Getting a top score on the SAT is crucial for admissions into a top college and getting crucial scholarships and financial aid packages. Kaplan’s SAT Advanced 2010 Edition is the perfect guide for students who are serious about gaining an edge on the competition and getting a perfect score on test day.
With undergraduate admissions competition increasing, the costs of college higher than ever, and the economy uncertain, acing the SAT has never been so important. This indispensable guide provides students with the toughest practice questions and best strategies to help them achieve a great score on the SAT.
The Perfect Score
PART ONE: INSIDE THE SAT
Chapter 1: About the SAT
The Test Breakdown
Format and Time
SAT Registration
Chapter 2: SAT Strategy Overview
General SAT Strategies
PART TWO: CRITICAL READING
Chapter 3: The Reading Comprehension Challenge
Attacking SAT Reading Comprehension Strategically
The Method in Action
Working with the Passage
Working with the Questions
Chapter 4: Strategies for Tough Reading Comprehension
What Makes Hard Reading Comprehension Passages Hard?
Attacking Difficult Long Passages: The Approach
What Makes Hard Reading Comprehension Questions Hard?
Tough Reading Comprehension: Strategy Recap
Chapter 5: Reading Comprehension Practice Sets and Explanations
Practice Set 1: Short Passages
Practice Set 2: Long Passages
Chapter 6: The Sentence Completion Challenge
What Makes Hard Sentence Completion Questions Hard?
Chapter 7: Strategies for Tough Sentence Completions
Using the Clues: Advanced Detective Work
Paraphrasing
Word Charge
Working Backward
Tough Sentence Completions: Strategy Recap
Chapter 8: Sentence Completion Practice Set and Explanations
PART THREE: WRITING
Chapter 9: Strategies for the Writing Section Essay
How the SAT Essay Is Scored
What Skills Are Tested?
Do You Need to Prepare for the Essay?
Establish and Adhere to a Practice Schedule
The Kaplan Method for the Essay
Maximizing Your Score
Applying the Kaplan Method
You Be the Grader
How To Turn a 4 into a 6
Building a 6
Practice and Self-Evaluation
Get a Second Opinion
A Special Note for Students for Whom English Is a Second Language
Essay Writing: Strategy Recap
Chapter 10- Essay Writing Practice Set
Essay Prompt I
Sample Essay I
Reader Analysis of Sample Essay I
Essay Prompt II
Sample Essay II
Reader Analysis of Sample Essay II
Practice Essay Prompts
Chapter 11. The Writing Questions Challenge
How Writing Questions Are Built
Practice Applying the Kaplan Methods
The Method for Identifying Sentence Errors Questions
The Method for Improving Sentences Questions
The Method for Improving Paragraphs Questions
Chapter 12: Strategies for Tough Writing Questions
What Makes a Writing Question Tough?
Identifying Sentence Errors Questions
Improving Sentences Questions
Improving Paragraphs Questions
Elimination Strategies
Self-Evaluation
Chapter 13: Writing Practice Sets and Explanations
PART FOUR: SAT ADVANCED MATH--THE BASICS
SAT Math Directions
Chapter 14: The SAT Math Challenge
Know What to Expect from SAT Math
What Makes an SAT Math Question Hard?
Grid-Ins
Chapter 15: Essential Math Strategies
Picking Numbers
Back-solving
Calculator Strategies
Essential Math Strategies Recap
Chapter 16. SAT Math Strategies Practice Set and Explanations
PART FIVE: STRAIGHT MATH ON THE SAT
Chapter 17: SAT Arithmetic
Number Properties
Roots and Exponents
Chapter 18: SAT Algebra
Straightforward Algebra
Inequalities
Absolute Value Problems
Simultaneous Equations
Radical and Exponential Equations
Quadratics
Function Questions
Chapter 19: SAT Geometry
Geometric Notation for Length, Segments, Lines, Rays, and Congruence
Triangles, Rectangles, and Circles
Coordinate Geometry
Function Graphing
Chapter 20: Straight Math Practice Set and Explanations
PART SIX: SAT MATH WORD PROBLEMS
Chapter 21: Arithmetic and Algebra Word Problems
Word Problem Strategies
Ratios, Proportions, and Variations
Percents
Rates and Averages
Set Terminology
Exponential Sequences
Algebra Word Problems
Chapter 22: Geometry and Data Interpretation Word Problems
Geometry Word Problems
Three-Dimensional Geometry Word Problems
Geometry Word Problems (Modifying Diagrams)
Data Interpretation
Chapter 23: Oddball Word Problems
Oddball Word Problem Sets
Chapter 24: SAT Word Problems Practice Set and Explanations
PART SEVEN: SAT RESOURCES
100 Essential Math Concepts
Writing and Vocabulary Review