The SAT Prep Black Book
Dedication
The SAT Prep Black Book would never have been possible without the help, support, and patience of my family, to whom, and for whom, I am eternally grateful. I would also like to thank the many partners, advisors, and friends without whom my career in test prep would not be possible, especially Mimi, Michele, Xiggi, Gerry, Bruce, Melody, and Chris.
Of course, I would also like to express my gratitude to the tens of thousands of high-school students all around the world who have trusted me with a part of their futures over the years. You have taught me more than I ever would have thought possible back when I was tutoring my brothers’ friends in my parents’ dining room after work.
Finally, I would like to thank the people at Amazon for allowing me and everyone else to share our work with the world through the most sophisticated publishing platform ever built.
This book is dedicated to all of you.
Free Video Demonstrations
If you’d like to see videos of some sample SAT solutions like the ones in this book, please visit http://www.SATprepVideos.com. A selection of free videos is available for readers of this book.
Table Of Contents
Dedication
Free Video Demonstrations
Table Of Contents
Read This First!
Frequently Asked Questions
Setting (The Right) Goals
How To Train For The SAT—Mastering The Ideas In This Book
Be Careful With Diagnostics, Even From The College Board
Only Work With Questions From The College Board!
A Word On Guessing: Don’t.
The Importance Of Details: Avoiding “Careless Errors”
Certainty And The SAT
Where To Find “Missing Points”
Time Management
The “Big Secret” Of The SAT
SAT Passage-Based Reading
The Big Secret Of SAT Passage-Based Reading
How To Read Passages On The SAT
The General Process For Answering Passage-Based Reading Questions
The Passage-Based Reading Process In Action Against Real Questions
A Selection of Challenging Questions
SAT Passage-Based Reading Quick Summary
SAT Sentence Completion
Overview and Important Reminders for SAT Sentence Completion
5 Reasons Why Memorizing Vocabulary Is Not The Best Way To Go
The Big Secret Of Sentence Completion Questions
The General Process For Answering Sentence-Completion Questions
What Do We Do When We Don’t Know Enough Of The Words?
The Sentence Completion Process in Action Against Real Questions
A Selection of Challenging Questions
Conclusion
SAT Sentence Completion Quick Summary
SAT Math
The Big Secret Of SAT Math
The Two Critical Components of SAT Math Success
SAT Math Toolbox
Unwritten Rules of SAT Math
Hidden Test Design Patterns of SAT Math Questions
Special Math Technique: Learning From Diagrams
The Recommended Math Path
The Math Path In Action
A Selection of Challenging Questions
SAT Math Quick Summary
The SAT Essay
Unwritten Test Design Rules of the SAT Essay
Recommended Step-By-Step Approach to the SAT Essay
SAT Essay Quick Summary
SAT Writing Multiple Choice
How To Improve Your Score On The Writing Section
Overview and Important Reminders for Identifying Sentence Errors On The SAT
Unwritten Test Design Rules of Identifying Sentence Errors on the SAT
Hidden Test Design Patterns of Identifying Sentence Errors on the SAT
The Recommended Step-By-Step Approach For SAT Identifying Sentence Errors
The Step-By-Step Approach To Identifying SAT Sentence Errors In Action
A Selection of Challenging Questions
Identifying Sentence Errors Quick Summary
Overview and Important Reminders for Improving Sentences on the SAT Writing Section
Unwritten Test Design Rules For Improving Sentences on the SAT
Hidden Test Design Patterns of Improving Sentences On The SAT
The Step-By-Step Approach To Improving SAT Sentences
The Step-By-Step Approach To Improving SAT Sentences In Action
A Selection of Challenging Questions
Improving Sentences Quick Summary
Overview and Important Reminders for Improving Paragraphs on the SAT Writing Section
The Unwritten Test Design Rule For Improving Paragraphs on the SAT
Recommended Step-By-Step Approach To Improving Paragraphs On The SAT
The Recommended Step-By-Step Approach To Improving SAT Paragraphs In Action
Selection of Challenging Questions
Improving Paragraphs Quick Summary
Being An SAT Machine
What Are The College Board’s Resources Good For?
8 Things You Thought You Knew About The SAT Are Wrong
The Nature of Elite Scores
Advice For Non-Native Speakers Of American English
One Final Piece Of Advice
Thanks For Reading!
Appendix: Writing Toolbox
Higher-Level Concepts: Ideal Sentences And Paragraphs On The SAT
Read This First!
“Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four hours sharpening the axe.”
- Abraham Lincoln