By Ashley Wellington
If you’ve signed up to take a few SAT IIs in June, you’re probably wondering how to prepare for them when you’re already busy studying for APs and school exams. When I was in high school, a few of my teachers told me that my exams would provide adequate preparation for my SAT II tests since there was so much overlap in material. Unfortunately, this is only partly true. Sure, practicing math problems doesn’t hurt when you’re gearing up for a math test, but you still need to do some SAT II – specific studying.
The first step is to go to a bookstore and buy (preferably Official Collegeboard) books. Then, take a diagnostic test for each subject. Be aware of the time, but don’t make it a priority just yet. For now, focus on accuracy and get a feel for the types of questions you might encounter. If anything, familiarity with the test format will eliminate anxiety and help you work more quickly on the actual test day.
If you’re currently taking calculus, you’ll probably be too prepared for the Math I and II C tests; ironically, this can be a disadvantage. One of my students this year was a brilliant mathematician who was breezing through BC calculus as a junior. When it came to SAT prep, however, she struggled quite a bit. Often, she’d approach a problem in an overly complicated way, worrying about limits and derivatives, and would fail to see that the question simply required addition. Make sure you get reacquainted with geometry, algebra, trigonometry and even D=rt. Make sure you can do fractions, percents, ratios and reverse FOILing in your head. Trust me, you’ve probably forgotten more than you realize, and revisiting some of the more elementary concepts will help you interpret the SAT test language more efficiently.
If you’re an AP Lit student aiming to take the SAT II Literature, brush up on your literary terms. If English is your strength, you may think that the Literature SAT II offers a great opportunity to score an 800. You’re probably right, but you still need to prepare. I know countless students who have lost unnecessary points simply because they didn’t know the terms in the answer choices. Can you identify a heroic couplet? How about examples of Metonymy, Anastrophe or Synecdoche? Your English class might prepare you for the analytical questions, but you’ll be expected to demonstrate much more for that coveted 800.
Once you’ve done a bit of review, take a second diagnostic test and time yourself. I know you’re probably exhausted right now, but putting in a little extra effort means you probably won’t have to retake anything in the fall!
On another note, Jess and I will be launching “Fielding questions Fridays,” so if you have anything to say or want to make any topic requests for our blogs, either email me (Ashley@edgeincollegeprep.com) or post a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you guys.
Best of luck as you finish up the school year!
