Written by Chris Hernandez
Are you preparing to take the SAT?
If so, one of the most important components of the exam is the Reading Test. Reading can be a daunting task to tackle, but fear not! With the right strategies and techniques, you can boost your score and increase your chances of success. In this article, we will be exploring 10 tips to help you boost your SAT Reading Test score.
Let's begin by looking at the SAT structure, and where the reading section fits in.
You get 65 minutes to answer 52 multiple choice questions covering 5 passages, giving you 13 minutes per passage.
Each passage has between 600 and 700 words.
So, if you are prepared and know what to expect, you can spend more time on passages that you find more difficult, and less on the easier ones. Make sure to budget your time appropriately!
This is crucial for discovering your weaknesses.
To determine your weak areas, you must first take a practice exam.
Even if you don't finish in the allocated 65 minutes, continue and finish the exam.
Mark the questions you answered after time was up.
This process will help you determine where your weaknesses lie.
Note: Doing thousands of practice questions and writing multiple tests will not improve your reading score if you do not then identify your weaknesses and work on them. Especially in the reading questions because they are so variable.
You can learn a lot from thoroughly evaluating your test results. In fact, it is the most effective way to identify the problematic areas.
Don't disregard any question as a silly mistake, and don't just accept that you made the wrong choice, figure out why. Keep a record of your set results and weaknesses you identify. Once you’ve worked out a strategy to deal with them, write another test and record your progress.
Discovering your weakness is more complicated than you might think, but help is available.
Amikka's tutor for SAT Prep scored in the 98th percentile on the SAT. Her approach favors interactive sessions with her students and keeping them engaged through problem-solving strategies, mini lessons, and review.
Her teaching style aligns greatly with Amikka’s values, whose test-taking philosophy is that improvements in time management, content mastery, and general exam strategy are the main keys to success.content mastery, and general exam strategy are the main keys to success.
Rather than spending great effort attempting to master the content of the passage, you should use the text as a resource to answer the questions. Refrain from getting stuck on minor information and instead quickly skim the text and stay focused on the relevant points.
Try them out and choose the best method for you, which may help with timing issues you may have.
There are several ways to improve time management. Here's one example.
Using a skimming method of reading should get you through a passage in under 3 minutes, and answering questions should take 30 seconds each.
That means that you'll answer all 52 questions from 5 passages within 41 minutes. Even if you spend extra seconds on more complicated passages or answers, the easier ones will take less time.
Practice this process that could allow you 24 minutes extra time to double-check your answers.
Mark the questions you feel confident about. Spend your double-checking minutes on those that you were less confident about.
Skim the passage and the questions, underlining any words or sentences that seem unnecessary. Reword them into simple English and form your own answer. Now, look at the answer choices and determine which is correct.
Remember only one answer will be correct. Ensure that your choice has evidence from the passage.
Note: These methods are covered extensively in Amikka's online courses. Learn how to read actively, take notes, underline, mark up the passage in the methods best suited to you. It won't be long before important sentences stand out so you can quickly identify the correct answers,
Master this time management technique with the help of Amikka Learning.
General questions take longer to answer than specific questions. Answer specific questions first, and by the time you've done those you would have gathered enough knowledge of the passage to answer the general questions.
The skill to identify wrong answers will hugely benefit your time management. Look out for:
Addressing your weakness typically involves three areas:
Practice is essential to achieving your dream score. Expect fluctuations in your scores, but be persistent and keep on practicing – not blindly but with a structured plan.
That brings us to a BONUS TIP, one that might change your future!
Amikka's course on SAT Reading comprises 48 video lessons and five practice exams with answer sets. Amikka also offers one-on-one tutoring to suit your unique needs.
Take the first step now and prepare to get into the school of your dreams!