Are these the new or the old SAT's? If the old SAT's the ones that do not require 50% essay content, there are techniques that you can learn on how to take mutlitple choice examinations. If your parents feel it is important, you should take a prep course. The explain what you are trying to do and how to do it quite
well.

The new SAT doesn't kick into effect till Mar-2005. That would be too late for me to put on college applications. The new test will also be out of 2400 points. 800 points of which is an essay. Currently it is out of 1600. I would love to take the new test instead of this one, but as i said... too late.

I always wanted to know this, what would you say is a good SAT score? (I mean, not full marks, just averagely good) Why is it out of 1600 points? Why is the new one out of 2400??!! Why don't you stick to nice round numbers 1000/2000 or even simply 100??? Why goddamnit why??!!

Those crazy people are devising ways of messing with brains. 1600 is a combined score, 800 for Math, 800 for verbal. As of Mar- 2005, it will be 800 math, 800 verbal, 800 writing.

A good~great score would be 1200-1400. That would get you accepted to almost any college in the U.S depending on your GPA.

Edited by - Xenocideforme on 10/29/2004 6:26:24 AM

Thanks Xeno, good explanation.

So what I don't get now is 2 fold...

1. why they choose a crazy number like 800?

and

2. what happens to the other subjects other than maths and english??

If your ambition is to get into the top level universities or colleges* in the US, you really do need to score at least 1350 or better. This assumes that your grade point average is up to snuff, normally meaning 4.0 but could be slightly less if your SATs are 1400 or better or your extracurricular activities are very relevant to scholastic or personal development excellence.

There also is an unspoken consideration that males generally will do better in the math side of the SAT than in the "verbal" and females the reverse. So many test taking strategies are geared toward maximizing on scoring in the strengths side and minimizing on point detracting techniques on the weaknesses side.

<Edit>

It's not just "English." It is "verbal" skills in which questions involving other non-math disciplines are included.

Edited by - Indy11 on 10/29/2004 6:55:34 AM

<Edit2>

Brief History

The Army Alpha test which is mentioned in the linky was

---

The Army began general testing of draftees during World War I. In order to provide a means of classifying draftees, the Army developed the Army Alpha Test, which consisted of 212 multiple-choice and true/false questions on the following subjects: vocabulary, sentence structure, arithmetic problems, number series, general knowledge, and "common sense."

When it became apparent that many draftees could not read or write, and therefore could not be properly classified using the Army Alpha Test, the army developed the Army Beta Test, which minimized verbal knowledge and used only pictures and diagrams.

---

Source

Somebody once told me that the 800 score was the result of building the test from the bottom up and arriving at modules that totalled 800 out of a possible 1000. I don't quite understand what that means but it's an "explanation" of sorts, I guess.



Edited by - Indy11 on 10/29/2004 7:06:41 AM

so what the hell is a grade point average??!

god you people are weirder than I thought!! ever heard of percentages? lol.

What your grades amount to in school. Typically on a scale from 0 to 4 with quarter point gradients (for +'s and -'s).

Generally (as there are some variations in nuance)

The best grade is an A which translates to 4 points.
B's are 3 points, C's are 2 and D's are 1. F's or failures are less than 1 or 0.

So if you took 5 courses in a school semester and got 4 Bs and a C, the GPA would be 3 x 4 + 2 / 5 = GPA of 2.8 or a B-.


Edited by - Indy11 on 10/29/2004 7:47:54 AM

SATs are the most unpleasant experience ever, I just took them I finally got a 1350 which is ok. I got a 770 verbal and 580 math. What score you get on the SAT is basically how much you have prepared for the test unless you have a natural ability in one of the subjects. Basically the test isn't that significant as an "aptitude test" because you can study for it, my score went up 210 points with studying. I dont know how the new SAT is going to be as I won't have to take it...but it seems like it is going to take even more work to prepare for it.

@indy - on a scale of 1 to 4 with quarters??!!! errrr....1 to 10?? you're all wierd

EDIT : Thanks for explaining that guys, I've always wondered what it was all about


Edited by - gromit on 10/29/2004 9:02:55 AM

I took the SAT I in 8th grade, and I got an 1100.
Now I am going to be taking it again soon, and I am just POed that they added writing!
Oh well...

Also, if you are taking AP (Advanced Placement) classes, your GPA can be out of 5.0. A=5.0, B=4.0, C=3.0 and so on and so forth.

oh lucky me..i guess i get to take the damned new ones with writing .....isn't this just perfect ? I just love writing, it's the only thing i am good at....

*edit*
jacob, i also took them in 8th grade...but i forgot my scores....

Edited by - ):Wolf_Demon "wolfy" on 10/30/2004 1:21:19 AM

SAT? The Starcon Aptitude Test?

This is one of the awsome things about being in Aus.
We have:
the GAT, General Achevent Test, used to moderate marks in some subjects (mainly art ones)
And Exams in all subjects.

thats it. At the end of year 12, we get an ENTER (i have no idea what it means) which is based on the study score for each subject.

The study score is out of 50 for each subject, and is worked out from your performance THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE YEAR. not just some pissy exam.

The ENTER is used to determine Uni placements, and the score is between 0 and 99.95 or basically, its what percent of the rest of the state is behind you (thats why its not 100, you cant be in front of your self)

The Subject study scores are marked up or down, according to what type of subject it is, Arts goes down, sciences and languages go up. if its 50, it doesnt change.

wait a minute... this is horribly complicated... but it means no tests!!!