In his senior year at CSA, my older brother Eduardo, who is now in college, managed to get a perfect score in the section of Math of the SAT. By the title of this article, you may be looking forward to uncovering the secret to acing the Math SAT. However, chances are you may already know the secret.
“There is no secret; just make sure to know how the test is structured and then study the concepts. The main thing is to practice; practice makes perfect,” Eduardo simply replied when I asked him how he did it.
So, first things first: identify your strengths and weaknesses. Eduardo started practicing in the summer of 11th grade. He practiced almost every day and on weekends he solved a practice test.
Second, challenge yourself and break your own boundaries. My brother told me that when he started to get more than 1400 in the practice tests, he began to feel more confident. Nonetheless, he kept on going.
We all know the pressure these tests can generate. The Math SAT is made up of math concepts that are relatively straightforward, yet that does not mean it is equal for everyone. The SAT does not cover many math areas you may excel in. This means you have to prepare yourself to be challenged.
I asked Eduardo for a piece of advice for those who will be taking this test this year and his reply was, “Try to improve, study, and do not stress much because at the end of the day it is just a number. Perfection is not the most valuable thing; the most important thing is what you learned.¨
Eduardo beside the welcome banner Ms. Elisa made for him, celebrating his perfect score.
Photo Credit: Carlos Medrano