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ive been expanding my vocabulary everyday (10 words a day) but my analogy section in the verbal part isnt getting any easier...

am i studying the wrong way?
if so, how would u recommend that i study?

(i have plenty of time to prepare, so any long term suggestions are welcomed)

By Pookdogg (Pookdogg) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 11:27 am: Edit

I'm not a big fan of wordlists, but if you have the time, keep at them.

There are many strategies to acing the analogies section, even if you don't know a word. I got an 800 on verbal and I didn't know three or four words in the analogies section, and five or six in the verbal overall. I suggest taking a glance at a Princeton Review book or a Barron's book: they give you many strategies (word charge, bridges, elimination, etc) that really help. Memorizing words is fine, but that's like memorizing every nuance of a jigsaw puzzle.

By Y17k (Y17k) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 11:39 am: Edit

thx for the quick reply

wow 800.... i'd dream of that ><
on a side note, how did U study for verbal (seems like ur study method was damn successful)?

(i got the princeton review thing, but i havent really started studing it)

and when should u start SERISOULY studying for the SAT?

(my first one should b january next year)

wordlists are giving me headaches lol ^^

By Pookdogg (Pookdogg) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 11:42 am: Edit

How did I study?

Practice tests. Lots and lots of practice tests. First, you have to learn how to take a test, both practically and mentally. The practical part you can learn from the Princeton Review books. The mental part comes from the confidence that you get after getting the practical part down. Then you just take diagnostics over and over again. This also helps with the mental part, as you become more comfortable with taking a test.

By Y17k (Y17k) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 11:51 am: Edit

wow thx..

(plans to go off tomorrow and buy 32754572308 practice SATs ^^)

actually the princeton review book came out with about 6 tests, so i shall start on those tomorrow

i dotn really like the idea of this practice test thing (coz im not really that kind of a leaner who leanrs from practice; i learn from theory ^^)

LAST QUESTION (sry), so you didint look at wordlists at all (i feel all that paranoid feeling was wasted ><)

and as a side note, compared to australian schools, american school standards must be so much higher. in australia, i am in the top 3 out of ~120 people, but for the practice SAT i got ~1400, which is quite mediocre compared to most people here T.T

By Pookdogg (Pookdogg) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 12:00 pm: Edit

Well, here's the thing with wordlists. I didn't use them, but I do read a lot. While I don't speak English at home (I'm Korean), I do tend to read a lot of literature. Now, I'm not telling you to go out and read "War and Peace" today. I'm sure that wordlists can help you, but just be sure not to rely too heavily on them.

On your comment about mediocrity: just because you don't take the SAT well doesn't mean that the standards in Australia are lower than in the states. The SAT is not, repeat IS NOT, a test of intelligence. It's a test to see how good you are at taking standardized tests.

Good luck in your studies!

By Serene (Serene) on Friday, August 15, 2003 - 12:16 pm: Edit

if you're in a hurry, increase the # of words you memorize each day. When I studied Kaplan wordlist I used to do one letter a day and retained the words fine.

By Y17k (Y17k) on Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 02:39 am: Edit

hey im korean as well

hehe ^^

korean pride!!

and that princeton review book (i read it this morning) helped me tons... it changed the way i approach these questions :D

(but it'll probably screw me up for school tests lol)

By Wjk323 (Wjk323) on Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 04:24 am: Edit

wow...another korean...

then that makes...
me (wjk323)
canadian idol
y17k
pookdogg koreans...hehe...koreans rule..lol

By Notinnotin (Notinnotin) on Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 07:11 am: Edit

I am just so curious. Serene (Serene), are you serious????? You studied Kaplan wordlist used to do one letter a day??? You mean the Letter A with more than 200 words???? you must knew so many of them already before you take your study right?? I can memorize 50 new words a day mostly. Otherwise, i can memorize more than 50 new words with no efficiency. For example, forget all of them next morning.

By Soulofheaven8 (Soulofheaven8) on Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 08:30 am: Edit

---

Quote:

then that makes...
me (wjk323)
canadian idol
y17k
pookdogg koreans...hehe...koreans rule..lol

---

By Y17k (Y17k) on Saturday, August 16, 2003 - 09:41 am: Edit

wat the ••••... one letter a day....

200+ words a day

guess i have to up the standards for my study

(i try to fully know the words though i.e. not just passive vocabulary)