it as an opportunity to express your superior intelligence...

pinkpimp · 06-01-2005 10:35pm

Tell him you don't care if he doesn't do well. Or rather that he shouldn't. It's really not a big deal. It's quite easy, to be frank, as long as he doesn't get stressed. Theres not a lot of studying you can do. In fact, I just plain didn't. If you want to try to really prepare him though, I'd go through a junior cert maths book with him, so that he gets most of the basics (not sure if he'd be in secondary yet.)

Oh, and a gem of advice, that would have helped me immensely:
Don't write your name on the desk, you mightn't notice that the next section has started and might do badly on the maths bit, which you were banking on.

And you stole my avatar. Arg.

Ba_barbaraAnne · 07-01-2005 9:56am

Thanks all for the good advice. I'm not worried if he doesn't make it this year - but his maths teacher reckons he's ready and I'm working on his English. It's getting him to relax is the the hard part!

The social contact is the most important part of CTYI and I'm hoping that he will make the most of the experience if he gets in. Only problem will be that I'll never get him off my PC when he starts using the Boards to chat to all of ye!

Sitting the SAT's

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