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Hey there, English is my second language and I want to get a higher score in the SAT's for verbal, as it is right now my score stands at 400. I am trying to memorize all the words they offer out there, but it doesn't really work. Plus, how do you get to understamd the reading part, it is also complicating. Please tell me if you are a verbal expert yourself how to boost my verbal score. I can give you advice for math, I have a score of 720 and I'm likely to increase my score. Please, I want to get scholarship and get admitted to good colleges

By Incognito (Incognito) on Sunday, March 30, 2003 - 02:03 am: Edit

My Critical Reading score is not too wonderful, but it sounds to me as though you're problem is not really the SAT itself, but the English language. I mean, have you completely mastered English? If not, then that's obviously the problem, and you should thus find ways of enhancing your ability to both speak and write it before working on the SAT itself...

By Axfeaver (Axfeaver) on Sunday, March 30, 2003 - 03:08 am: Edit

I'm not like almost IQless(As I like to say it) in Verbal, I just don't do as well, that's all. I also need to take the SAT's to get to a school in America, or ACT and it offers some verbal material too. I have ideas in mind that could lead me with alot of succes in life. I am also known to be a school material, I just had some bumps along the way that pushed me back with life. So since I am willing to do alot of work in life, I also want to know an opportunity for me to do well in the SATs.

By Seeker (Seeker) on Sunday, March 30, 2003 - 05:03 am: Edit

To be completely honest, if someone doesn't have a sound grasp of English, he's not going to do very well on the SAT or in American colleges in general. Perhaps you *are* 'school material' (as you put it), but the fact is that you probably won't be able to do well on the SAT without a reasonable command of English. Tough luck but that's the way things are.

If you do have more time, start reading English books and newspapers aggressively and continue memorising word lists and practicing on SAT books. It might help a bit. I seriously think, however, that you should consider going to university in your home country - if you're academically able I'm sure you can get into a good one.

By Incognito (Incognito) on Sunday, March 30, 2003 - 12:18 pm: Edit

Axfeaver,
I think that if colleges know that English is your second language, and you have not been speaking it for a very long time, then they'll excuse the verbal score if it is okay (but they may not excuse it if it is horrible). Seeker's advice on reading newspapers certainly cant hurt. Anyways, I wish you the best of luck in the future.