Boosting SAT Reading Score

Hey guys, I've been really trying to improve my SAT Reading score and get an 800. Could anyone share some study tips or resources that have worked for them? I appreciate any help!

Boosting your SAT Reading score can be a bit challenging, but with the right strategies and resources, you should be able to make significant improvements. Here are some tips and resources that have worked for many students:

1. Vocabulary: Knowing the meaning of unfamiliar words is crucial to understanding the passages. Though the redesigned SAT doesn't exclusively test hard vocabulary words, it's still essential to have a strong foundation, so that you're able to fully grasp the meaning of the passage. Quizlet offers a wide range of flashcard sets for SAT vocabulary, which may be helpful in your studies, and you can also play word games like Wordle or Words With Friends to learn vocabulary in a fun context.

2. Practice daily: Try to read at least one passage per day from a variety of sources like news articles, editorials, or fiction to build your reading comprehension skills. This exposure will help you develop the ability to understand complex texts and their underlying themes.

3. Skim and annotate: Quickly skim the passage first to get an overall idea of the structure and main argument before diving into the questions. Annotate important keywords, phrases, or main ideas as you read. Having a mental map of the text will allow you to answer questions more efficiently.

4. Identify question types: Familiarize yourself with different types of SAT Reading questions like vocabulary-in-context, main idea, evidence-based, and inference questions. Understanding their patterns will allow you to answer them more accurately and efficiently.

5. Answer evidence-based questions simultaneously: As many questions often come in pairs, with a question immediately followed by one asking you to provide evidence for your answer choice, tackle these in tandem. This approach will ensure consistency in your answers and prevent you from second-guessing yourself.

6. Practice under timed conditions: Simulate test conditions as closely as possible when practicing. Time yourself and take frequent practice tests to track your progress. Being comfortable in the test-taking environment will reduce your anxiety on test day and improve pacing skills.

7. Review mistakes: Analyze your practice test results and learn from your errors. Determine if you are struggling with specific question types, passage content, or concepts. Focus your study efforts on these areas to see the most improvement. Seeing as you're aiming high, you may even want to review the questions you got right, to ensure your overall approach was sound and you didn't just accidentally arrive at the correct answer.

For practice materials, the following resources should be helpful:

1. The Official SAT Study Guide from College Board: This book provides a comprehensive overview of the SAT Reading section and includes 8 full-length practice exams.

2. Khan Academy: Khan Academy, through a partnership with College Board, offers personalized study plans, video lessons, and an extensive library of practice questions for the Reading section.

3. CollegeVine: CollegeVine's blog has a series of posts focused on SAT prep, including some for the Reading section specifically, such as this one: https://blog.collegevine.com/commonly-missed-sat-grammar-rules/. If you're looking for a tutor, CollegeVine also has a marketplace of college admissions experts, some of whom specialize in prepping for standardized tests.

Remember, consistent practice and learning from your mistakes are the keys to improving your SAT Reading score. Good luck, and don't forget to keep tracking your progress!