THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 29, 1995 TAG: 9509290035
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHRISTIE AMBERMAN, HIGH SCHOOL CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
ON YOUR MARK, get set, GO!
Once again, the start of the school year has sent students back into the daily grind of homework, tests and research papers.
Yet for most of us high school seniors, September doesn't mean slipping into a familiar routine - it also marks the beginning of a feverish scramble that is the race for college admissions.
The first order of business is the dreaded Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT. Great importance has been placed on this test as a way for colleges to measure academic ability on a standard scale and there are plenty of test preparation materials available. From videotapes to seminars and computer programs, these resources offer students a chance to review vital concepts that might improve their score.
In an ideal world, college-bound seniors would have had ample time and money to complete a SAT workshop or computer preparation program. However with the first testing date - Oct. 14 - just two weeks away, many seniors may think that preparation is no longer an option.
Although long-term preparation may be out of the question, there is a wealth of SAT review books that can be completed in a short time and at a reasonably low cost.
Searching for books that met these two requirements, I went to Barnes & Noble Booksellers in Virginia Beach where among the usual 500-page study guides, I found these gems:
``The Princeton Review SAT Math Workout,'' by Cornelia Cocke, 245 pp., $12.
This book has an easy-to-follow format and the big print makes its size less intimidating. It covers math strategies and reviews concepts in arithmetic, algebra and geometry. There are no practice tests, but there are ample practice problems after each section. Plus, all the answers are explained thoroughly.
``The Princeton Review SAT Verbal Workout,'' by Geoff Martz, 189 pp., $15.
Verbal strategies are covered in the first chapter and tips and practice problems follow each review section. This book covers sentence completion, analogies and critical reading. The vocabulary section at the back is absolutely great; it puts SAT-type words into sentences dealing with everyday life and explains them in a way that assures that you won't fall asleep. Also included is a section of flashcards.
Both of these are excellent choices for those who feel they need practice in one particular area. Plus, in each book there is an on-line assistance number as well as a phone line with SAT instructors available to answer your questions.
Other more comprehensive books included:
``Kaplan Source Books SAT-in-a-Week,'' $9.95. For those with serious time constraints, this book is a dream. With 202 short and compact pages, it is formatted so that it can be completed in seven days. Although it offers very little practice work, ``SAT-in-a-Week'' concentrates on covering math and verbal strategies and test-taking techniques.
``Up Your Score - The Underground Guide to the New SAT and PSAT,'' by Manek Mistry, Michael Colton, Paul Rossi and Larry Berger, $8.95.
If you want an unorthodox review book that can actually be amusing, this is the one. Written by students, this book offers unusual as well as innovative tips and suggestions for the math and verbal section. The vocabulary list puts difficult words into sentences that help you to easily recall their meetings. ``Up Your Score'' doesn't offer practice problems, yet because it's funny and amusing, it's great to skim through.
It's important to note that with last minute study guides there are no guarantees for a miraculous increase in your score. However, Kaplan's ``SAT-in-a-Week'' did offer this reassuring thought - by getting even just two more questions right in each section, you can improve your score by up to 150 points. And with the SAT being such an important part of the college application, if extra review can make any possible difference it certainly doesn't hurt to try. MEMO: College 101 deals with getting into college and appears monthly in
Teenology. ILLUSTRATION: Color photos
CHRISTIE AMBERSON IS A SENIOR AT FIRST COLONIAL HIGH SCHOOL
With the SAT just two weeks away, students are turning to study
guides.
by CNB