Are you aiming for 800 in SAT MATH ? Why not ?

A perfect 800 score on the SAT Math section guarantees that you’ll stand out.

But even the best, the brightest of us wonders if a perfect 800  is possible.

What SAT math prep techniques can you employ to ensure you save time? What common pitfalls should you be wary of? 

This and more is what we’re going to discuss today.

So why get an 800 on SAT Math? Because it helps you compensate for weaknesses in other sections. By and large, schools consider your composite score moreso than your individual section scores. If you can get an 800 in SAT Math, that means you only need a 730 in SAT Reading and Writing. This gives you a lot more flexibility.

Which of us here does NOT want a centum? A perfect score on the SAT Math section, especially considering most of you are looking at applying to top universities. 

By applying as a math/science major, you're competing against other math/science folks: people for whom SAT Math is easy. Really easy.

Here are a few examples from schools. For Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Caltech, and even less selective schools like Harvey Mudd, the 75th percentile SAT Math score is an 800. That means at least 25% of all students at these schools have an 800 in SAT Math.

Even more surprising: the 25th percentile score for SAT Math at MIT and Caltech are 750 and 770, respectively. This means if you score a 750 on your SAT Math, you're well below average for these schools!

But there’s always the fear that this just isn’t possible. 
Even the best, the brightest of us wonders if a perfect 800 on the SAT Mathematics is possible. 
We’re here to break this fear, to tell you it IS possible. This fear would appear justified.
 It’s very easy and quite common to make silly mistakes on an exam like the SAT. 
Somehow we’ve internalized that a perfect score is just not possible. Let’s change that.

Quick Facts

• Most math questions will be multiple choice, but some—called grid-ins—ask you to come up with the answer rather than select the answer.
• The Math Test is divided into two portions: Math Test–Calculator and Math Test–No Calculator.
• Some parts of the test include several questions about a single scenario.

Focus

The Math Test will focus in depth on the three areas of math that play the biggest role in a wide range of college majors and careers:

• Heart of Algebra, which focuses on the mastery of linear equations and systems.
• Problem Solving and Data Analysis, which is about being quantitatively literate.
• Passport to Advanced Math, which features questions that require the manipulation of complex equations.

The Math Test also draws on Additional Topics in Math, including the geometry and trigonometry most relevant to college and career readiness.

Heart of Algebra – you have linear equations, linear inequalities, algebraic expressions absolute values yet again, inequalities and everything. 
Geometry -you have everything right from lines and angles, circles, two dimensional figures to three dimensional geometry. 
Problem solving & Data analysis – the stuff that you have learned in school is all that’s covered. No higher level of mathematics is tested on the SAT. So it’s going to be easier for you if you recap the concepts you first learned in school. 

Passport to Advanced Math :  This topic deals with Pre-Calculus and Advanced Algebra. This is an important facet of the test, where you could gain advantage over an average student, or someone who is still in Junior year might not have had chance to take Pre-Calculus. These questions are detail oriented, will need graphing calculator often. 

So, How do you prepare yourself to get a perfect 800 ?

Here are our suggestions that are time tested. 

First, Get Collegeboard SAT publication book, it has 8 practice tests, some have more some less. You need one that has at least 4 practice tests.  Time the tests strictly and follow restrictions of no calculator for the first part of the SAT MATH test. Complete all 4 tests, preferably on different days and not in hurry or worried state of mind. 

1.  Understand if you have difficulty in completing test on time on practice tests.
2. Check to see if you are facing a lot of questions that you have not understood 

If you are running into either of these two scenarios, you should stop and understand you need more ground work before you can do practice tests. The non calculator section is an important indicator if you have dependency on the calculator. These questions do not mean to ask you to do a lot of computation, at all. If you are running into a lot of calculation, you are solving it incorrectly! Often there is a short cut or there is a concent , which when applied properly you will not need to much computation at all. 

You want to spend few weeks (about 20 hours, we estimate) for brushing up on the important topics , Example :  Geometry theorems which are easy to forget.  Enroll in a Math learning center , Mathnasium does a great job in this area to teach customized topics. There is even a Readiness test for SAT. Highly recommended to get started with a diagnostic, which is like a net to catch all the weaknesses you may have. 

The Next phase : 

OK, You are finishing the test on time and you have familiarity with the questions, not necessarily all correct answers at this time., which is what happens if you have good foundation in MATH. 

Now, here are the stratagies 

1. Practice , Practice , Practice  and understand every single mistake , profile your mistakes and see if you are repeating the same kind of mistake , or if it is connected with computation or something you have done in a hurry. If you dont understand why you made a mistake, you will make that mistake again.
2. Time yourself sincerely : Get your distractions out of the way and time yourself and sit on the test for the whole time.. 
3. Learn some tips to double check the answers. This can be your life saver! So many studennts just trust their instincts, but realize a simple error or sign they left off or distribution mistake in Algebra. It can cost. Plug the answer back and check if your equation makes sense. Estimate your answer and see if your exact answer is in the ballpark. 
4. Learn to isolate the wrong choices intelligently : This is not a substitution for solving it correctly, but a back up strategy in case you are running out of time, or a really hard question you have not practied. Usually two choices fall right off , you may have to decide between the two that look similar. Apply genuine math priciples to see them apart. 

These concepts and enough practice is all that’s required to get that 800 SAT Math score. 

Contact Mathnasium of Mt. Lebanon, Pittsburgh, for further help and sure success in MATH.