Preparing For The SAT Helps You Hit Your Mark (NAPSA)—For high school students thinking of going to college, changesare in the wind. In March 2005, the College Board will introduce a new SAT”. Students and parents probably have already heard about the changes coming to the nation’s most popular college entrance exam. The new SAT will feature three sections: critical reading, math, and writing. The test will include questions from Algebra II and an essay. Writing is being introduced because educators and business leaders are calling for improved writing in high school, college and beyond. Higher-level math is being added because the majority of college-bound students are already taking three years of math. If you are a high school junior who will graduate in June 2006, you will want to be sure you understand the upcoming changesto the SAT. If you are a high school senior who will graduate in June 2005, you need not concern yourself with the new test. You will most likely take the SAT before March 2005. That test will not include the changes. No matter which version of the SAT you take, there are steps you can take to prepare yourself to do yourbest on thetest. Here are somehelpful tips from the College Board, the organization that sponsors the SAT. The College Board stands readyto offer advice to students and families who are interested in learning about the best ways to prepare for the test, and it offers a variety of resources for students who want to do their best. The most important way you can prepare yourself for the SAT is by taking solid academic courses and studying hard in high school. The best foundation for the SAT is a rigorous curriculum of English, math, science, history, and other academic subjects. Reading extensively and developing good writing skills will also help you do well on the test. Also, be sure to familiarize yourself with the test directions and the types of questions on the SAT. The College Board sends free practice tests to every high school in the country and offers a free practice test on the online SAT Preparation Center” at www.collegeboard.com. Another great way to familiarize yourself with the SATis to take the PSAT/NMSQT, a College Board test that is given each year in October and covers the same topics as the SAT. Your PSAT/ NMSQT score report will help you understand your academic strengths and weaknesses so you know exactly what you need to work on before taking the SAT. The PSAT/NMSQToffered in October 2004 will feature most of the enhancements that will show up on the new version of the SAT in March. In addition, the College Board offers two handy tools that can really help you get extra preparation for the new SAT. The first is The Official SAT Study Guide: For the New SAT”. This is the successor volume to 10 Real SAT*s, which over the years was consistently a best seller among test-takers. The Official SAT Study Guide features eight full-length practice tests, addi- tional practice questions, essay prompts, and test-taking approaches. It will be available in bookstores beginning in fall 2004 for $19.95 and will also be available in many schoollibraries and counselors’offices. Anotherbig help is The Official SAT Online Course™. Starting this fall, the course will be available at www.collegeboard.com/sat onlinecourse. It is easy to use and accessible 24 hours a day from any computer with Internet access. This low-cost service features interactive instruction, three prac- tice tests, hundreds of practice questions, answer explanations, and much more. Starting in late 2004 your school should have copies of the SAT Preparation Booklet”, which includes test directions, sample questions, and a full-length practice test, available to you free of charge. And you can also visit the online SAT Preparation Center™ at www.collegeboard.com from your homeor school computer. There you will find a free practice test, practice questions, even more preparation approaches, and the SAT Question of the Day”. It’s all free. Andit’s all official.
