Up Your Score (3 page)

The
P
in PSAT stands for three things. The first is easy—
P
reliminary. The PSAT is a preliminary look at the real SAT. It’s a sneak preview of what the real thing is going to be like and a good chance to practice (which also begins with a P . . .). In fact, your PSAT score report will come with your test book and a computer printout telling you, for each question, the correct answer, your answer, and the level of difficulty of the question. You can use this information to help prepare for the SAT.

A good score on the PSAT makes you eligible for all sorts of scholarship programs, the most famous of which is the National Merit Scholarship Program.

But the PSAT is more than just a chance to practice. The second thing the
P
stands for is
P
rograms, as in scholarshi
p
s and special
p
rograms. A good score on the PSAT makes you eligible for all sorts of scholarship programs, the most famous of which is the National Merit Scholarship Program. The National Merit Scholarship is based on your
selection index
, which is your math score plus your critical reading score plus your writing score. Recognition by the National Merit Program is a big plus on your college applications and it can even win you some money. The top 50,000 scorers are recognized by the Merit Program. The top 16,000 scorers become semifinalists, and 15,000 of
them
become finalists. About 8,200 of the finalists get big bucks toward college.
Sometimes, even if you don’t become a finalist, or you’re not one of the finalists to receive a scholarship from the National Merit Corporation, you still may be eligible to get money from one of your parents’ companies. Also, if you score well on the PSAT but don’t make the final cut, some colleges still might offer you scholarships to attend their school—they can get bragging rights to educating the greatest number of National Merit semifinalists or finalists, and you get your college education for less than you planned on spending—sometimes for free. This program is described in depth in the “PSAT/NMSQT Student Bulletin,” which also lists the corporate and college sponsors of the program. You can pick up a copy in any guidance counselor’s office.

The third thing the
P
stands for is A
pp
lications. The ETS says the PSAT is not used as a college admission test. But some schools have a space for PSAT scores on their applications. On other applications there will just be a space where you can put “other test scores.” Of course, it’s optional whether or not you tell them your PSAT scores, but it’s impressive if you have good ones.

If you don’t put your PSAT scores on your college application, admissions people may suspect your scores were poor.

The ETS offers the SAT seven times a year between October and June; most students take the test on a Saturday morning. However, those students who cannot take the SAT on a Saturday for religious reasons have the option of taking it on Sunday, usually the day after the scheduled Saturday test. The Sunday test doesn’t cost extra, but on your registration form you need to fill in the special 01000 test center code, and you must also send in a signed letter from your clergyperson on official letterhead explaining that religious convictions prevent you from taking the SAT on a Saturday. When you sign up for one Sunday test, you must take the rest of your tests on Sundays as well.

Because the test given on Sunday is exactly the same as the Saturday test, you cannot register for both. The test is scored on the same scale, and percentages are calculated the
same way for Sunday test takers as for Saturday test takers. In the end, therefore, there is no advantage or disadvantage to registering for a Sunday test. Only do it if you have to.

Many students now take the SAT in October and November of their senior year in order to meet the deadlines for Early Decision or Early Action. Under these programs, seniors generally know by the end of December whether they will have a low-stress second semester. By applying for Early Decision, you commit to attending the school if your application is successful. (This means that you can apply for Early Decision at only one school.) There is no such restriction with Early Action policies, which in general means you can apply for Early Action to more than one school. Some schools, however, have a “Single-Choice Early Action” policy—you aren’t obligated to accept their offer of admission, but you can’t apply to any other schools under Early Action. If you’re seeking early admission anywhere, make sure you know what the school’s policy is.

Note:
Some schools that are eager to attract good students may send you their “Priority” or “Distinguished Student” applications. These can also count as early admission options. If you’ve already applied for Early Decision or Single-Choice Early Action elsewhere, check to see that these don’t violate the agreement. Don’t be one of those “almost broke the early admission rule and got themselves blacklisted” kids. Soooo not cool.

Several abilities are necessary. First, you must be able to stay awake, which can be difficult even though you will be sitting for almost four hours in the most uncomfortable chair imaginable. (This is the reason for the sections on yoga and concentration in
Chapter 6
.) Second, you have to be able to sign a statement alleging that you, not some cyborg clone, are taking the test. Third, you must be able to read. (And if
you’re reading this, you’ve probably already cleared that hurdle, unless you’re just looking at the pretty design of the pages.) Fourth, you must know a lot of math and reading and writing stuff so that you can answer the questions correctly. (That’s what most of this book is about.) Fifth, you need to understand the proper strategies for taking the SAT and the many ways you can outsmart the test. (We explain all the tricks.) Sixth, after you find the right answer, you need to be able to fill in all the little circles on the computerized answer sheet, without going out of the lines. (We’ve provided several columns of little circles for practice and have done extensive experimentation to identify the most efficient way to fill them in. See
page 307
.)

Other useful skills are eating for endurance and stealth snacking. These skills are covered in
Chapter 6
.

For more on snacking successfully, see
Chapter 6
.

You cannot study for the SAT unless you are mentally and physically prepared. Listed here are several ways of psyching yourself up.

1. Try to convince yourself that it is fun and challenging to learn new words and mathematical facts. (Good luck.)

2. Try to convince yourself that the things you learn in today’s study session will enable you to think critically and to sound articulate for the rest of your life. (This technique does not work either.)

3. Realize that the opposite sex is often attracted to equations and big words. (Nope.)

4. Note that the average teenager burns approximately 115 calories during an hour of intense studying. (Maybe so, but walking up and down stairs for an hour is much more interesting and burns 350 calories.)

The above techniques do not work because they use positive thinking. The SAT does not inspire positive thinking. You must learn to think negatively. For example:

1. Recognize that if you do not do well on the SAT you will not get into a good college. You will have to go to school in the Australian outback and your college years will be disrupted by kangaroo migrations.

2. Go to the kitchen. Press your tongue against the metal freezer tray and hold it there for ten minutes. Then rapidly yank it away. By comparison, studying for the SAT may actually be pleasurable.

3. Realize that the ETS is a wicked organization. By reading our book you are beating the system because you will score higher than you would otherwise.

4. Most of the dweebs who deserve to get into the colleges of their choice are probably too busy playing with their TI-89 calculators to have time to read this book. It’s fun to watch dweebs get mad when they don’t get into a college that you get into.

5. The SAT is expensive:

You must learn to dwell on these negative thoughts. Let them gnaw at your insides. Begin to feel a hatred of this test and all it stands for. Hate is a powerful emotion: It will give you the drive and determination you need for intense study.

Before we begin we must make one important point. In the extremely unlikely event that you read this book and still do miserably on the SAT, do not whine. Just make the best of going to college in the Australian outback. In addition, there are a number of small details that could go wrong during the test regardless of what you learn (or do not learn) from this book. A few examples:

1. You lose your admission ticket, so they never even let you into the testing center. (But here’s where Al Gore’s famous invention, the Internet, kicks in. See
page 317
.)

2. You fall asleep during the critical reading passage about the history of celery.

3. You fall asleep while the proctor is reading the directions.

4. You fall asleep the night before the test and do not wake up until it is over.

5. You don’t know the answer to question 6 on the test, so you skip it. However, you forget to leave number 6 blank on your answer sheet. Then, you put the answer to question 7 in the space for question 6, the answer to question 8 in the space for question 7, etc. You don’t realize that you have done this until you wake up in the middle of the passage about the history of celery and try to find your place. (Seriously, if you mess up your answer sheet like that, the proctor will probably give you some time to rearrange your answers after the test is over. Raise your hand and ask.)

6. All four of your number 2 pencils break, and you end up having to use chalk.

Some distractions can be remedied. For example, if your desk squeaks, it’s too hot, there’s a fan blowing your papers around, or you’re left-handed and the desks are made for right-handed people—tell the proctor! Although some proctors bite, most don’t carry any dangerous diseases, and the occasional proctor will even try to help you. (See “Proctors: Mindless Slaves of the ETS” in
Chapter 6
.)

There is much disagreement about the ideal way to prepare for the SAT. Each of the authors of this book has a favorite method. Choose the one that is best suited to your personality.

1. Larry’s Method: Be Prepared.
Preparedness is the key. Have a healthy breakfast of juice, toast, milk, and organic cereal. Walk briskly to school so that you have time to giggle with your friends and clean your teacher’s blackboard. Pay attention in all your classes. Go to the Honor Society meetings. While you are at varsity track practice, try your hardest to demonstrate your dedication to the coach and your pride in the school. Go home. Do your homework.

Spend the night before the test relaxing—see a movie, practice your clarinet, play Scrabble. Don’t bother with last-minute studying except to look at your list of the ten words that have given you the most trouble. Put four number 2 pencils with unblemished erasers, your ID, two calculators, and your admission ticket by the door. Say your prayers, and go to bed early.

2. Manek’s Method: Be Mellow.
Tranquility is the key. Skip school the day before and relax—take the phone off the hook, lock the door, and put a cloth over your goldfish bowl so you won’t be distracted. Lie down on the floor with your favorite potato and breathe deeply. Starting with your toes and progressing to your earlobes, calm your entire body; feel yourself losing control of your muscles. When you’re marvelously mellow, put your most prized possessions in the microwave and melt them. If you feel alarmed at this stage, then you’re not totally tranquil—go back to the beginning and try biofeedback.