Posted by
Vicki Wood on Tue, May 21, 2013 @ 01:00 PM
It’s never too early to start studying for the SAT and ACT! Just ask my 2½ year old twins about their daily SAT routine. Just kidding. Sort of. I can’t help it if they to learn big words.
But anyway, sophomores (and even freshman) who are looking to get a jump on test prep can certainly get started as underclassmen. It’s wise to leave The Official SAT Study Guide and The Real ACT Prep Book on the shelf until your junior year, but there are plenty of practice opportunities to help you fine tune the skills tested on the SAT and ACT.
Read, read, read
When I was a freshman in college, my Humanities class required 3 books and a coursepack. The coursepack was a 300 page collection of photocopied articles that my professor selected for us to read. Great. So not only did I have to buy a humanities textbook and two non-fiction page-turners (one on schizophrenia in Ireland in the 1800s and another on the gender roles of the Inuit), but also a packet of photocopied articles whose contents all mimicked the mind-numbing passages on the SAT and ACT.
That’s right. College is just one big SAT or ACT reading passage. It doesn’t matter if you’re studying to be a doctor or a teacher or an accountant. You are going to read about exciting things like the life cycle of an amoeba and the history of the wagon and the cultural comparisons between Star Trek and an Amazonian tribe. This is why the SAT and ACT passages are so difficult—they are meant to weed out those who cannot survive the giant coursepacks of college.
So start reading difficult, dry text now, to prep you both for the tests and for college. We recommend some source material in our Free Help Area. As you read, concentrate on the author’s main ideas and his or her attitude toward the subject. Aim to read two or three articles a week to firm up reading skills and get you used to the heavy subject matter used on admissions tests.
Complete the Question of the Day
Both the College Board and the ACT offer a free Question of the Day. You can subscribe to the SAT Question of the Day service and receive the question as an email, and the ACT Question of the Day is posted on their website every morning. The questions come from all test subject areas, and they are full explained. It’s a great way to introduce yourself to the exams and to the types of questions and content tested.
Check out a practice test
If you’ve never seen a real SAT or ACT, check out the free tests available on the College Board website and the ACT website and take the test under timed conditions. Your resulting score will indicate just how much you need to study over the next year or two.
Start learning vocabulary now
The ACT uses a few vocabulary words in the questions about reading passages, but not enough to suggest spending study time on vocabulary words For SAT test takers, however, it’s a good idea to start your vocabulary study as soon as possible. Vocabulary words are used in both types of reading questions: Sentence Completions and Passage-Based Reading. You can find free flashcards with the most popular SAT words in our Free Help Area. Directions are included there for how to study the words, and the order in which you should tackle them. While a perfect vocabulary is not necessary for a perfect score on the SAT, the more words you know, the easier the test will be. Even my toddlers will tell you that assiduous study of vocabulary words is imperative in obtaining a preeminent score and subsequent success. Just kidding. Sort of.
interlocutor
(n) a person who takes part in a conversation
(pronounced "in-ter-lok-yuh-ter”)
Example Sentence:
At the apartment complex, the two interlocutors continued to debate the merits of television outside my bedroom window until well after midnight.
This and other great vocab words are available in our Repeat Offenders SAT vocab flashcards, which you can get for FREE right here.
insinuator
(n) a person who gives hints or suggestions in a sly manner
(pronounced "in-sin-yoo-eyt-er”)
Example Sentence:
After rumors surfaced of Chad’s cheating on the SAT, Kelly acted as an insinuator and told his parents that most students found the test much more difficult than Chad did..
This and other great vocab words are available in our Repeat Offenders SAT vocab flashcards, which you can get for FREE right here.
ingenue
(n) an artless, innocent young girl (especially as portrayed on the stage)
(pronounced "an-zhuh-noo”)
Example Sentence:
The young actress will play the part of the ingenue, an innocent girl who becomes caught up in the plot in Act II.
This and other great vocab words are available in our Repeat Offenders SAT vocab flashcards, which you can get for FREE right here.
iconoclast
(n) a person who who attacks cherished ideas or traditional institutions
(pronounced "ahy-kon-uh-klast”)
Example Sentence:
Many religious leaders accused the author of being an iconoclast for presenting evidence that contrasted with the religion’s long-standing beliefs.
This and other great vocab words are available in our Repeat Offenders SAT vocab flashcards, which you can get for FREE right here.
Ah, Senior Year. You’ve waited for it, pined for it, ached for it—and now it’s almost here! That last year before you go off to college; those last few months before you get to be on your own.
Understandably, it will feel like it drags on forever. And ever. After a while, you may lose steam, and simply become a high school zombie, waiting for that final of final bells to ring so that you can close out your high school chapter and start you college story. You might fall prey to that most dreaded of high school diseases: senioritis. The symptoms of senioritis are common and widespread amongst graduating classes: Glazed-over eyes, blank expressions, lack of interest…in everything. You’re done, you’re spent, you’re ready to move on.
The problem is, school isn’t ready to move on with you. And what you do that last year of high school still—eep!—matters. It matters to your GPA and it matters to the colleges to which you’re applying. Slack off and you could be, in the most extreme cases, saying goodbye to college acceptances you thought were already in the bag.
So, it’s time to come up with a plan. Follow these five simple steps to stay active and involved that last year of high school, and make it truly count.
Become A Leader
Once you’re a senior and you’ve been involved in your extracurriculars for two or three years, it’s time to step it up and really get involved. Become the editor-in-chief of the yearbook or newspaper. Take on the lead role in the school play. Become the volunteer liaison or fundraising leader for your school’s chapter of a charity. You know the lay of the land, so lead the pack! Becoming a leader will keep you involved in your activities, and will help lend structure to your extracurricular pursuits.
Get Interested (And Interesting!)
Just because it’s your last year, don’t let your curriculum get boring. Sure, you need to get all your core courses done (and done well—don’t forget that colleges like to see final transcripts, even if they’ve already accepted you), but that doesn’t mean you can’t spice up your academics with some fun or unusual courses. What off-the-beaten-path classes does your school offer? Seek them out and consider adding one or two to your schedule. It’ll keep things interesting, and keep you interested in academics during this long last year in high school.
Try Something New
Just because you’re a senior doesn’t mean that you can’t join a new school activity. Consider checking out a new group or club this year. Always wanted to be a football booster? Check them out. Wondered what writing an article in the school newspaper would entail? Contribute one. Love taking pictures? Considering joining the yearbook or school magazine. Not everything on your résumé has to have had lengthy, long-term commitment; sometimes, just doing something because it’s new and fun is enough of a reason. Trying something new keeps things fresh, and may even land you some new friends.
Give Back
You’re now an expert at navigating the high school scene. You know where to go, what to do, and how to get things done. Consider becoming a mentor to incoming freshmen, volunteering at the guidance office, and maybe even giving talks through your college advising office about how to best apply to college. You’ve got the knowledge—share it with others! Taking the time to guide others through experiences you’ve already mastered will give you a new appreciation for everything you’ve learned.
Remember: It’s A Year Of “Lasts”
Don’t let the fog of senioritis cloud over the fact that this coming year is your last year of high school. Chances are pretty good that everything you do will be some version of the “last time” you do it. Don’t simply go to school for the sake of going—savor each moment! Take pictures. Hang out with your friends. Make a list of all the silly stuff you want to do “one last time”—and then do it! Once you’re in college, high school is gone forever, so make your senior year a year to remember.
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hedonist
(n) a person dedicated to the pursuit of pleasure
(pronounced "heed-n-ist”)
Example Sentence:
After working for years as a hospice nurse, Heidi had no respect for the hedonist who lived next door; by only seeking pleasure, he left the more unpleasant activities to caretakers like Heidi.
This and other great vocab words are available in our Repeat Offenders SAT vocab flashcards, which you can get for FREE right here.
gourmand
(n) a person who enjoys eating good food
(pronounced "goo
r-mahnd”)
Example Sentence:
A gourmand all his life, it was only natural that
Goren became a professional food critic after
culinary school.
This and other great vocab words are available in our Repeat Offenders SAT vocab flashcards, which you can get for FREE right here.
glutton
(n) a person who eats too much or who has an extreme capacity for something
(pronounced "gluht-n”)
Example Sentence:
Glenn was a glutton at the buffet; he ate two
hamburgers, three slices of pizza, one pound of potato salad, six cookies, and four slices of cake..
This and other great vocab words are available in our Repeat Offenders SAT vocab flashcards, which you can get for FREE right here.
explicator
(n) a person who explains or interprets
(pronounced "ek-spli-keyt er”)
Example Sentence:
My attorney was an excellent explicator; he clearly interpreted each clause of the legal contract so I could understand what I was signing.
This and other great vocab words are available in our Repeat Offenders SAT vocab flashcards, which you can get for FREE right here.