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I'm currently living New Zealand and going to a NZ high school, although I plan to go to university in US(preferably in CA.) Of course studying in US would definitely be a lot easier to study for SAT than NZ(different university qualifications).
This means that I'm studying SAT at home while also studying for NCEA(NZ's version of SAT), which basically means I have to study for 2 qualifications at once. I would have to take the SAT through Fulbright. If I do this, would I be disadvantaged if I'm applying to good US universities?
On the other hand, I could move to US, go to High school there and focus entirely on SAT and prepare through 11th/12th grade. If i do this, it would mean I have to do it asap (less than 2 months) If I do this, how disadvantaged would I be? Does US high school education focus on other areas that won't be a part of the SAT curriculum?
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you can easily study for the SATs independently :3
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thedeadhaji
39489 Posts
SAT score is only like 1/3 of what gets you into uni
edit: oh and what paper said
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3861 Posts
yeah, the US curriculum in HS is not gonna help you with SATs. you're better off studying for them independently.
When applying to colleges in the US, your SAT scores, your SAT II scores, GPA, Extra curricular activies, awards and essay are the components that will get you in.
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So in US High Schools, the curriculum isn't related to SAT? What does high schools there prepare you for? the subject tests?
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US high schools is a joke... they dont help prepare you for college at all. i guess AP or IB gets you credits that you can use afterwards.
just get one of those SAT books (like Kaplan) and study that.
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The only way schools help you in SAT is maybe for your math, in which some forms of equations can help (but if you're good at abstract thinking it's fine), and perhaps vocabulary in advanced courses.
SAT prep books are the best way to prepare + vocabulary by yourself.
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SATs are way too easy, depending on how good you are at taking standardized tests, you might not even have to study (i didnt)
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On July 05 2009 19:39 b_unnies wrote: So in US High Schools, the curriculum isn't related to SAT? What does high schools there prepare you for? the subject tests? o god no. American high schools are really a joke; they do absolutely nothing to prepare you for standardized tests. All you really need to do for SATs is take practice tests and get a feel for the types of questions they're going to ask you. Also be able to write quickly and well (you have 25 min to write a whole essay). You'll be fine just studying independently.
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I fail to see why people say US high schools are a joke because they don't prepare you for SATs. SATs aren't really designed to be prepared for, especially in a school setting, they're trying to test abstract reasoning (and vocab), not really as much knowledge. I know there are plenty of good reasons why US schools are a joke, but I would be extremely angry if my teachers spent any amount of time trying to prepare me for the SATs.
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If you are a decent student in HS, then just buy the old SAT test books (I dunno about the new version, but with the 1600 version all you have to do is practice on the 10 Real SATs book). You should be able to do well by just practicing on the old tests and getting something like Word Smart for vocab.
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If possible, buy these items: 1. SAT Prep Book 2. SAT Practice Tests-I have a book with 10 full SAT tests 3. Some book with SAT vocabulary
If you don't have much time to study you should concentrate most on doing practice tests.
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I went to a private high school, but I think that most schools here just teach you a watered down version of what you get in college. Like in Biology class you scratch the surface about diversity of life, cell respiration, evolution, etc, but you don't really get very in depth. That way if you take general biology later in college, you have a decent background in the subject so you can focus on all the finer details that were left out in high school.
It has absolutely nothing to do with the SAT. If you want to prepare specifically for the SAT, then just get one of those SAT books from barnes or something and do that. High school isn't designed around helping you pass one stupid test, that would be retarded.
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Some people are just naturally good at the SAT and don't have to study much to get a great score. Other people have to study it some.
If you have to study, just take a bunch of tests while doing something to improve your vocabulary. Practice tests and going over questions/answers is all it takes to get a nice score.
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16937 Posts
Most culturally biased old SAT analogy ever:
Marathon::Runner Regatta::\???????
loal.
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bring a ti89 (do they allow this? i didnt bring one years back), and know blah is to blah, while boo is to boo bullshit and youll score high. i took SATs when they didnt require essays or w/e, idk how hard it has gotten but honestly its not hard at all. and yeah studying it independently is what you should do. SAT prep book was the one my friend let me borrow and if you study it and get the hang of it by doing each of the problems (could skips a bunch, etc), you would have no problem taking the SATs because its a review sheet for it. the problems in the book and the actual test are very similar.
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On July 06 2009 00:57 Empyrean wrote: Most culturally biased old SAT analogy ever:
Marathon::Runner Regatta::\???????
loal.
omg they took analogies out of the SAT which pissed me off because I like/was good at them. I suck at basic grammar crap and of course there are like 3 sections of that stupid stuff.
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i hate writing. i can't find the errors. i ended up getting like a 580 on my writing section. i'm gonna retake it soon though.
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On July 05 2009 19:38 lilsusie wrote: yeah, the US curriculum in HS is not gonna help you with SATs. you're better off studying for them independently.
When applying to colleges in the US, your SAT scores, your SAT II scores, GPA, Extra curricular activies, awards and essay are the components that will get you in.
Because of uh how the economy blasted university attendance it's basically now
SAT scores > GPA >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Essay.
Transferring from a community college to a university is also so much easier now than it was even 2 years ago. Several good four year universities are getting mildly desperate to get more people in.
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